James,a bond-servantof Godand of the LordJesusChrist,To the twelvetribeswhoare dispersedabroad: Greetings.
"So they will knowthat I am the LORDwhen I scatterthem among the nationsand spreadthem among the countries.
Peter,an apostleof JesusChrist,To those who reside as aliens,scattered throughoutPontus,Galatia,Cappadocia,Asia,and Bithynia,who are chosen
The Jewsthensaidto one another,"Wheredoes this manintendto gothat we will not findHim? He is not intendingto goto the Dispersionamong the Greeks,and teachthe Greeks,is He?
Saulwas in hearty agreementwith putting him to death.And on that daya greatpersecutionbeganagainstthe churchin Jerusalem,and they were allscatteredthroughoutthe regionsof Judeaand Samaria,exceptthe apostles.
[the promise] to whichour twelve tribeshopeto attain,as they earnestlyserve[God] nightand day.And for thishope,O King,I am being accusedby Jews.
and they sent this letterby them, "The apostlesand the brethrenwho are elders,to the brethrenin Antiochand Syriaand Ciliciawhoare from the Gentiles,greetings.
Paul,a bond-servantof Godand an apostleof JesusChrist,for the faithof those chosenof Godand the knowledgeof the truthwhich is accordingto godliness,
and recognizingthe gracethat had been givento me, Jamesand Cephasand John,who were reputedto be pillars,gaveto me and Barnabasthe right handof fellowship,sothat we [might] [go] to the Gentilesand they to the circumcised.
Afterthey had stopped speaking,Jamesanswered,saying,"Brethren,listento me.
"Moreover, the LORDwill scatteryou among allpeoples,from one endof the earthto the other endof the earth;and thereyou shall serveothergods,woodand stone,whichyou or your fathershave not known.
Paul,a bond-servantof ChristJesus,called[as] an apostle,set apartfor the gospelof God,
And the followingday Paulwentin with us to James,and allthe elderswere present.
"IfanyoneservesMe, he must followMe; and whereI am,thereMy servantwill be also;ifanyoneservesMe, the Fatherwill honorhim.
And Jesussaidto them, "TrulyI sayto you, that you who have followedMe, in the regenerationwhenthe Sonof Manwill siton His gloriousthrone,you alsoshall situpon twelvethrones,judgingthe twelvetribesof Israel.
Jude,a bond-servantof JesusChrist,and brotherof James,To thosewho are the called,belovedin Godthe Father,and keptfor JesusChrist:
SimonPeter,a bond-servantand apostleof JesusChrist,To thosewho have receiveda faithof the same kindas ours,by the righteousnessof our Godand Savior,JesusChrist:
Pauland Timothy,bond-servantsof ChristJesus,To allthe saintsin ChristJesuswho are in Philippi,includingthe overseersand deacons:
For priorto the comingof certain menfrom James,he used to eatwith the Gentiles;but whenthey came,he [began] to withdrawand holdhimselfaloof,fearingthe party of the circumcision.
But I did not seeany otherof the apostlesexceptJames,the Lord'sbrother.
"For Mosesfrom ancientgenerationshasin everycitythosewho preachhim, since he is readin the synagogueseverySabbath."
Whenthey had entered[the city], they wentup to the upper roomwherethey were staying;that is, Peterand Johnand Jamesand Andrew,Philipand Thomas,Bartholomewand Matthew,James[the son] of Alphaeus,and Simonthe Zealot,and Judas[the] [son] of James.
"Is not thisthe carpenter'sson?Is not His mothercalledMary,and His brothers,Jamesand Josephand Simonand Judas?
Elijahtooktwelvestonesaccording to the numberof the tribesof the sonsof Jacob,to whomthe wordof the LORDhad come,saying,"Israelshall be your name."
then the LORDyour Godwill restoreyou from captivity,and havecompassionon you, and will gatheryou againfrom allthe peopleswherethe LORDyour Godhas scatteredyou.
You, however, I will scatteramong the nationsand will drawout a swordafteryou, as your landbecomesdesolateand your citiesbecomewaste.
But motioningto them with his handto be silent,he describedto them howthe Lordhad ledhim out of the prison.And he said,"Reportthese thingsto Jamesand the brethren."Thenhe leftand wentto anotherplace.
They offeredfor the dedicationof thistempleof God100bulls,200rams,400lambs,and as a sinofferingfor allIsrael12malegoats,corresponding to the numberof the tribesof Israel.
"The LORDwill scatteryou among the peoples,and you will be leftfewin numberamong the nationswherethe LORDdrivesyou.
The stoneswere correspondingto the namesof the sonsof Israel;they were twelve,correspondingto their names,[engraved with] the engravingsof a signet,eachwith its namefor the twelvetribes.
Moseswrotedownallthe wordsof the LORD.Then he aroseearlyin the morning,and builtan altarat the footof the mountainwith twelvepillarsfor the twelvetribesof Israel.
And I heardthe numberof thosewho were sealed,one hundredand forty-fourthousandsealedfrom everytribeof the sonsof Israel:
Nowthere were Jewslivingin Jerusalem,devoutmenfrom everynationunderheaven.
that you may eatand drinkat My tablein My kingdom,and you will siton thronesjudgingthe twelvetribesof Israel.
Philipand Bartholomew;Thomasand Matthewthe tax collector;Jamesthe son of Alphaeus,and Thaddaeus;
Then Hamansaidto KingAhasuerus,"Thereis a certainpeoplescatteredand dispersedamongthe peoplesin allthe provincesof your kingdom;their lawsare differentfrom [those] of all[other] peopleand they do not observethe king'slaws,so it is not in the king'sinterestto let them remain.
"The stonesshall be accordingto the namesof the sonsof Israel:twelve,accordingto their names;they shall be [like] the engravingsof a seal,eachaccordingto his namefor the twelvetribes.
Make every effortto comebeforewinter.Eubulusgreetsyou, alsoPudensand Linusand Claudiaand allthe brethren.
"ClaudiusLysias,to the most excellentgovernorFelix,greetings.
and Matthewand Thomas;James[the son] of Alphaeus,and Simonwho was calledthe Zealot;
and Andrew,and Philip,and Bartholomew,and Matthew,and Thomas,and Jamesthe son of Alphaeus,and Thaddaeus,and Simonthe Zealot;
I would have said,"I will cutthem to pieces,I will removethe memoryof them from men,"
