And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. ¹⁹ And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. ²⁰ Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us." ²¹ So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from break of dawn until the stars came out.

Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? ² The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and his anointed, saying, ³ "Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us." ⁴ He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision. ⁵ Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ⁶ "I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill."

⁷ I will tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to me, "You are my son; today I have begotten you. ⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. ⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.

But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. ¹⁴ For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.

¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, ¹⁷ comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

¹ Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, ² and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. ⁴ And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." ³ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴ and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: