The Musicians

25 Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of ^(A)Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was: ² Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and ^[a]Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were ^[b]under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king. ³ Of ^(B)Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, ^[c]Zeri, Jeshaiah, ^[d]Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, ^[e]six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the Lord. ⁴ Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, ^[f]Uzziel, ^[g]Shebuel, ^[h]Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. ⁵ All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to ^[i]exalt his ^(C)horn. For God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

⁶ All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and ^(D)harps, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were ^(E)under the authority of the king. ⁷ So the ^(F)number of them, with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the Lord, all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight.

⁸ And they cast lots for their duty, the small as well as the great, ^(G)the teacher with the student.

⁹ Now the first lot for Asaph came out for Joseph; the second for Gedaliah, him with his brethren and sons, twelve; ¹⁰ the third for Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ¹¹ the fourth for ^[j]Jizri, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ¹² the fifth for Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ¹³ the sixth for Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ¹⁴ the seventh for ^[k]Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ¹⁵ the eighth for Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ¹⁶ the ninth for Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ¹⁷ the tenth for Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ¹⁸ the eleventh for ^[l]Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ¹⁹ the twelfth for Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²⁰ the thirteenth for ^[m]Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²¹ the fourteenth for Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²² the fifteenth for ^[n]Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²³ the sixteenth for Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²⁴ the seventeenth for Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²⁵ the eighteenth for Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²⁶ the nineteenth for Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²⁷ the twentieth for Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²⁸ the twenty-first for Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ²⁹ the twenty-second for Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ³⁰ the twenty-third for Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve; ³¹ the twenty-fourth for Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.

Longing to See Them

¹⁷ But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time ^(A)in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. ¹⁸ Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but ^(B)Satan hindered us. ¹⁹ For ^(C)what is our hope, or joy, or ^(D)crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the ^(E)presence of our Lord Jesus Christ ^(F)at His coming?

Concern for Their Faith

3 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, ² and sent ^(A)Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, ^3 (B)that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that ^(C)we are appointed to this. ^4 (D)For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. ⁵ For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, ^(E)lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and ^(F)our labor might be in vain.

Encouraged by Timothy

^6 (G)But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, ^(H)as we also to see you— ⁷ therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress ^(I)we were comforted concerning you by your faith. ⁸ For now we live, if you ^(J)stand fast in the Lord.

⁹ For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, ¹⁰ night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face ^(K)and perfect what is lacking in your faith?

Prayer for the Church

¹¹ Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(L)direct our way to you. ¹² And may the Lord make you increase and ^(M)abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, ¹³ so that He may establish ^(N)your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.