Matthew 7 Cross References - LEB

¹ "Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. ² For by what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and by what measure you measure out, it will be measured out to you. ³ And why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam of wood in your own eye? ⁴ Or how will you say to your brother, 'Allow me to remove the speck from your eye,' and behold, the beam of wood is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye! ⁶ "Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls in front of pigs, lest they trample them with their feet, and turn around and* tear you to pieces. ⁷ "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what man is there among you, if his son will ask him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or also if he will ask for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ Therefore if you, although you* are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? ¹² Therefore in all things, whatever you want that people should do to you, thus also you do to them. For this is the law and the prophets. ¹³ "Enter through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it, ¹⁴ because narrow* is the gate and constricted is the road that leads to life, and there are few who find it! ¹⁵ "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits: they do not gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles, do they?* ¹⁷ In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree is not able to produce bad fruit, nor a bad tree to produce good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ As a result, you will recognize them by their fruits. ²¹ "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name?' ²³ And then _⌊I will say to them plainly_⌋,* 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!' ²⁴ "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not collapse, because its foundation was laid on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed, and its fall was great." ²⁸ And it happened when Jesus finished these words the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹ because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.

⁵ Hear the word of Yahweh, you who are frightened at his word:
Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for my name's sake have said, "Let Yahweh be honored so that* we may see your joy!" But* they themselves shall be ashamed.

⁵² Also,* you bear your disgrace, by which you furnished justification to your sisters* through your sins by which you acted more abominably than they; they were more righteous than you, and also,* you be ashamed and bear your disgrace through your making your sister righteous. ⁵³ And I will restore their fortune, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and even the fortunes of your captivity in the midst of them, ⁵⁴ in order that you may bear your disgrace and you may be put to shame because of all that you did at your consoling them. ⁵⁵ And as for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, they will return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters, they will return to their former state, and you and your daughters will return to your former state. ⁵⁶ And was not Sodom, your sister, a byword in your mouth in the day of your pride

² For by what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and by what measure you measure out, it will be measured out to you.

⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye!

³⁷ "And do not judge, and you will never be judged. And do not condemn, and you will never be condemned. Pardon, and you will be pardoned.

⁴¹ And why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam of wood that is in your own eye?

¹ Therefore you are without excuse, O man, every one of you who passes judgment. For in that which you pass judgment on someone else, you condemn yourself, for you who are passing judgment are doing the same things. ² Now we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who do such things.

³ The one who eats must not despise the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat must not judge the one who eats, because God has accepted him. ⁴ Who are you, who passes judgment on the domestic slave belonging to someone else? To his own master he stands or falls, and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

¹⁰ But why do you judge your brother? Or also, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹ For it is written,
"As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will praise God."* ¹² So* each one of us will give an account concerning himself.* ¹³ Therefore, let us no longer pass judgment on one another, but rather decide this: not to place a cause for stumbling or a temptation before a brother.

³ But to me it is a very little matter that I be judged by you or by a human court,* but I do not even judge myself. ⁴ For I am conscious of nothing against myself, but not by this am I vindicated. But the one who judges me is the Lord. ⁵ Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord should come, who will both enlighten the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the counsels of hearts, and then praise will come to each one from God.

¹ Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you* know that we will receive a greater judgment.*

¹¹ Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. The one who speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of the law.* ¹² There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your* neighbor?

⁷ Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings with _⌊their thumbs and big toes_⌋* cut off used to pick up scraps under my table; just as I have done, so God has repaid to me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

²⁵ To the loyal you show yourself loyal. To the blameless you show yourself blameless. ²⁶ To the pure you show yourself pure. but to the wicked you show yourself shrewd.

⁷ Remember, O Yahweh, against the sons of Edom the day of Jerusalem, the ones who said, "Lay it bare! Lay it bare to its foundation!" ⁸ O daughter of Babylon, about to be devastated, happy shall be he who pays back to you _⌊what you paid out to us_⌋.*

²⁴ And I will repay Babylon, and all the inhabitants of Chaldea, all their wickedness that they have done in Zion before your eyes," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

¹⁵ "For the day of Yahweh is near against all the nations! Just as you have done, it will be done to you. Your deeds will return on your own head.

²⁴ And he said to them, "Take care what you hear! With the measure by which you measure out, it will be measured out to you, and will be added to you.

³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you, a good measure—pressed down, shaken, overflowing—they will pour out into your lap. For with the measure by which you measure out, it will be measured out to you in return."

⁶ Now the point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

⁶ since it is righteous in the sight of God to pay back those who are afflicting you with affliction, ⁷ and to you who are being afflicted, rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels,

¹³ For judgment is merciless to the one who has not practiced mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

⁶ Pay back to her as she herself also paid out, and _⌊pay back double_⌋* according to her deeds; in the cup that she mixed, mix double for her.

⁵ Then _⌊the anger of David was kindled_⌋* against the man, and he said to Nathan, "_⌊As Yahweh lives_⌋,* the man who has done this _⌊deserves to die_⌋!* ⁶ He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he has done this thing, and because he had no pity."

⁹ Now a prophet of Yahweh was there; Oded was his name. And he went out before the army that was coming to Samaria and said to them, "Look, it is on account of the anger of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors,* against Judah that he gave them into your hands, and you killed them in a rage reaching to the heavens. ¹⁰ So now, you yourselves plan to subdue people of Judah and Jerusalem as slaves and female servants for yourselves. _⌊Is there not also guilt on your part_⌋* against Yahweh your God?

¹⁶ But to the wicked God says, "What right have you to recite my statutes and _⌊mention my covenant with your mouth_⌋,* ¹⁷ while you yourself hate discipline, and cast my words behind you? ¹⁸ When you see a thief, then you are pleased with him, and your association is with adulterers. ¹⁹ You give your mouth free rein for evil, and you harness your tongue to deceit. ²⁰ You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your mother's son. ²¹ These things you have done, and I have been silent; You imagined that I was just like you. I will rebuke you and present an argument before your eyes.

⁴¹ And why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam of wood that is in your own eye? ⁴² How are you able to say to your brother, "Brother, allow me to remove the speck that is in your eye," while* you yourself do not see the beam of wood in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye!

¹¹ The Pharisee stood and* prayed these things with reference to himself: 'God, I give thanks to you that I am not like other people—swindlers, unrighteous people, adulterers, or even like this tax collector!

⁷ And when they persisted in asking him, straightening up he said* to them, "The one of you without sin, let him throw the first stone at her!" ⁸ And bending down again, he wrote on the ground. ⁹ Now when they* heard it,* being convicted by their conscience,* they began to depart,* one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus* was left alone—and the woman who was in their midst.

¹ Brothers, even if a person is caught in some trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of humility, looking out for yourself, lest you also be tempted.

⁹ Hide your face from my sins, and all my iniquities blot out. ¹⁰ Create a clean heart for me, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit _⌊within me_⌋.* ¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and with a willing spirit sustain me. ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.

¹⁸ But because he* knew their maliciousness, Jesus said, "Hypocrites! Why are you testing me?

¹³ "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you shut the kingdom of heaven before people! For you do not enter, nor permit those wanting to go in* to enter.*

¹⁵ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you travel around the sea and the dry land to make one convert, and when he becomes one,* you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are! ¹⁶ "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.'* ¹⁷ Fools and blind people! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold holy? ¹⁸ And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.'* ¹⁹ Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? ²⁰ Therefore the one who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything that is on it. ²¹ And the one who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. ²² And the one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by the one who sits on it. ²³ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you pay a tenth of mint and dill and cumin, and neglect the more important matters of the law—justice and mercy and faithfulness! It was necessary* to do these things _⌊while not neglecting those_⌋.* ²⁴ Blind guides who filter out a gnat and swallow a camel! ²⁵ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence! ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish,* so that the outside of it may become clean also. ²⁷ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean! ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you also appear righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²³ And he said to them, "Doubtless you will tell me this parable: 'Physician, heal yourself!' Whatever we have heard that took place in Capernaum, do here in your hometown also!"

⁴² How are you able to say to your brother, "Brother, allow me to remove the speck that is in your eye," while* you yourself do not see the beam of wood in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye!

⁵⁶ Hypocrites! You know how to evaluate the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it you do not know how to evaluate this present time?

¹⁵ But the Lord answered and said to him, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you untie his ox or his* donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead it* away to water it?*

¹⁵ But the evil spirit answered and* said to them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are you?"

⁷ He who corrects a scoffer gains abuse for himself, and he who rebukes the wicked _⌊gets hurt_⌋.* ⁸ Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke the wise and he will love you.

