Our people have always worshiped on this mountain. But you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

我们的祖宗在这山上礼拜，你们倒说，应当礼拜的地方是在耶路撒冷。”

我们的祖宗在这山上敬拜上帝，你们倒说，应当敬拜的地方是在耶路撒冷。”

我们的祖宗在这山上敬拜神，你们倒说，应当敬拜的地方是在耶路撒冷。”

我们的祖先一向都是在这山上敬拜上帝，你们却说耶路撒冷才是敬拜的地方。”

我们的祖先在这山上敬拜神，而你们却说，敬拜的地方必须在耶路撒冷。”

我们的祖先在这山上敬拜，而你们却说敬拜的地方必须在耶路撒冷。”

我們的祖宗在這山上禮拜，你們倒說，應當禮拜的地方是在耶路撒冷。」

我們的祖宗在這山上敬拜上帝，你們倒說，應當敬拜的地方是在耶路撒冷。」

我們的祖宗在這山上敬拜神，你們倒說，應當敬拜的地方是在耶路撒冷。」

我們的祖先一向都是在這山上敬拜上帝，你們卻說耶路撒冷才是敬拜的地方。」

我們的祖先在這山上敬拜神，而你們卻說，敬拜的地方必須在耶路撒冷。”

我們的祖宗在這山上敬拜；你們倒說、敬拜的地方應當在耶路撒冷。』

我們的祖先在這山上敬拜，而你們卻說敬拜的地方必須在耶路撒冷。」

我祖崇拜於此山、惟爾曹言當拜之地在耶路撒冷、

我祖崇拜於此山、爾曹言、崇拜當在耶路撒冷、孰是、

我列祖崇拜於此山、惟爾曹言當崇拜之處、乃在耶路撒冷、

耶穌對曰：『女子其信吾言、時已臨矣、朝拜聖父、將不在此山、亦不在耶路撒冷；

Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”

Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and yet you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one must worship.”

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, yet you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you people say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.”

Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

Abram traveled through the land. He went as far as the large tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were living in the land.The Lord appeared to Abram at Shechem. He said,“ I will give this land to your family who comes after you.” So Abram built an altar there to honor the Lord, who had appeared to him.

After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan. He camped where he could see the city.For 100 pieces of silver he bought a piece of land. He got it from Hamor’s sons. Hamor was the father of Shechem. Jacob set up his tent on that piece of land.He also set up an altar there. He named it El Elohe Israel.

You will go across the Jordan River. When you do, six tribes will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people. Those tribes are Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin.

The Lord your God will bring you into the land to take it over. When he does, you must announce the blessings from Mount Gerizim. You must announce the curses from Mount Ebal.

Instead, go to the special place he will choose from among all your tribes. He will put his Name there. That’s where you must go.Take your burnt offerings and sacrifices to that place. Bring your special gifts and a tenth of everything you produce. Take with you what you have promised to give. Bring any other offerings you choose to give. And bring the male animals among your livestock that were born first to their mothers.You and your families will eat at the place the Lord your God will choose. He will be with you there. You will find joy in everything you have done. That’s because he has blessed you.You must not do as we’re doing here today. All of us are doing only what we think is right.That’s because you haven’t yet reached the place the Lord is giving you. Your God will give you peace and rest there.But first you will go across the Jordan River. You will settle in the land he’s giving you. It will belong to you as your share. He will give you peace and rest from all your enemies around you. You will live in safety.The Lord your God will choose a special place. He will put his Name there. That’s where you must bring everything I command you to bring. That includes your burnt offerings and sacrifices. It includes your special gifts and a tenth of everything you produce. It also includes all the things of value that you promised to give to the Lord.

The Lord appeared to him at night. The Lord said,“ I have heard your prayer. I have chosen this place for myself. It is a temple where sacrifices will be offered.

But now I have chosen Jerusalem. I will put my Name there. And I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.’

The Lord has chosen Zion. That’s the place where he wants to live.

They were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord. All the Israelites, including outsiders and citizens, were there. Israel’s elders, officials and judges were also there. All of them faced the priests, who were Levites. They were carrying the ark. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim. The other half stood in front of Mount Ebal. Moses, the servant of the Lord, had earlier told them to do it. Moses told them to do it when he had given directions to bless the Israelites.Then Joshua read all the words of the law out loud. He read the blessings and the curses. He read them just as they are written in the Book of the Law.Joshua read every word Moses had commanded. He read them to the whole community of Israel. That included the women and children. It also included the outsiders living among them.

But the people there did not welcome Jesus. That was because he was heading for Jerusalem.

David announced,“ The house of the Lord God will be built here. Israel’s altar for burnt offerings will also be here.”

I have chosen this temple. I have set it apart for myself. My Name will be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

David built an altar there to honor the Lord. He sacrificed burnt offerings and friendship offerings. He called out to the Lord. The Lord answered him by sending fire from heaven on the altar for burnt offerings.

Instead, he chose to live in the tribe of Judah. He chose Mount Zion, which he loved.

The Lord has built his city on the holy mountain.He loves the city of Zion more than all the other places where the people of Jacob live.

A report was given to the king of Assyria. He was told,“ You forced people to leave their own homes and live in the towns of Samaria. But they don’t know what the god of that country requires. So he has sent lions among them. And the lions are killing the people off. That’s because the people don’t know what that god requires.”Then the king of Assyria gave an order. He said,“ Get one of the priests you captured from Samaria. Send him back to live there. Have him teach the people what the god of that land requires.”So a priest went back to live in Bethel. He was one of the priests who had been forced to leave Samaria. He taught the people of Bethel how to worship the Lord.In spite of that, the people from each nation made statues of their own gods. They made them in all the towns where they had been forced to live. They set up those statues in small temples. The people of Samaria had built the temples at the high places.The people from Babylon made statues of the god named Sukkoth Benoth. Those from Kuthah made statues of the god named Nergal. Those from Hamath made statues of the god named Ashima.The Avvites made statues of the gods named Nibhaz and Tartak. The Sepharvites sacrificed their children in the fire to the gods named Adrammelek and Anammelek. They were the gods of Sepharvaim.So the people of Samaria worshiped the Lord. But they also appointed all kinds of their own people to be their priests. The priests served in the small temples at the high places.The people worshiped the Lord. But they also served their own gods. They followed the evil practices of the nations they had been taken from.

All the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo came together. They gathered at the stone pillar that was beside the large tree in Shechem. They wanted to crown Abimelek as their king.Jotham was told about it. So he climbed up on top of Mount Gerizim. He shouted down to them,“ Citizens of Shechem! Listen to me! Then God will listen to you.

The Lord said to him,“ I have heard you pray to me. I have heard you ask me to help you. You have built this temple. I have set it apart for myself. My Name will be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.