Nehemiah 6 Cross References - NSB

¹ Word was given to Sanballat and Tobiah and to Geshem the Arabian and to the rest of our enemies, that I had done the building of the wall and that there were no more broken places in it though even then I had not put up the gates in the gateways. ² Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying: »Come; let us have a meeting in one of the little towns in the lowland of Ono.« But their purpose was to do me evil. ³ I sent men to them saying: »I am doing a great work, so that it is not possible for me to come. Should the work to be stopped while I go away from it and come to you?« ⁴ They sent this to me four times. I sent them the same answer. ⁵ Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. ⁶ There was written in it: »It has been heard among the nations what Geshem is saying, / He is saying that you and the Jews are hoping to make yourselves free from the king's authority. That this is why you are building the wall. They say that it is your purpose to be their king. ⁷ »And that you have prophets preaching about you in Jerusalem, and saying: ‘There is a king in Judah.’ Now an account of these things will be sent to the king. So come now, and let us have a discussion.« ⁸ I responded to him, saying: »No such things as you say are being done. They are only a fiction you have made up yourself.« ⁹ They hoped to put fear in us, saying: »Their hands will become feeble and give up the work so that it may not get done.« But now, O God, make my hands strong. ¹⁰ And I went to the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined in his house. He said: »Let us have a meeting in the house of God, inside the Temple, and let the doors be closed for they will come to kill you. Truly, in the night they will come to kill you.« ¹¹ I replied: »Am I the sort of man to go in flight? What man, in my position, would go into the Temple to keep safe? I will not go in.« ¹² Then it became clear to me that God had not sent him. He spoke prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat paid him money to do so. ¹³ For this reason they paid him money, in order that I might be overcome by fear and do what he said and do wrong. Then they would have reason to say evil about me and put shame on me. ¹⁴ Keep in mind, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat and what they did, and Noadiah, the woman prophet, and the rest of the prophets whose purpose was to frighten me. ¹⁵ The wall was complete on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. It took fifty-two days. ¹⁶ When our enemies had news of this, all the nations round about us were full of fear and were greatly shamed. They saw that our God had done this work. ¹⁷ The leaders of Judah exchanged letters with Tobiah. ¹⁸ For in Judah there were a number of people who had made an agreement by oath with him. For he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, the son of Arah and his son Jehohanan had taken as his wife the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah. ¹⁹ They spoke a good deal about the good he had done in my presence, and reported what I said to him. Tobiah sent letters with the purpose of causing me fear.

²⁵ He made the wheels of their chariots come off. They could hardly move. Then the Egyptians shouted: »Let us get out of here! Jehovah is fighting for Israel! He is against us!«

⁷ That might discourage them from entering the land Jehovah has given them. ⁸ That is what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look at the land. ⁹ They went as far as the Eshcol Valley. They saw the land. But then they discouraged the rest of the Israelites from entering the land Jehovah had given them.

²³ »For there is omen (spell) against Jacob, Nor is there any divination against Israel. At the proper time it will be said to Jacob and Israel: What God has done!

¹ When all the kings of the Amorites, on the west side of the Jordan River and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard that Jehovah dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we passed over, their hearts grew faint with fear. They were discouraged because of the children of Israel.

⁶ Delilah said to Samson: »Tell me what makes you so strong. How could you be subdued and tied up?«

¹⁰ Delilah told Samson: »You made a fool of me. What is the truth? Please tell me how someone could tie you up.«

¹⁵ »How can you say you love me,« she asked: »when you do not mean it? You have made a fool of me three times. You still have not told me what makes you strong.« ¹⁶ She kept asking him, day after day. He got sick and tired of her nagging him. ¹⁷ So finally he told her the truth: »My hair has never been cut,« he said: »I have been dedicated to God as a Nazirite from the time I was born. I would lose my strength if my hair were cut.« ¹⁸ When Delilah realized that he told her the truth, she sent a message to the Philistine kings: »Come back one more time. He told me the truth. They came and brought the money with them.« ¹⁹ Delilah lulled Samson to sleep in her lap and called a man, who cut off Samson’s seven locks of hair. Then she tormented him, for he had lost his strength. ²⁰ She shouted: »Samson! The Philistines are coming!« He woke up and thought: »I will get loose and go free, as always.« He did not know that Jehovah had left him.

⁵ »He risked his life and killed the Philistine Goliath. Jehovah gave all Israel a great victory. You rejoiced when you saw it. Why should you sin by shedding David’s innocent blood for no reason?«

⁶ The people in their bitterness said David should be stoned. This caused him great distress. They were thinking of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in Jehovah his God.

²⁷ Abner arrived in Hebron. Joab took him aside at the gate, as though he wanted to speak privately with him. There he stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner was murdered because he had killed Joab’s brother Asahel.

¹⁰ He sent messengers to all the tribes of Israel. He told them: »When you hear the sound of trumpets, shout: ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’« ¹¹ Absalom had two hundred men who at his invitation traveled from Jerusalem with him. They knew nothing of the plot and went in good faith. ¹² Absalom was offering sacrifices. He sent for Ahithophel, David’s adviser, to come from his home in Giloh. Meanwhile, the conspiracy grew stronger. The number of people siding with Absalom kept getting larger.

⁹ »How are you, my brother?« Joab asked Amasa. He took hold of Amasa’s beard with his right hand to kiss him.

⁷ But Adonijah had discussed his actions with Joab (son of Zeruiah) and with the priest Abiathar, so they supported him.

¹⁸ »Adonijah has already become king. You do not know anything about it.

²⁵ »This very day he has gone and offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves. He invited all your sons, Joab the commander of your army, and Abiathar the priest, and right now they are feasting with him and shouting: ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

³⁴ Zadok and Nathan are to anoint him as king of Israel. Then blow the trumpet and shout: Long live King Solomon!

⁵ A third-story annex, seven and one half feet high, was built against the outside walls. It was on the sides and the back of the Temple.

²² »How will you deceive him?« Jehovah asked. The spirit replied: »I will make all of Ahab's prophets tell lies.« Jehovah said: »Go and deceive him. You will succeed.« ²³ Micaiah concluded: This is what has happened. Jehovah made these prophets of yours lie to you. He has decreed that you will meet with disaster! ²⁴ The prophet Zedekiah went to Micaiah and slapped his face. He asked: »Since when did Jehovah’s spirit leave me and speak to you?«

⁸ »‘The entire house of Ahab will perish. I will get rid of every male in his family, young and old alike.

³ Jehosheba took care of the boy and kept him hidden in the Temple for six years. During this time Athaliah ruled as queen.

²⁶ Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh (the commander): »Will you kindly make use of the Aramaean language in talking to your servants. We are used to it. Do not use the Jews' language in the hearing of the people on the wall.« ²⁷ He replied: »Do you think you and the king are the only ones the king sent me to say these things? No, I am also talking to the people who are sitting on the wall. They will have to eat their excrement and drink their own urine, just as you will.« ²⁸ The official stood up and shouted in Hebrew: »Listen to what the king of Assyria is telling you!

¹² The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, Shemed who built Ono and Lod with its surrounding villages,

⁷ »But you must remain strong and not become discouraged. Your actions will be rewarded.«

²⁴ Ahaz collected the utensils in God’s Temple. He cut them up and closed the doors to Jehovah’s Temple. He made altars for himself on every corner in Jerusalem.

³ In the first month of his first year as king, he opened the doors of Jehovah’s temple and repaired them.

⁷ »They also shut the doors of the temple’s entrance hall. They extinguished the lamps, and did not burn incense or sacrifice burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.

⁵ The children of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five.

¹ News came to the enemies of Judah and Benjamin that the people who had come back were building a Temple to Jehovah, the God of Israel. ² They approached Zerubbabel and the heads of families and said: »Let us help you build for we are servants of your God, the same as you. We have been making offerings to him from the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who sent us here.« ³ But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of families in Israel said to them: »You have no part with us in the building of a house for our God. We will do the work for Jehovah, the God of Israel, as Cyrus, king of Persia, has given us orders.« ⁴ The people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and tried to make them afraid to go on building. ⁵ They hired men to work against them and kept them from accomplishing their plans during the reign of Cyrus, king of Persia, till Darius became king. ⁶ When Ahasuerus first became king, they put on record a statement against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. ⁷ In the time of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his friends, sent a letter to Artaxerxes, king of Persia, writing it in the Aramaic language. ⁸ Rehum, the chief ruler, and Shimshai the scribe, sent a letter against Jerusalem, to Artaxerxes the king as follows: ⁹ The letter was sent by Rehum, the chief ruler, and Shimshai the scribe and their friends; the Dinaites and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites (people of Susa), the Dehaites, the Elamites, ¹⁰ The rest of the nations the great and noble Osnappar took over and put in Samaria and the rest of the country over the river: ¹¹ »This is a copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes the king: ‘Your servants living across the river send these words: ¹² »We give news to the king that the Jews who came from you have come to us at Jerusalem. They are again building that uncontrolled and evil town. The walls are complete and they are repairing the bases.

¹² »We give news to the king that the Jews who came from you have come to us at Jerusalem. They are again building that uncontrolled and evil town. The walls are complete and they are repairing the bases. ¹³ »The king may be certain that when the town and its wall are completely rebuilt they will pay no tax or payment in goods or forced payments, and in the end it will be a cause of loss to the kings. ¹⁴ »Because we are responsible to the king, and it is not right for us to see the king's honor damaged, we have sent to give the king word of these things. ¹⁵ »That way a search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records that this town has been uncontrolled. It has been a cause of trouble to kings and countries. There were outbursts against authority in the past. That is the reason the town was laid waste.

¹⁵ »That way a search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records that this town has been uncontrolled. It has been a cause of trouble to kings and countries. There were outbursts against authority in the past. That is the reason the town was laid waste. ¹⁶ »We give you word, that if this town and its walls is completely rebuilt, your power in the country across the river will end.« ¹⁷ The king sent an answer to Rehum, the chief ruler, and Shimshai the scribe, and their friends living in Samaria, and to the rest of those across the river, saying, »Peace to you: ¹⁸ »The meaning of the letter you sent to us has been made clear to me, ¹⁹ »I gave orders for a search to be made, and it is certain that in the past this town has made trouble for kings, and that outbursts against authority have taken place there. ²⁰ »Further, there have been great kings in Jerusalem. They ruled over all the country across the river. Taxes and tribute was paid to them. ²¹ »Give an order now that these men are to do no more work and that the building of the town is to be stopped till I give an order. ²² »Be sure to do this with all care. Do not let trouble increase to damage the king.« ²³ Then, after reading the king's letter, Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their friends went quickly to Jerusalem, to the Jews to compel them by force to stop. ²⁴ So the work of the house of God at Jerusalem was stopped, till the second year of the rule of Darius, king of Persia.

¹⁵ The construction of this house was complete on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the rule of Darius the king.

³¹ And of the sons of Harim, Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

¹⁰ Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard I was coming. They were greatly troubled because a man came to help from the children of Israel.

¹⁹ But Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, hearing of it, made sport of us. They laughed at us and said: »What are you doing? Will you go against the king?«

¹⁸ Sennacherib’s officers shouted loudly in the Judean language to the troops who were on the wall of Jerusalem. They tried to frighten and terrify the troops so that they could capture the city.

¹⁶ Then I sent for Eliezer and Ariel and Shemaiah and Elnathan Jarib and Elnathan and Nathan and Zechariah and Meshullam, all responsible men; and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were wise men.

¹ The high priest Eliashib worked with his brother priest to rebuild the Sheep Gateway. They made it holy and put its doors in position. They sanctified everything as far as the tower of Hammeah including to the tower of Hananel.

³ The sons of Hassenaah were the builders of the fish doorway. They put its boards in place and put up its doors, with their locks and rods. ⁴ By their side Meremoth, the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, was making good the walls. There was Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel; and by him, Zadok, the son of Baana. ⁵ Near them, the Tekoites were at work; but their chiefs did not put their necks to the work of their masters. ⁶ Joiada, the son of Paseah, and Meshullam, the son of Besodeiah, repaired the old doorway. They put its boards in place and put up its doors, with their locks and rods.

³⁰ After him Hananiah, the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, were making good another part. After him Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, made good the wall opposite his room.

¹ Now, Sanballat, hearing that we were building the wall, was very angry, and in his wrath made sport of the Jews.

¹ Now, Sanballat, hearing that we were building the wall, was very angry, and in his wrath made sport of the Jews. ² And in the hearing of his countrymen and the army of Samaria he said: »What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they make themselves strong? Will they make offerings? Will they get the work done in a day? Will they make the stones that have been burned come again out of the dust?«

⁴ Give ear, O our God, for we are ridiculed. Let their words of shame be turned back upon them, and let them be given up to plunder in a land where they are prisoners. ⁵ Do not let their wrongdoing be covered or their sin be washed away from before you: for they have made you angry before the builders. ⁶ So we went on building the wall. The entire wall was joined together halfway up. The people were working hard. ⁷ When the Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites, heard that the building of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the broken places were being made good, they were very angry.

⁷ When the Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites, heard that the building of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the broken places were being made good, they were very angry.

¹⁰ Judah said: »The strength of the workmen is giving way. There is a lot of rubbish so it is impossible for us to put up the wall.« ¹¹ And our adversaries kept saying: »They will not know and they will not see until we come right in among them and put them to death. We will cause the work to cease.« ¹² When the Jews who were living near them came, they said to us ten times: »From all directions they are coming against us.« ¹³ So in the lowest part of the space at the back of the walls, in the open places, I put the people by families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. ¹⁴ And after looking, I got up and said to the great ones and to the chiefs and to the rest of the people, »Have no fear of them. Keep in mind Jehovah who is great and greatly to be feared. Take up arms for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your wives and your houses.«

⁷ After giving it much thought, I made a protest to the chiefs and the rulers, and said to them: »Everyone of you is collecting interest from his brothers.« I organized a big meeting of protest.

¹⁹ Keep in mind, O my God, for my good, all I have done for this people.

¹ Word was given to Sanballat and Tobiah and to Geshem the Arabian and to the rest of our enemies, that I had done the building of the wall and that there were no more broken places in it though even then I had not put up the gates in the gateways. ² Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying: »Come; let us have a meeting in one of the little towns in the lowland of Ono.« But their purpose was to do me evil. ³ I sent men to them saying: »I am doing a great work, so that it is not possible for me to come. Should the work to be stopped while I go away from it and come to you?«

⁶ There was written in it: »It has been heard among the nations what Geshem is saying, / He is saying that you and the Jews are hoping to make yourselves free from the king's authority. That this is why you are building the wall. They say that it is your purpose to be their king.

⁹ They hoped to put fear in us, saying: »Their hands will become feeble and give up the work so that it may not get done.« But now, O God, make my hands strong.

¹² Then it became clear to me that God had not sent him. He spoke prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat paid him money to do so.

¹² Then it became clear to me that God had not sent him. He spoke prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat paid him money to do so. ¹³ For this reason they paid him money, in order that I might be overcome by fear and do what he said and do wrong. Then they would have reason to say evil about me and put shame on me.

¹³ For this reason they paid him money, in order that I might be overcome by fear and do what he said and do wrong. Then they would have reason to say evil about me and put shame on me. ¹⁴ Keep in mind, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat and what they did, and Noadiah, the woman prophet, and the rest of the prophets whose purpose was to frighten me.