²² A ring of gold in the snout of a pig is a woman who is beautiful but without discretion.

⁹ In the ears of a fool do not speak, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

¹¹ Like a dog returning to his vomit is a fool reverting to his folly.

¹⁴ And whoever does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you* are going out of that house or that* town. ¹⁵ Truly I say to you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!

²⁶ And he answered and* said, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it* to the dogs!"

⁵ But they paid no attention and* went away—this one to his own field, that one to his business. ⁶ And the others, seizing his slaves, mistreated them* and killed them.*

¹⁰ And then many will be led into sin and will betray one another and will hate one another,

⁴⁵ But when* the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and began contradicting what was being said by Paul by* reviling him.* ⁴⁶ Both Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly and* said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you, since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life! Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles! ⁴⁷ For so the Lord has commanded us:
'I have appointed you _⌊to be_⌋* a light for the Gentiles, _⌊that you would bring_⌋* salvation to the end of the earth.'*

²⁶ I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own people, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers because of false brothers,

² Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation.*

¹⁴ Alexander the metalworker did me much harm; may the Lord pay back to him according to his deeds, ¹⁵ against whom you also be on guard, because he vehemently opposed our words.

⁶ and having fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, because they* have crucified again for themselves the Son of God and held him up to contempt.

²⁹ How much worse punishment do you think the person will be considered worthy of who treats with disdain the Son of God and who considers ordinary the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy and who insults the Spirit of grace?

²² The statement of the true proverb has happened to them, "A dog returns to its own vomit,"* and "A sow, after* washing herself, returns* to wallowing in the mud."*

⁵ Yahweh appeared to Solomon at Gibeon in a dream at night, and God said, "Ask what I should give to you."

⁴ _⌊With bald-faced pride_⌋* the wicked will not seek God. There is no God in any of his thoughts.

¹⁷ The longing of the afflicted you have heard, O Yahweh. You will make their heart secure. You will _⌊listen attentively_⌋*

⁸ On your behalf my heart says, "Seek my face." Your face, O Yahweh, I do seek.

¹⁵ And call me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me."

³² The afflicted will see and rejoice. O God seekers, let your heart revive,*

⁴ Let them rejoice and be glad in you, all those who seek you. Let them say continually, "God is great!" those who love your salvation.

⁵ For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, and abundant in loyal love* for all who call to you.

³ Boast about his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice. ⁴ Make supplication to Yahweh and his might; seek his face continually.

¹² Blessed are you, O Yahweh. Teach me your statutes.

¹⁸ Yahweh is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. ¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry for help, and saves them.

¹⁷ I love _⌊those who love me_⌋,* and those who seek me diligently shall find me.

² Now I will arise, and I will go about in the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my _⌊heart_⌋* loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.

⁶ Seek Yahweh _⌊while he lets himself be found_⌋;* call him _⌊while he is_⌋* near. ⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of sin his thoughts. And let him return to Yahweh, that* he may take pity on him, and to our God, for he will _⌊forgive manifold_⌋.*

¹² Then when you call me, and you come and pray to me, then I will listen to you. ¹³ When you search for me, then you will find me, if you seek me with all your heart.

³ 'Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great things and inaccessible things that you have not known.'

⁴ For thus says Yahweh to the house of Israel, "Seek me so that you may live."

³³ But seek first his kingdom and righteousness,* and all these things will be added to you.

⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

¹¹ Therefore if you, although you* are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

¹⁹ Again, truly I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about any matter that they ask, it will be done for them from my Father who is in heaven.

²² And whatever you ask in prayer, if you* believe, you will receive."

²⁴ For this reason I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it,* and it will be done for you.

⁹ And I tell you, ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ But what father from among you, if his* son will ask for a fish, instead of a fish will give him a snake? ¹² Or also, if he will ask for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ Therefore if you, although you* are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

²⁵ when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open the door* for us!' And he will answer and* say to you, 'I do not know where you are from!'

¹ And he told them a parable to show that they must always pray and not be discouraged,

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, "If you had known the gift of God and who it is who says to you, 'Give me water* to drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."

¹³ And _⌊whatever_⌋* you ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.*

⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.

¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain, in order that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

²³ And on that day you will ask me nothing. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. ²⁴ Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

⁷ to those who, by perseverance in good work, seek glory and honor and immortality, eternal life,

¹¹ there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.

⁶ Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him.

⁵ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask for it in faith, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed about.

¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins _⌊he will be forgiven_⌋*.

²² and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is pleasing _⌊in his sight_⌋*.

¹⁴ And this is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

¹⁷ Because you are saying, "I am rich, and have become rich, and I have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and pitiable and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire, in order that you may become rich, and white clothing, in order that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and eye salve to smear on your eyes, in order that you may see.

¹ Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. ² And he did evil in the eyes of Yahweh according to the detestable things of the nations whom Yahweh drove out before the _⌊Israelites_⌋.*

¹⁹ And his prayer, and how he* responded to him, all his sin and his unfaithful acts, and the places where he built the high places and set up Asherahs and idols before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the words of the seers.

¹⁰ I am Yahweh your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

¹⁶ But he would feed him* from the choicest wheat,* and I would satisfy you with honey from a rock."

²² And behold, a Canaanite woman from that district came and cried out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!" ²³ But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came up and* asked him, saying, "Send her away, because she is crying out after us!" ²⁴ But he answered and* said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." ²⁵ But she came and* knelt down before him, saying, "Lord, help me!" ²⁶ And he answered and* said, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it* to the dogs!" ²⁷ So she said, "Yes, Lord, for even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." ²⁸ Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you want." And her daughter was healed from that hour.

⁴² And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!" ⁴³ And he said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."

² And both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding.

⁸ The wind blows wherever it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." ⁹ Nicodemus answered and said to him, "How can these things be?" ¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and you do not understand these things?

¹¹ And the Lord said to him, "Get up, go to the street called 'Straight' and in the house of Judas look for _⌊a man named Saul from Tarsus_⌋.* For behold, he is praying,

⁵ And Yahweh saw that the evil of humankind was great upon the earth, and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was always* only evil.

²¹ And Yahweh smelled the soothing fragrance, and Yahweh said _⌊to himself_⌋,* "_⌊Never again will I curse_⌋* the ground for the sake of humankind, because the inclination of the heart of humankind is evil from his youth. _⌊Nor will I ever again destroy_⌋* all life as I have done.

⁶ And Yahweh passed over before him, and he proclaimed, "Yahweh, Yahweh, God, who is compassionate and gracious, _⌊slow to anger_⌋,* and abounding with* loyal love and faithfulness, ⁷ keeping loyal love to the thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and he does not leave utterly unpunished, punishing the guilt of fathers on sons and on sons of sons on third and fourth generations."

¹⁹ Still, this was _⌊insignificant_⌋* in your eyes, my lord Yahweh, and also you have spoken about the house of your servant from afar, and this may be the teaching of humans, my lord Yahweh.

¹⁶ _⌊How much less_⌋* he who is abominable and corrupt,* a man drinking wickedness like water.

¹¹ Because Yahweh God is a sun and a shield; Yahweh gives grace and honor. He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly.

¹² Yes, Yahweh will give what is good, and our land will give its produce.

¹⁵ But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, _⌊slow to anger_⌋* and abundant in loyal love and faithfulness.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth, so his loyal love prevails over those who fear him. ¹² As far as east is from west, so he has removed far from us the guilt of our transgressions. ¹³ As a father pities* his children, so Yahweh pities* those who fear him.

¹⁵ Can a woman forget her suckling, refrain from having compassion on the child of her womb? Indeed, these may forget, but* I, I will not forget you!

⁸ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,"
_⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. ⁹ "For as the heavens are _⌊higher_⌋* than the earth, so my ways are _⌊higher_⌋* than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

⁹ The heart is deceitful more than anything else, and it is disastrous. Who can understand it?

¹⁴ 'Look, days are coming,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, 'and I will fulfill the good promise* that I promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

⁸ How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is disturbed* within me; _⌊all_⌋* my compassions are aroused. ⁹ _⌊I will not execute_⌋* _⌊my fierce anger_⌋,* I will not again destroy Ephraim; because I am God and not a mortal,* the Holy One in your midst; and I will not come in wrath.

² Take words with you, and return to Yahweh. Say to him, "Take away all guilt; accept good, and we will offer the fruit* of our lips.

¹⁸ Who is a God like you, forgiving sin and passing over rebellion for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, for he delights in loyal love.

⁶ "A son honors his father, and a slave his master;* but if I am a father, where is my honor, and if I am a master,* where is my reverence?" says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests, _⌊who despise_⌋* my name. "But you say, 'How have we despised your name?'

¹⁰ And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people: ¹¹ that today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.

¹⁶ For in this way God loved the world, so that he gave his one and only Son, in order that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life.

⁹ What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin,

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God.

⁸ but God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while* we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Therefore, by much more, because we* have been declared righteous now by his blood, we will be saved through him from the wrath. ¹⁰ For if, while we* were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, by much more, having been reconciled, we will be saved by his life.

³² Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, together with him, freely give us all things?

⁸ And God is able to cause all grace to abound to you, so that in everything at all times, because you* have enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. ⁹ Just as it is written,
"He scattered widely, he gave to the poor; his righteousness remains _⌊forever_⌋*."* ¹⁰ Now the one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed, and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow, ¹¹ being made rich in every way for all generosity, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, ¹² because the service of this ministry is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but also is overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God. ¹³ Through the proven character of this service they will glorify God because of the submission of your confession to the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your participation toward them and toward everyone, ¹⁴ and they are longing for you in their prayers for you, because of the surpassing grace of God to you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

²² But the scripture imprisoned all under sin, in order that the promise could be given by faith* in Jesus Christ to those who believe.

¹ And you, _⌊although you were dead_⌋** in your trespasses and sins, ² in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all formerly lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will* of the flesh and of the mind, and we were children of wrath* by nature, as also the rest of them were. ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, ⁵ and we being dead in trespasses, he made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved),

³ For we also were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, enslaved to various desires and pleasures, spending our lives in wickedness and envy, despicable, hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and love for mankind of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not by deeds of righteousness that we have done, but because of his mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of change.

¹ See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called children of God, and we are! Because of this the world does not know us: because it did not know him.

¹⁰ In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation* for our sins.

¹⁸ You* shall not seek vengeance, and you* shall not harbor a grudge against _⌊your* fellow citizens_⌋;* and you* shall love your* neighbor like yourself; * I am Yahweh.

¹⁷ Learn to do good! Seek justice! Rescue the oppressed! Defend the orphan! Plead for the widow! ¹⁸ "Come now, and let us argue," says Yahweh. "Even though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white like snow; even though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

⁵ For if you truly make your ways and your deeds good, if you truly do justice between a man and his neighbor, ⁶ you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, you do not shed innocent blood in this place, and you do not go after other gods _⌊to your harm_⌋,*

⁷ and he oppresses _⌊no one_⌋* and he returns a pledge for his loan _⌊and he commits no robbery_⌋* and he gives* his bread to the hungry and he covers a naked person with a garment, ⁸ and _⌊he does not charge interest_⌋* and he takes no usury, and he holds back* his hand from injustice and he executes a judgment of fairness between _⌊persons_⌋,*

²¹ But if the wicked returns from all of his sins* that he has done and he keeps all of my statutes and he does justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die!

¹⁴ Seek good and not bad in order that you may live, and so Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. ¹⁵ Hate evil and love good and establish justice in the gate; perhaps Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

⁸ He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does Yahweh ask from you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

⁷ Are not these the words that Yahweh proclaimed _⌊through_⌋* the former prophets, when Jerusalem and _⌊its surrounding towns_⌋* were inhabited and at ease, and the Negev* and the Shephelah* were inhabited?'" ⁸ And the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah, saying, ⁹ "Thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'Judge with trustworthy justice, and show* steadfast love and compassion _⌊to one another_⌋.* ¹⁰ You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, and the needy. You must not devise evil in your heart _⌊against one another_⌋.'*

¹⁶ These are the things that you must do: speak truth, each of you, with his neighbor; practice trustworthy judgment and peace in your gates. ¹⁷ Do not devise evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love _⌊a false oath_⌋,* because all these are things I hate," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

⁵ "Then I will approach you for judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers, and against those who swear _⌊falsely_⌋,* and against the oppressors of the hired worker with his wages, the widow and the orphan, and _⌊the abusers of_⌋* the alien,* and yet do not fear me," says Yahweh of hosts.

³⁹ And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'* ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."

²⁹ Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.'* ³¹ The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'* There is no other commandment greater than these." ³² And the scribe said to him, "That is true, Teacher. You have said _⌊correctly_⌋* that he is one and there is no other except him. ³³ And to love him from your* whole heart and from your* whole understanding and from your* whole strength, and to love your* neighbor as yourself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." ³⁴ And Jesus, when he* saw that he had answered thoughtfully, said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to put a question to him any longer.

³¹ And just as you want people _⌊to do_⌋* to you, do _⌊the same_⌋* to them.

⁸ Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another, for the one who loves someone else has fulfilled the law. ⁹ For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,"* and if there is any other commandment, are summed up in this statement: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."* ¹⁰ Love does not commit evil against a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."*

⁵ But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith without hypocrisy,

¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point only has become guilty of all of it. ¹¹ For the one who said "Do not commit adultery"* also said "Do not murder."* Now if you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ¹² Thus speak and thus act as those who are going to be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For judgment is merciless to the one who has not practiced mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

¹² And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.

² Yahweh looks down from heaven upon the children of humankind to see whether there is one who has insight, one who cares about God. ³ All have gone astray; they are altogether corrupt. There is not one who does good; there is not even one.

²⁷ The ways of Sheol* are her house, descending to chambers of death.

⁶ Lay aside simplicity and live; walk in the way of understanding."

²⁵ There is a way that seems upright _⌊to_⌋* a man, but its end is the way of death.

⁹ If Yahweh of hosts had not left us survivors,* we would have been as few as Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah.

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of sin his thoughts. And let him return to Yahweh, that* he may take pity on him, and to our God, for he will _⌊forgive manifold_⌋.*

²⁷ And when the wicked turns from his wickedness that he did and he does justice and righteousness, _⌊he will preserve his life_⌋.* ²⁸ And if he sees and he returns from all of his transgressions that he did, surely he will live; he will not die! ²⁹ And yet they, the house of Israel, say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' Are not my ways fair, house of Israel? _⌊Are not your ways unfair?_⌋* ³⁰ "Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one* according to his ways," _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh. "Repent* and turn around from all of your transgression, and it will not be as a stumbling block of iniquity to you. ³¹ Throw _⌊away from yourselves_⌋* all of your transgressions that you committed,* and make _⌊for yourselves_⌋* a new heart and new spirit, and so why will you die, house of Israel? ³² For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying," _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh. "And so repent* and live!"

² and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!"

⁸ Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!

² And calling a child to himself, he had him stand in their midst ³ and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become like young children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven!

¹³ "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you shut the kingdom of heaven before people! For you do not enter, nor permit those wanting to go in* to enter.*

⁴¹ Then he will also say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!

⁴⁶ And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

³³ And it happened that as they were going away from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here. And let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah," not knowing what he was saying.

²⁴ "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to, ²⁵ when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open the door* for us!' And he will answer and* say to you, 'I do not know where you are from!'

³³ In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his own possessions _⌊cannot be_⌋* my disciple.

⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will come in and will go out and will find pasture.

⁶ Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

³⁸ And Peter said* to them, "Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all those who are far away, as many as the Lord our God calls to himself." ⁴⁰ And with many other words he solemnly urged and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation!"

¹⁹ Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,

⁹ What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, ¹⁰ just as it is written,
"There is no one righteous, not even one; ¹¹ there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. ¹² All have turned aside together; they have become worthless; There is no one who practices kindness; there is not even one.* ¹³ Their throat is an opened grave; they deceive with their tongues; the venom of asps is under their lips,* ¹⁴ whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.* ¹⁵ Their feet are swift to shed blood; ¹⁶ destruction and distress are in their paths, ¹⁷ and they have not known the way of peace.* ¹⁸ The fear of God is not before their eyes."* ¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God.

²² And what if God, wanting to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?

⁴ among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they would not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

¹⁷ Therefore "come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord, "and do not touch what is unclean,* and I will welcome you,*

²⁴ Now those _⌊who belong to Christ_⌋** have crucified the flesh together with its feelings and its desires.

² in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all formerly lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will* of the flesh and of the mind, and we were children of wrath* by nature, as also the rest of them were.

¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose God is the stomach, and whose glory is in their shame, the ones who think on earthly things.

