Old Testament

New Testament

1 Kings 8:32-50 Common English Bible (CEB)

32. then listen from heaven, act, and decide which of your servants is right. Condemn the guilty party, repaying them for their conduct, but justify the innocent person, repaying them for their righteousness.

33. If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, but then they change their hearts and lives, give thanks to your name, and ask for mercy before you at this temple,

34. then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel. Return them to the land you gave their ancestors.

35. When the sky holds back its rain because Israel has sinned against you, but they then pray toward this place, give thanks to your name, and turn away from their sin because you have punished them for it,

36. then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the best way for them to follow, and send rain on your land that you gave to your people as an inheritance.

37. Whenever there is a famine or plague in the land; or whenever there is blight, mildew, locust, or grasshopper; or whenever someone’s enemy attacks them in their cities; or any plague or illness comes;

38. whatever prayer or petition is made by any individual or by all of your people Israel—because people will recognize their own pain and spread out their hands toward this temple—

39. then listen from heaven where you live. Forgive, act, and repay each person according to all their conduct, because you know their hearts. You alone know the human heart.

40. Do this so that they may revere you all the days they live on the land that you gave to our ancestors.

41. Listen also to the immigrant who isn’t from your people Israel but who comes from a distant country because of your reputation—

42. because they will hear of your great reputation, your great power, and your outstretched arm. When the immigrant comes and prays toward this temple,

43. then listen from heaven, where you live, and do everything the immigrant asks. Do this so that all the people of the earth may know your reputation and revere you, as your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I have built bears your name.

44. When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you may send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and toward this temple that I have built for your name,

45. then listen from heaven to their prayer and request and do what is right for them.

46. When they sin against you (for there is no one who doesn’t sin) and you become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy who takes them away as prisoners to enemy territory, whether distant or nearby,

47. if they change their heart in whatever land they are held captive, changing their lives and begging for your mercy, saying, "We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly!"

48. and if they return to you with all their heart and all their being in the enemy territory where they’ve been taken captive, and pray to you, toward their land, which you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen, and toward the temple I have built for your name,

49. then listen to their prayer and request from your heavenly dwelling place. Do what is right for them,

50. and forgive your people who have sinned against you. Forgive all their wrong that they have done against you. See to it that those who captured them show them mercy.

Read complete chapter 1 Kings 8