The King Replies and Work Stops

¹⁷ Then the king sent a response to Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and in the rest of the provinces beyond the Euphrates River: “Peace. And now,

² according to the ^(A)foreknowledge of God the Father, ^(B)by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, ^[a]to ^(C)obey Jesus Christ and be ^(D)sprinkled with His blood: ^(E)May grace and peace be multiplied to you.