⁸ with burning flame* giving punishment to those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, ⁹ who will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength,

¹⁷ For it is the time for the judgment to begin out from the household of God. But if it begins out from us first, what will be the outcome for those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And if the righteous are saved with difficulty, _⌊what will become of the ungodly and the sinner_⌋*?*

¹⁹ We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

⁹ And the great dragon was thrown down, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

⁸ And all those who live on the earth will worship him, _⌊everyone whose name is not written_⌋* from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered.

³ and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it above him, in order that he could not deceive the nations again until the thousand years are completed. After these things it is necessary for him to be released for a short time.

¹⁵ And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

²⁶ May the path of your foot be balanced and all your ways be sure. ²⁷ Do not swerve right or left; remove your foot from evil.

²⁰ In the way of righteousness I walk, in the midst of paths of justice,

²¹ And your ears shall hear a word from behind you, saying, "this is the way; walk in it," when you go to your right and when you go to your left.

⁸ And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness. The unclean shall not travel through it, but* it is for them, he who walks on the way; and fools shall not wander about.

¹⁴ And one shall say, "Build up, build up! Clear the way! Remove the obstacles* from the way of my people!"

¹⁶ Thus says Yahweh: "Stand at the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the way of the good is, and walk in it, and find rest for your inner selves.* But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'*

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me will find it.

¹⁶ Thus the last will be first and the first last."

¹⁴ For many are called but few are chosen."

¹ "Then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps and* went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ For when* the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take olive oil with them. ⁴ But the wise ones took olive oil in flasks with their lamps. ⁵ And when* the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.* ⁶ But in the middle of the night there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' ⁷ Then all those virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish ones said to the wise ones, 'Give us some of your olive oil, because our lamps are going out!' ⁹ But the wise ones answered saying, "Certainly there will never be enough for us and for you! Go instead to those who sell olive oil* and buy some* for yourselves.' ¹⁰ But while* they had gone away to buy it* the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding celebration, and the door was shut. ¹¹ And later the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open the door* for us!' ¹² But he answered and* said, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you!'

³⁴ And summoning the crowd together with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone wants to come* after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

³² "Do not be afraid, little flock, because your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom.

²³ And someone said to him, "Lord, _⌊are there only_⌋* a few who are saved?" And he said to them, ²⁴ "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to, ²⁵ when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open the door* for us!' And he will answer and* say to you, 'I do not know where you are from!' ²⁶ Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets!' ²⁷ And he will reply, saying to you, 'I do not know where you are from! Go away from me, all you _⌊evildoers_⌋!'* ²⁸ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside! ²⁹ And they will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

¹⁸ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated* you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

² _⌊They will expel you from the synagogue_⌋,* but an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think they are offering service to God.

³³ I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world."

²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them* to continue in the faith and saying,* "Through many persecutions* it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God."

²⁷ And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel,
"Even if the number of the sons of Israel is like the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved, ²⁸ _⌊for the Lord will execute his sentence thoroughly and decisively_⌋* upon the earth."* ²⁹ And just as Isaiah foretold,
"If the Lord of hosts had not left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom and would have resembled Gomorrah."*

³² Why that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if by works. They stumbled over the _⌊stone that causes people to stumble_⌋*,

⁵ So in this way also at the present time, there is a remnant _⌊selected by grace_⌋*. ⁶ But if by grace, it is no longer by works, for otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

² And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

² and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, in order to strengthen and to encourage you about your faith, ³ so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed for this, ⁴ for indeed when we were with you we told you beforehand that we were about to be afflicted, just as indeed it happened, and you know. ⁵ Because of this, I also, when I* could endure it no longer, sent in order to know your faith, lest somehow the tempter tempted you and our labor should be in vain.

²⁰ who were formerly disobedient, when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, while* an ark was being constructed, in which a few—that is, eight souls—were rescued through water. ²¹ And* also, corresponding to this, baptism now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

¹ "If a prophet stands up in your midst or a dreamer of dreams* and he gives to you a sign or wonder, ² and the sign or* the wonder comes about that he spoke* to you, _⌊saying_⌋,* 'Let us go after other gods (those whom you have not known), and let us serve them,' ³ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer, for Yahweh your God _⌊is testing you to know whether you love_⌋* Yahweh your God with all of your heart and with all of your inner self.*

¹⁵ Elders* and _⌊the respectable_⌋* are the head, and prophets* who teach lies* are the tail. ¹⁶ And the leaders of this people were misleading them, and those who were led were confused.

¹⁰ His watchmen are blind, none of them know. They are all dumb dogs; they are unable to bark, panting, lying down, loving to slumber. ¹¹ And the dogs _⌊have a greedy appetite_⌋;* they _⌊are never satisfied_⌋.* And they are the shepherds! They do not have* understanding. They all turn to their own way, each one for his own gain, _⌊every one of them_⌋.*

¹⁴ And Yahweh said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies* in my name. I have not sent them, and I have not commanded them, and I have not spoken to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, and a divination, worthless, and the deceitfulness of their _⌊minds_⌋."* ¹⁵ _⌊Therefore_⌋* thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets who prophecy in my name though I have not sent them, yet they are saying, "Sword and famine will not be in this land." "By the sword and by the famine those prophets will perish. ¹⁶ And the people to whom they are prophesying will be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem _⌊because of_⌋* the famine and the sword. And there will be no one who buries them, their wives, or their sons, or their daughters. And I will pour out on them their wickedness.

¹³ "Now in the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing. They prophesied by Baal and they caused my people Israel to err. ¹⁴ And in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible. They commit adultery, and they walk in lies,* and they make strong the hands of evildoers, so that they have not turned back each from his wickedness. All of them have become to me like Sodom, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah." ¹⁵ _⌊Therefore_⌋* thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets,
"Look, I am going to let them eat wormwood and I will give them water of poison to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem went out ungodliness to all the land." ¹⁶ Thus says Yahweh of hosts,
"You must not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are deluding you with visions of their _⌊mind_⌋,* They do not speak from the mouth of Yahweh.

¹⁵ Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, "Please listen, Hananiah, Yahweh has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. ¹⁶ _⌊Therefore_⌋* thus says Yahweh, 'Look, I am going to send you from the face of the earth. This year you will die because you have spoken rebellion against Yahweh.'" ¹⁷ And Hananiah the prophet died in that same year in the seventh month.

²¹ Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab, the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah, the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you in my name a lie, 'Look, I am going to give them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and he will strike them before your eyes.

³² _⌊therefore_⌋* thus says Yahweh, "Look, I am going to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his offspring. There will not be for him a man who lives in the midst of this people, and he will not see the good that I am going to do to my people," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "For he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh." '"

¹⁶ that is, the prophets of Israel, the ones prophesying concerning Jerusalem and the ones seeing visions of peace, and there is not peace!'" " _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh.

²² Because you disheartened the heart of the righteous by deception, and I have not* caused him pain, and strengthened the hands of the wicked so that he did not turn* from his wicked way to save his life.

²⁵ The conspiracy of its prophets in the midst of her is like a roaring lion that is tearing prey. They devour people, and they take wealth and treasure; they make its widows numerous in the midst of her.

²⁷ Its officials are like wolves tearing prey in its midst, to pour out blood, to destroy people, to make dishonest gain.

⁵ Thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets who are leading my people astray, who are biting with their teeth and proclaim, "Peace," but whoever puts nothing into their mouths they declare war against. ⁶ Therefore it will be as night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without divination. And the sun will set on the prophets, and the day will grow dark over them. ⁷ Then the seers will be disgraced, and those practicing divination will be put to shame. All of them will cover their lips, for there is no reply from God.

¹¹ Its rulers judge for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money. But they lean on Yahweh, saying, "Is not Yahweh in our midst? Disaster will not come upon us."

³ Her officials in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing until the morning. ⁴ Her prophets are arrogant men of treachery; her priests have defiled that which is holy; they do violence to the law.

⁴ _⌊And then_⌋* on that day, each of the prophets will be ashamed because of his vision when he was prophesying, and they will not put on a cloak of hair in order to deceive,

¹⁷ But beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils, and they will flog you in their synagogues.

⁶ And Jesus said to them, "Watch out for and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!"

¹¹ How do you not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!"

⁴ And Jesus answered and* said to them, "Watch out that no one deceives you! ⁵ For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will deceive many.

¹¹ and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many,

²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ Behold, I have told you ahead of time!

³⁸ And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like walking around in long robes and greetings in the marketplaces ³⁹ and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets, ⁴⁰ who devour the houses of widows and pray lengthy prayers for the sake of appearance. These will receive more severe condemnation!"

