that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.

Now Israel’s eyes were failing ¹  because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph ²  brought his sons ³  near to him, and his father ⁴  kissed them and embraced them.

None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father,

and to enlighten ¹  everyone about God’s secret plan ²  – a secret that has been hidden for ages ³  in God ⁴  who has created all things.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons ¹  because he was a son born to him late in life, ²  and he made a special ³  tunic for him.

He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, ¹  for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She ²  is better to you than seven sons!”

The rest of the events of Asa’s reign, including all his successes and accomplishments, as well as a record of the cities he built, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. ¹  Yet when he was very old he developed a foot disease. ² 

The Lord who commands armies will hold a banquet for all the nations on this mountain. ¹  At this banquet there will be plenty of meat and aged wine – tender meat and choicest wine. ² 

Even when you are old, I will take care of you, ¹  even when you have gray hair, I will carry you. I made you and I will support you; I will carry you and rescue you. ² 

From eternity I was appointed, ¹  from the beginning, from before the world existed. ² 

to whom be glory forever and ever! Amen.

“Why do the wicked go on living, ¹  grow old, ²  even increase in power?

We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. ¹  The boy’s ²  brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, ³  and his father loves him.’

Jeroboam’s wife did as she was told. She went to Shiloh and visited Ahijah. ¹  Now Ahijah could not see; he had lost his eyesight in his old age. ² 

for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the consummation of the ages to put away sin by his sacrifice.

You must stand up in the presence of the aged, honor the presence of an elder, and fear your God. I am the Lord.

But Barzillai was very old – eighty years old, in fact – and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich ¹  man.

David did not count the males twenty years old and under, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.

You were once abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, but I will make you ¹  a permanent source of pride and joy to coming generations.