Now this man Micah owned a shrine. ¹  He made an ephod ²  and some personal idols and hired one of his sons to serve as a priest. ³ 

He built altars in the Lord’s temple, about which the Lord had said, “Jerusalem will be my home.” ¹ 

There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel. ¹ 

Kore son of Imnah, a Levite and the guard on the east side, was in charge of the voluntary offerings made to God and disbursed the contributions made to the Lord and the consecrated items.

and to all the infants, wives, sons, and daughters of the entire assembly listed in the genealogical records, for they faithfully consecrated themselves.

Now Ezra had dedicated himself ¹  to the study of the law of the Lord, to its observance, and to teaching ²  its statutes and judgments in Israel.

Protect me, ¹  for I am loyal! O my God, deliver your servant, who trusts in you!

Israel was set apart to the Lord; they were like the first fruits of a harvest to him. ¹  All who tried to devour them were punished; disaster came upon them,” says the Lord.’”

Prepare the nations to do battle against her. ¹  Prepare the kings of the Medes. Prepare their governors and all their leaders. ²  Prepare all the countries they rule to do battle against her. ³ 

The whole allotment will be eight and a quarter miles ¹  square, you must set apart the holy allotment with the possession of the city.

I made some of your sons prophets and some of your young men Nazirites. ¹  Is this not true, you Israelites?” The Lord is speaking!

But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,” ¹ 

Now ¹  when the time came for their ²  purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary ³  brought Jesus ⁴  up to Jerusalem ⁵  to present him to the Lord

do you say about the one whom the Father set apart ¹  and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

While they were serving ¹  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ²  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

But do not accept younger widows on the list, ¹  because their passions may lead them away from Christ ²  and they will desire to marry,

But you, as a person dedicated to God, ¹  keep away from all that. ²  Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.

So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, ¹  he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer ¹  spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.