²² For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce signs and wonders in order to mislead, if possible, the elect. ²³ But you, watch out! I have told you everything ahead of time!

²⁶ Woe whenever all people speak well of you, for their fathers used to do the same things to the false prophets.

¹⁵ And he said to them, "Watch out and guard yourselves from all greediness, because not even when someone has an abundance _⌊does_⌋* his life consist of his possessions."

¹² The hired hand, who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf approaching and abandons the sheep and runs away—and the wolf seizes them and scatters them*—

⁶ And when they* had crossed over the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,

⁴⁰ Watch out, therefore, lest what is stated by the prophets come upon you:*

²⁹ I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking _⌊perversions of the truth_⌋* in order to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you* with tears.

¹⁷ Now I exhort you, brothers, to look out for those who cause dissensions and temptations contrary to the teaching which you learned, and stay away from them. ¹⁸ For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own stomach, and by smooth speech and flattery they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

¹³ For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is not a great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

⁴ Now this was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order that they might enslave us,

¹⁴ so that we may no longer be infants, tossed about by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of people, by craftiness with reference to the scheming of deceit.

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

⁸ Beware lest _⌊anyone take you captive_⌋* through philosophy and empty deceit, according to _⌊human tradition_⌋*, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ,

¹ Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, ² by the hypocrisy of liars, who are seared in their own conscience, ³ who forbid marrying and insist on abstaining from foods that God created for sharing in with thankfulness by those who believe and who know the truth,

⁵ maintaining a form of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid these people. ⁶ For from these are those who slip into houses and captivate foolish women loaded down with sins, led by various kinds of desires, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ And _⌊just as_⌋* Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these oppose the truth, people corrupted in mind, disqualified concerning the faith. ⁹ But they will not progress to a greater extent, for their folly will be quite evident to everyone, as also the folly of those two was.

¹³ But evil people and imposters will progress to the worse, deceiving and being deceived.

³ For there will be a time when they will not put up with sound teaching, but in accordance with their own desires, they will accumulate for themselves teachers, _⌊because they have an insatiable curiosity_⌋*,

¹ But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will bring in _⌊destructive heresies_⌋*, even denying the Master who bought them, thus* bringing on themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their licentious ways, because of whom the way of truth will be reviled. ³ And in greediness they will exploit you with false words, whose condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

¹⁸ _⌊For by speaking high-sounding but empty words_⌋*, they entice with desires of the flesh and with licentiousness those who are scarcely escaping from those who live in error, ¹⁹ promising them freedom although they* themselves are slaves of depravity. For to whatever someone succumbs, by this he is also* enslaved.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, because you* know this beforehand, guard yourselves so that you do not lose your own safe position because you* have been led away by the error of lawless persons.

¹ Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

⁴ For certain men* have slipped in stealthily, who were designated long ago for this condemnation, ungodly ones, who change the grace of our God into licentiousness and who deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

¹¹ And I saw another beast coming up from the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he was speaking like a dragon. ¹² And he exercises all the authority of the first beast on behalf of him, and he causes the earth and those who live in it to worship the first beast _⌊whose fatal wound had been healed_⌋*. ¹³ And he performs great signs, so that he even causes fire from heaven to come down to the earth before people. ¹⁴ And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that it has been granted to him to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who has the wound of the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ And it was given to him to put breath into the image of the beast, in order that the image of the beast both spoke and caused that all those, unless they worshiped the image of the beast, should be killed. ¹⁶ And he causes all people, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, that they give them a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, ¹⁷ and that no one was able to buy or to sell except the one who had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of his name.

¹³ And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet three unclean spirits like frogs.

⁶ And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses to Jesus.
And _⌊I was greatly astonished when I saw her_⌋*.

²⁰ And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs before him, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur.

²⁰ As a result, you will recognize them by their fruits.

³³ "Either make the tree good and its fruit is good, or make the tree bad and its fruit is bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.

⁴³ "For there is no good tree that produces bad fruit, nor on the other hand a bad tree that produces good fruit, ⁴⁴ for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn plants, nor are grapes harvested from thorn bushes. ⁴⁵ The good person out of the good treasury of his heart brings forth good, and the evil person out of his* evil treasury* brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

¹² A fig tree is not able, my brothers, to produce olives, or a grapevine figs. Neither can a saltwater spring produce fresh water.

¹⁰ and especially those who go after the flesh in defiling lust* and who despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, they do not tremble in awe as they* blaspheme majestic beings, ¹¹ whereas angels, who are greater in strength and power, do not bring against them a demeaning judgment.* ¹² But these persons, like irrational animals born only with natural instincts for capture and killing, blaspheming _⌊about things_⌋* they do not understand, in their destruction will also be destroyed, ¹³ being harmed as the wages of unrighteousness. Considering reveling in the daytime a pleasure, they are stains and blemishes, carousing in their deceitful pleasures when they* feast together with you, ¹⁴ having eyes full of desire for an adulteress and unceasing from sin, enticing unstable persons, and* having hearts trained for greediness. Accursed children! ¹⁵ By* leaving the straight path, they have gone astray, because they* followed the way of Balaam the son of Bosor,* who loved the wages of unrighteousness, ¹⁶ but received a rebuke for his own lawlessness: a speechless donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained _⌊the prophet's madness_⌋*. ¹⁷ These people are waterless springs and mists driven by a hurricane, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ _⌊For by speaking high-sounding but empty words_⌋*, they entice with desires of the flesh and with licentiousness those who are scarcely escaping from those who live in error,

¹⁰ But these persons blaspheme all that they do not understand, and all that they understand by instinct like the irrational animals, by these things they are being destroyed. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they have traveled in the way of Cain, and have given themselves up to the error of Balaam for gain, and have perished* in the rebellion of Korah. ¹² These are the ones feasting together without reverence, hidden reefs at your love feasts, caring for themselves, waterless clouds carried away by winds, late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted, ¹³ wild waves of the sea foaming up their own shameful deeds, wandering stars, for whom the deep gloom of darkness has been reserved for eternity. ¹⁴ And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about* these people, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with tens of thousands of his holy ones ¹⁵ to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly* concerning all their ungodly deeds that they have committed in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. ¹⁶ These people are grumblers, discontented, proceeding according to their* desires, and their mouths speaking pompous words, _⌊showing partiality to gain an advantage_⌋*. ¹⁷ But you, dear friends, remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁸ for they said to you,* "In the end time there will be scoffers following according to their own ungodly desires." ¹⁹ These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly, not having the Spirit.

³ And so, he is like a tree planted by streams of water that gives its fruit in its season; its leaf also does not wither. Therefore all that he does prospers.

¹³ Planted in the house* of Yahweh, they will flourish in the courts of our God. ¹⁴ They will still prosper in old age. They will be fat and luxuriant,*

³ And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men* of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. ⁴ What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? Why did I hope for it to yield grapes, and it yielded wild grapes? ⁵ And now let me tell you what I myself am about to do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge, and it shall become a devastation. I will break down its wall, and it shall become a trampling.

³ to _⌊give_⌋* for those in mourning in Zion, to give them a head wrap instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit. And _⌊they will be called_⌋* oaks of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, to show his glory.

¹⁹ And I was like a gentle ram-lamb that is brought to slaughter, and I did not know that they planned plans against me, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will no longer be remembered."

⁸ For he will be like a tree planted by water, and to the stream it sends its roots, and it will not fear when heat comes, and its leaves* will be luxuriant, and in the year of drought it will not be anxious, and it will not cease from the bearing of fruit.

³³ "Either make the tree good and its fruit is good, or make the tree bad and its fruit is bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say good things when you* are evil? For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ The good person from his* good treasury brings out good things, and the evil person from his* evil treasury brings out evil things.

⁶ And he told this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any.* ⁷ So he said to the gardener, 'Behold, _⌊for three years_⌋* I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and did not find any.* Cut it down!* Why should it even exhaust the soil?' ⁸ But he answered and* said to him, 'Sir, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put manure on it.* ⁹ And if indeed it produces fruit in the coming year, so much the better,* but if not, you can cut it down.'"

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those _⌊who belong to Christ_⌋** have crucified the flesh together with its feelings and its desires.

⁹ (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

¹¹ having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

¹⁰ so that you may live in a manner worthy of the Lord, _⌊to please him in all respects_⌋*, bearing fruit in every good deed and increasing in the knowledge of God,

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, nonjudgmental, without hypocrisy, ¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace among* those who make peace.

¹² These are the ones feasting together without reverence, hidden reefs at your love feasts, caring for themselves, waterless clouds carried away by winds, late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted,

¹⁷ For the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so that whatever you want, you may not do these things.

⁹ Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. ¹⁰ By this the children of God and the children of the devil are evident: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, namely, the one who does not love his brother.

⁵ And now let me tell you what I myself am about to do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge, and it shall become a devastation. I will break down its wall, and it shall become a trampling. ⁶ And I will make it a wasteland; it shall not be pruned and hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers* and thornbushes.* And concerning the clouds, I will command _⌊them not to send_⌋* rain down upon it. ⁷ For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts is the house of Israel, and the man* of Judah is the plantation of his delight. And he waited for justice,* but look! Bloodshed!* For righteousness,* but look! A cry of distress!*

¹¹ _⌊When its branches are dry_⌋,* they are broken; women are coming and setting light to it.
For it is not a people of understanding;
therefore his maker will not have compassion on him, and his creator will not show him favor.

² "Son of man, how will the wood of the vine be _⌊better than_⌋* _⌊any of the wood of_⌋* the branch which is among the trees of the forest?* ³ Can wood be taken from it to make anything, or can they take a tent peg from it to hang on it any object?* ⁴ Look! It is given to the fire as fuel. The fire will consume two of its ends, and its middle will be charred. Is it useful for anything? ⁵ Look! _⌊When it is in perfect condition_⌋,* it will not be used for anything, _⌊how much less_⌋* _⌊when the fire has consumed it_⌋* and it is charred; and then can it be used again for anything? ⁶ Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: _⌊Just like_⌋* the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest* which I gave to the fire for fuel, so I have given the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ⁷ And I will set my face against them. From the fire they may_⌊escape_⌋,* but the fire will yet consume them, and they will know that I am Yahweh _⌊when I set my face against them_⌋.*

¹⁰ Already now the ax is positioned at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹⁹ And seeing a single fig tree by the road, he went to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And he said to it, "May there be no more fruit from you _⌊forever_⌋,* and the fig tree withered at once. ²⁰ And when they* saw it,* the disciples were astonished, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?"

⁹ And even now the ax is positioned at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

² Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he removes it, and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it in order that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. ⁵ "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him—this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw them* into the fire, and they are burned.

⁸ But if it* produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to a curse, whose end is for burning.

¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits: they do not gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles, do they?*

³⁸ And now I tell you, keep away from these men, and leave them alone, because if this plan or this matter is from people, it will be overthrown.*

¹ Hear this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and came out from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of Yahweh, and _⌊invoke_⌋* the God of Israel, but not in truth and not in righteousness. ² For they call themselves _⌊after the holy city_⌋,* and they lean on the God of Israel— Yahweh of hosts is his name.

² They cry out to me, "My God! We, Israel, know you!" ³ Israel has spurned the good; the enemy will pursue him.

³² "Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother."

¹⁷ And Jesus answered and* said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this* to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

³ and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become like young children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven!

¹⁰ "See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven constantly see the face of my Father who is in heaven.*

³⁵ So also my heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from your hearts!"

²⁴ And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich person into* the kingdom of God."

²⁹ And he answered and* said, 'I do not want to!' But later he changed his mind and* went. ³⁰ And he approached the second* and* said the same thing. So he answered and* said, 'I will, sir,' and he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his* father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going ahead of you into the kingdom of God!

²¹ His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master!'

³⁹ And going forward a little he fell down on his face, praying and saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."*

⁴² Again for the second time he went away and* prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will must be done."

³⁵ For whoever does the will of God, this person is my brother and sister and mother."

⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than, having two eyes, to be thrown into hell,

²³ And Jesus looked around and* said to his disciples, "How _⌊difficult it is for_⌋* those who possess wealth to enter into the kingdom of God!" ²⁴ And the disciples were astounded at his words. But Jesus answered and* said to them again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter into the kingdom of God!

⁴⁶ "And why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you?*

²⁸ But he said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and follow it!"*

²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.

⁵ Jesus answered, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born of water and spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.

¹⁷ But he answered* them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working."

⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks at the Son and believes in him would have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

¹⁷ If anyone wants to do his will, he will know about my* teaching, whether it is from God or I am speaking from myself.

²⁹ My Father, who has given them* to me, is greater than all, and no one can seize them* from the Father's hand. ³⁰ The Father and I are one."

⁷ If you had known me, you would have known* my Father also. From now on* you know him and have seen him."

²³ The one who hates me hates my Father also.

¹³ But some itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches!" ¹⁴ (Now seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.) ¹⁵ But the evil spirit answered and* said to them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are you?" ¹⁶ And the man _⌊who had the evil spirit_⌋* leaped on them, subdued all of them, and* prevailed against them, so that they ran away from that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷ And this became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was exalted. ¹⁸ And many of those who had believed came, confessing and disclosing their practices, ¹⁹ and many of those who practiced magic brought together their* books and* burned them* up in the sight of everyone. And they counted up their value and found it was _⌊fifty thousand silver coins_⌋.* ²⁰ In this way the word of the Lord was growing in power and was prevailing.

¹³ For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.*

⁶ not _⌊while being watched_⌋*, as people pleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart,

¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, greets you, a slave of Christ* always struggling on behalf of you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured* in all the will of God.

³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

¹⁸ give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny him, because they* are detestable and disobedient, and unfit for every good deed.

⁶ Since therefore it remains for some to enter into it, and the ones to whom the good news was proclaimed previously did not enter because of disobedience,

²¹ equip you with every good thing to do his will, carrying out in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory _⌊forever_⌋*.* Amen.

²² But be doers of the message and not hearers only,* deceiving yourselves,

²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he* offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works the faith was perfected. ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,"* and he was called God's friend. ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And likewise was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she* welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? ²⁶ For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

¹⁵ For the will of God is as follows: by* doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

² in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God.

²¹ Dear friends, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God, ²² and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is pleasing _⌊in his sight_⌋*. ²³ And this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as _⌊he commanded us_⌋*. ²⁴ And the one who keeps his commandments resides in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he resides in us: by the Spirit whom he has given to us.

²⁷ and "he will shepherd them with an iron rod; he will break them in pieces like jars made of clay,"*

⁵ The one who conquers in this way will be dressed in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, and I will declare his name before my Father and before his angels.

¹⁴ Blessed are the ones who wash their robes, so that their authority will be over the tree of life and they may enter into the city through the gates.

⁴ the declaration of the hearer of God's words,* who sees the revelation of Shaddai,* falling down but whose eyes are uncovered.

⁸ They killed the kings of Midian in addition to the ones they had slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam son of Beor by the sword.

¹¹ Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, "Thus says Yahweh: 'With these you shall gore the Arameans until finishing them.'" ¹² All of the prophets were likewise prophesying, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and triumph, and Yahweh will give it into the hand of the king." ¹³ Then the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, "Please now, the words of the prophet are _⌊unanimously_⌋* favorable to the king. Please let your words be as one word with them, and speak favorably." ¹⁴ Then Micaiah said, "_⌊As Yahweh lives_⌋,* surely only as Yahweh speaks to me, that will I speak." ¹⁵ When he came to the king, the king asked him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead to the battle, or shall we refrain?" He said to him, "Go up and triumph, and Yahweh will give it into the hand of the king." ¹⁶ Then the king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear that you shall not tell me anything but truth in the name of Yahweh?" ¹⁷ So he said, "I saw all of Israel scattering to the mountains, like the sheep without a shepherd. Yahweh also said, 'There are no masters for these, let them return in peace, each to his house.'" ¹⁸ Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not say to you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but disaster?" ¹⁹ And he* said, "Therefore, hear the word of Yahweh. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne with all the hosts of heaven standing beside him from his right hand and from his left hand. ²⁰ And Yahweh said, 'Who will entice Ahab so that he will go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead?' Then _⌊this one was saying one thing and the other one was saying another_⌋.*

¹¹ The _⌊haughty eyes_⌋* of humanity will* be brought low, and the pride of everyone will be humbled, and Yahweh alone will be exalted on that day.

¹⁷ And the haughtiness of the people shall be humbled, and the pride of everyone shall be brought low, and Yahweh alone will be exalted on that day.

¹³ "Now in the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing. They prophesied by Baal and they caused my people Israel to err. ¹⁴ And in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible. They commit adultery, and they walk in lies,* and they make strong the hands of evildoers, so that they have not turned back each from his wickedness. All of them have become to me like Sodom, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah." ¹⁵ _⌊Therefore_⌋* thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets,
"Look, I am going to let them eat wormwood and I will give them water of poison to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem went out ungodliness to all the land." ¹⁶ Thus says Yahweh of hosts,
"You must not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are deluding you with visions of their _⌊mind_⌋,* They do not speak from the mouth of Yahweh. ¹⁷ They are* continually saying to those who disregard the word of Yahweh, 'Peace it will be to you,' and to _⌊each one_⌋* who walks in the stubbornness of his heart they say, 'Calamity will not come upon you.' ¹⁸ For who has stood in the council of Yahweh, that he has seen and heard his word? Who has listened attentively to his word and heard it?* ¹⁹ Look, the storm of Yahweh has gone forth in wrath, even a whirling tempest. It will whirl upon the head of the wicked. ²⁰ The _⌊anger_⌋* of Yahweh will not turn back until his doing and until his keeping the plans of his _⌊mind_⌋.* _⌊In latter days_⌋* you will look closely at it with understanding. ²¹ I have not sent the prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. ²² But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have caused them to turn from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds. ²³ Am I a God from near," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "and not a God from far? ²⁴ Or can a person hide himself in secret places and I cannot see him?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. "Do I not fill up the heaven and the earth?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. ²⁵ "I have heard what the prophets who prophesy lies* have said in my name, _⌊saying_⌋,* 'I have dreamed! I have dreamed!' ²⁶ _⌊How long_⌋* will this be in the hearts* of the prophets who prophesy lies,* even the prophets of the deceitfulness of their hearts,* ²⁷ who plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell each one to his neighbor, just as their ancestors* forgot my name through Baal? ²⁸ The prophet who has with him a dream, let him tell the dream. But the prophet* who has my word with him, let him speak my word faithfully. _⌊What is straw compared to wheat_⌋?"* _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. ²⁹ "Is not my word like fire?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "and like a blacksmith's hammer that breaks a rock into pieces? ³⁰ "_⌊Therefore_⌋* look, I am against the prophets," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "who steal my words each one from his neighbor. ³¹ Look, I am against the prophets," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "who take their tongues* and declare as prophets, 'Yahweh _⌊declares_⌋.'* ³² Look, I am against those who prophesy dreams of lies,"* _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "and tell them, and they caused my people to err through their lies, and in their recklessness, when I myself have not sent them nor commanded them, so they profit not this people at all," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

¹⁷ "They will be mine," says Yahweh of hosts, "on the day that I am acting, my treasured possession. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. ¹⁸ You will return and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him.

²¹ "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

⁵ Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them saying, "Do not go on the road to the Gentiles, and do not enter into a city of the Samaritans, ⁶ but go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you* are going, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near!' ⁸ Heal those who are sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, expel demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

¹⁵ Truly I say to you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!

³⁶ "But concerning that day and hour no one knows—not even the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone.

¹¹ And later the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open the door* for us!'

¹² I tell you that it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town!

²⁵ when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open the door* for us!' And he will answer and* say to you, 'I do not know where you are from!' ²⁶ Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets!' ²⁷ And he will reply, saying to you, 'I do not know where you are from! Go away from me, all you _⌊evildoers_⌋!'*

⁵¹ (Now he did not say this from himself, but being high priest in that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,

¹³ But some itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches!" ¹⁴ (Now seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.) ¹⁵ But the evil spirit answered and* said to them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are you?"

¹ If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a ringing brass gong or a clashing cymbal. ² And if I have the gift of prophecy and I know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

⁴ But you, brothers, are not in the darkness, so that the day should catch you like a thief,

¹⁰ whenever he should come to be glorified on that day by his saints and to be marveled at by all who believe, because our testimony was believed among you,

¹² for which reason also I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know in whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted until that day.

¹⁸ May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord in that day! And how much he served me in Ephesus you know very well.

⁸ Finally, the crown of righteousness is reserved for me, that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

⁴ For it is impossible concerning those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and become sharers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ and having fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, because they* have crucified again for themselves the Son of God and held him up to contempt.

⁵ The boastful do not stand before* your eyes. You hate all evildoers.

⁸ Depart from me, all workers of evil, for Yahweh has heard the sound of my weeping.

¹² But he answered and* said, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you!'

²⁷ And he will reply, saying to you, 'I do not know where you are from! Go away from me, all you _⌊evildoers_⌋!'*

¹⁴ "I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me,

²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they will never perish _⌊forever_⌋,* and no one will seize them out of my hand.

¹⁹ However, the solid foundation of God stands firm, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his,"* and "Everyone who names the name of the Lord must abstain from unrighteousness."

¹⁵ Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral people and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and who practices falsehood.

²⁸ And to the human beings he said, 'Look, the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.'"

¹⁰ The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom; all who do them* have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

¹³⁰ The unfolding of your words gives light, giving understanding to the simple.

⁸ A heart of wisdom will heed commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

⁸ The wisdom of the clever is understanding his ways, but the folly of fools is deceit.

³ "Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are the ones who mourn, because they will be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek, because they will inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are the ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be satisfied. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ And if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your members be destroyed than your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your limbs be destroyed than your whole body go into hell. ³¹ "And it was said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'* ³² But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for a matter of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

¹⁴ For if you forgive people their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.

¹⁹ "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and consuming insect* destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor consuming insect* destroy and where thieves do not break in or steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

⁷ "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

¹³ "Enter through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it, ¹⁴ because narrow* is the gate and constricted is the road that leads to life, and there are few who find it!

⁴⁷ "Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and does them—I will show you what he is like: ⁴⁸ he is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when* a flood came, the river burst against that house and was not able to shake it, because it had been built well. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words* and does not do them* is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, which the river burst against, and immediately it collapsed—and the collapse of that house was great!"

¹⁷ If you understand these things, you are blessed if you do them.

¹⁵ "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, why* is it that you are going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?" ²³ Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and _⌊will take up residence with him_⌋.* ²⁴ The one who does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me.

¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you.

⁶ who will reward each one according to his works: ⁷ to those who, by perseverance in good work, seek glory and honor and immortality, eternal life, ⁸ but to those who act from selfish ambition and who disobey the truth, but who obey unrighteousness, wrath and anger. ⁹ There will be affliction and distress for every _⌊human being_⌋* who does evil, of the Jew first and of the Greek,

¹⁰ According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must direct his attention to how he is building upon it. ¹¹ For no one is able to lay another foundation than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love. ⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

⁷ Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked, for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap, ⁸ because the one who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

²¹ Therefore, putting aside all moral uncleanness and wicked excess, welcome* with humility the implanted message which is able to save your souls. ²² But be doers of the message and not hearers only,* deceiving yourselves, ²³ because if anyone is a hearer of the message and not a doer, this one is like someone* staring at _⌊his own face_⌋* in a mirror, ²⁴ for he looks at himself and goes away and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. ²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues to do it, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer who acts, this one will be blessed _⌊in what he does_⌋*. ²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious, although he* does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. ²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our* God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

¹⁷ Thus also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. ¹⁸ But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works."* Show me your faith apart from your* works, and I will show you my* faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe, and shudder!

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his* good behavior his works, with the humility of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.

³ And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

³ For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, ⁴ because everyone who is fathered by God conquers the world. ⁵ Now who is the one who conquers the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

¹⁴ Blessed are the ones who wash their robes, so that their authority will be over the tree of life and they may enter into the city through the gates. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral people and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and who practices falsehood.

¹³ Planted in the house* of Yahweh, they will flourish in the courts of our God. ¹⁴ They will still prosper in old age. They will be fat and luxuriant,* ¹⁵ to declare that Yahweh is upright. He is my rock, and there is no injustice* in him.

¹ A song of ascents.*
Those who trust in Yahweh are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. ² As mountains are round about Jerusalem, so Yahweh is round about his people, from now until forever.

¹¹ Say to those covering it with whitewash that it will fall; there will be _⌊a torrent of rain_⌋,* and I will give stones of hail; they will fall! * And a _⌊windstorm_⌋* will burst forth! ¹² And look! When the wall falls, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the whitewash with which you covered it?' ¹³ Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: 'And so I will let burst forth a _⌊windstorm_⌋* in my rage, and _⌊there will be a torrent of rain_⌋* in my anger, and hailstones in my rage _⌊for complete destruction_⌋.* ¹⁴ And I will break down the wall that you covered with whitewash, and I will knock it to the ground, and its foundation will be revealed, and it will fall, and you will come to an end in the midst of it, and you will know that I am Yahweh! ¹⁵ And I will fully vent my rage against the wall and against those covering it with whitewash, and I will say to you, "_⌊The wall is no more_⌋,* and _⌊the people covering it are no more_⌋,* ¹⁶ that is, the prophets of Israel, the ones prophesying concerning Jerusalem and the ones seeing visions of peace, and there is not peace!'" " _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh.

³ He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the children of Levi, and he will refine them like gold and like silver, and they will present to Yahweh offerings* in righteousness.

¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it!

¹³ the work of each one will become evident. For the day will reveal it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the work of each one, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone's work that he has built upon it remains, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but so as through fire.

¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (you having been firmly rooted and established in love),

⁷ firmly rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding with thankfulness.

¹² Blessed is the person* who endures testing, because when he* is approved he will receive the crown of life that he* has promised to those who love him.

⁵ who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time,

⁷ so that the genuineness of your faith, more valuable than gold that is passing away, but is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But they went out*, in order that it might be shown that all of them are not of us.

³⁰ Therefore,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh the God of Israel, 'though I solemnly said that your house and the house of your ancestor* would walk before me forever, but now,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, 'far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me, I will treat with contempt!

¹ The _⌊wisest of women_⌋* builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her hands.

⁹ The wise will be put to shame, they will be dismayed, and they will get taken. Look, they have rejected the word of Yahweh, and what is wisdom to them?

⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words* and does not do them* is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, which the river burst against, and immediately it collapsed—and the collapse of that house was great!"

²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

¹⁰ Because, yes, because they led my people astray, _⌊saying_⌋* 'Peace!' And there is not peace. And when anyone* builds a flimsy wall, look, they coat it with whitewash.

⁴³ "Now whenever an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it travels through waterless places searching for rest, and does not find it.* ⁴⁴ Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came out.' And when it* arrives it finds the house* unoccupied and swept and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and brings along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and* live there. And the last state of that person becomes worse than the first. So it will be for this evil generation also!"

¹⁹ When* anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it,* the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown on the side of the path. ²⁰ And what was sown on the rocky ground—this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. ²¹ But he does not have a root in himself, but _⌊lasts only a little while_⌋,* and when* affliction or persecution happens because of the word, immediately he falls away. ²² And what was sown into the thorn plants—this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of this world* and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word and it becomes unproductive.

¹³ the work of each one will become evident. For the day will reveal it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the work of each one, of what sort it is.

²⁶ For if* we keep on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that is about to consume the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who rejected the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much worse punishment do you think the person will be considered worthy of who treats with disdain the Son of God and who considers ordinary the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy and who insults the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know the one who said,
"Vengeance is mine, I will repay,"*
and again,
"The Lord will judge his people."* ³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

²⁰ For if, after they* have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord* and Savior Jesus Christ, and they are again entangled in these things and succumb to them, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹ For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them. ²² The statement of the true proverb has happened to them, "A dog returns to its own vomit,"* and "A sow, after* washing herself, returns* to wallowing in the mud."*

² You are the most handsome of the sons of humankind; grace is poured out on your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.

¹ And it happened that when Jesus had finished giving orders to his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and to preach in their towns.

⁵³ And it happened that when Jesus had finished these parables he went away from there. ⁵⁴ And he came to his hometown and* began to teach* them in their synagogue, so that they were amazed and said, "From where did this man get this wisdom and these miracles?

¹ And it happened that when Jesus had finished these statements, he went away from Galilee and came into the region of Judea on the other side of the Jordan.

³³ And when* the crowds heard this,* they were amazed at his teaching.

¹ And it happened that when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,

²² And they were amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like the scribes.

² And when* the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him* were amazed, saying, "Where did this man get these things? And what is this wisdom that has been granted to this man, and the miracles such as these performed through his hands?

¹⁸ And the chief priests and the scribes heard it,* and began considering* how they could destroy him. For they were afraid of him because the whole crowd was astounded by his teaching.

²² And they were all speaking well of him, and were astonished at the gracious words that were coming out of his mouth. And they were saying, "Is this man not the son of Joseph?"

³² And they were astounded at his teaching, because _⌊he spoke_⌋* with authority.

⁴⁸ And they did not find anything they could do, because all the people were paying close attention to what they were hearing from him.

¹⁵ Then the Jews were astonished, saying, "How does this man _⌊possess knowledge_⌋,* because he* has not been taught?"

⁴⁶ The officers replied, "Never has a man spoken like this!"

¹⁸ I will raise up a prophet for them _⌊from among their countrymen_⌋* like you, and I will place* my words into his mouth, and he shall speak to them _⌊everything that I command him_⌋.* ¹⁹ _⌊And then_⌋* the man that will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I will hold accountable.

⁴ Since the word of the king is supreme, no one can say to him, "What are you doing?"

⁴ The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of a pupil, to know how to help the weary with a word. He awakens _⌊morning by morning_⌋,* awakens an ear for me to listen as do the pupils.

²⁸ The prophet who has with him a dream, let him tell the dream. But the prophet* who has my word with him, let him speak my word faithfully. _⌊What is straw compared to wheat_⌋?"* _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. ²⁹ "Is not my word like fire?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "and like a blacksmith's hammer that breaks a rock into pieces?

⁸ But I, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of Yahweh, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his rebellion, and to Israel his sin.

²⁰ For I say to you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.

²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

³² But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for a matter of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

¹ Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, ² "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat _⌊a meal_⌋."* ³ So he answered and* said to them, "Why do you also break the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ For God said, 'Honor your* father and your* mother,'* and 'The one who speaks evil of father or mother _⌊must certainly die_⌋*.'* ⁵ But you say, 'Whoever says to his* father or his* mother, "Whatever _⌊benefit you would have received_⌋* from me is a gift to God," ⁶ need not honor his father,'* and you make void the word of God for the sake of your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Isaiah correctly prophesied about you saying, ⁸ 'This people honors me with their* lips, but their heart is far, far away from me, ⁹ and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"*

²³ And after* he arrived at the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him while he* was teaching, saying, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?" ²⁴ And Jesus answered and* said to them, "I also will ask you one question. If you tell the answer* to me, I also will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ From where was the baptism of John—from heaven or from men?" And they began to discuss* this* among themselves, saying, "If we say 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ²⁶ But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the crowd, because they all look upon John as a prophet." ²⁷ And they answered and* said to Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

² saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses. ³ Therefore do and observe everything that they tell you, but do not do as _⌊they do_⌋,* for they tell others to do something* and do not do it themselves.* ⁴ And they tie up heavy burdens* and put them* on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing with their finger to move them. ⁵ And they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries broad and make their* tassels long. ⁶ And they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues

¹⁵ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you travel around the sea and the dry land to make one convert, and when he becomes one,* you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are! ¹⁶ "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.'* ¹⁷ Fools and blind people! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold holy? ¹⁸ And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.'* ¹⁹ Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? ²⁰ Therefore the one who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything that is on it. ²¹ And the one who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. ²² And the one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by the one who sits on it. ²³ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you pay a tenth of mint and dill and cumin, and neglect the more important matters of the law—justice and mercy and faithfulness! It was necessary* to do these things _⌊while not neglecting those_⌋.* ²⁴ Blind guides who filter out a gnat and swallow a camel!

¹⁸ And Jesus approached and* spoke to them, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

⁵ And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their* bread with unclean hands?" ⁶ So he said to them, "Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
'This people honors me with their* lips, but their heart is far, far away from me. ⁷ And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'* ⁸ Abandoning the commandment of God, you hold fast to the tradition of men." ⁹ And he said to them, "You splendidly ignore the commandment of God so that you can keep* your tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,'* and, 'The one who speaks evil of father or mother _⌊must certainly die_⌋*.'* ¹¹ But you say, 'If a man says to his* father or to his* mother, "Whatever _⌊benefit you would have received_⌋* from me is corban"* (that is, a gift to God), ¹² you no longer permit him to do anything for his* father or his* mother, ¹³ thus* making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down, and you do many similar things such as this."

⁸ And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

⁴⁶ "Beware of the scribes, who like walking around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets, ⁴⁷ who devour the houses of widows and pray lengthy prayers for the sake of appearance. These will receive more severe condemnation!"

¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom that all your opponents will not be able to resist or contradict.

²² Moses said, 'The Lord God* will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You will listen to him in everything that he says to you.* ²³ And it will be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed utterly from the people.'*

¹⁰ And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

¹² For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the reflections and thoughts of the heart. ¹³ And no creature is hidden in the sight of him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of him to whom _⌊we must give our account_⌋*.