¹⁰ The children of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two.

³⁵ Lod and Ono, the valley of expert workers.

²⁸ One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, the chief priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, so I sent him away from me. ²⁹ »Keep them in mind, O my God, because they have put shame on the priests' name and on the agreement of the priests and the Levites.«

³ »Look, you have instructed many people. When hands were weak, you made them strong. ⁴ »When someone stumbled, you lifted him up with your words. When knees were weak, you gave them strength. ⁵ »But trouble comes to you, and you are impatient. It touches you, and you panic. ⁶ »Does your respect for God give you confidence and your lifetime of integrity give you hope?

⁴ »You are smearing me with lies. As doctors you are worthless, all of you!

¹³ »There are those who rebel against the light. They are not acquainted with its ways, and do not stay in its paths. ¹⁴ »The murderer rises at dusk to kill the poor and needy, and in the night is like a thief. ¹⁵ »The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight. He says: ‘No eye will see me.’ Then he disguises his face. ¹⁶ »In the dark they dig through houses. By day they shut themselves up. They do not know the light. ¹⁷ »For deep darkness is morning to all of them. They are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.

¹ ([Psalm of David]) I have taken refuge in Jehovah. How can you say to me: »Flee to your mountain like a bird?« ² Wicked people bend their bows. They set their arrows against the strings to shoot in the dark at people who are upright in heart.

² People speak lies to one another. They speak with flattering lips and with double-heart. (Double Heart: They say one thing but mean another.)

³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water. It yields its fruit in season and its leaves do not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

¹ ([Psalm of David]) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far away from my deliverance, so far away from the words of my moaning?

³ The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit and he ceased to be wise and do good.

¹¹ Do not let the foot of pride come upon me. Do not let the hand of the ungodly drive me away. ¹² The doers of evil have fallen! They have been thrust down and cannot rise.

¹² The wicked plots against the righteous and grinds at him with his teeth.

³ I will put my trust in you when I am afraid.

³⁵ God, the God of Israel, is awe-inspiring in his holy place. He gives strength and power to his people. Praise God!

¹ O Jehovah, I have come to you for protection; never let me be defeated!

³² The wicked spies upon the righteous and seeks to kill him.

¹² Those who seek my life lay traps for me. Those who are out to harm me talk about ruining me. All day long they think of ways to deceive me.

² Your tongue makes up wickedness. It is like a sharp razor, you master of deceit.

¹ ([[Psalm of David] in the wilderness of Judah:]) O God, you are my God. At dawn I search for you. I thirst for you. My body longs for you in a dry, parched land where there is no water.

⁶ He will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered.

⁸ His heart is steady, and he is not afraid. In the end he will look triumphantly at his enemies.

² O Jehovah, rescue me from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue. ³ You deceitful tongue, what can Jehovah give you? What more can he do for you?

² Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with joyful songs. Then the nations said: »Jehovah has done spectacular things for them.«

³ When I called, you answered me. You made me bold. You strengthened me.

⁵ Arrogant people have laid a trap for me. They have spread out a net with ropes. They have set traps for me along the road. ⁶ I said to Jehovah: You are my God. O Jehovah, open your ears to hear my plea for pity. ⁷ O Lord Jehovah [Almighty], the strong one who saves me, you have covered my head in the day of battle. ⁸ O Jehovah, do not give wicked people what they want. Do not let their evil plans succeed, or they will become arrogant. ⁹ Let the heads of those who surround me be covered with their own threats. ¹⁰ Let burning coals fall on them. Let them be thrown into a pit, never to rise again. ¹¹ Do not let slanderers prosper on earth. Let evil hunt down violent people with one blow after another.

²¹ She seduced him with her persuasive words. She forced him with her flattering lips.

⁹ A godless hypocrite destroys his neighbor with his mouth. The righteous will be delivered through knowledge.

¹⁵ The simple believes every word, but the prudent man gives thought to his steps.

¹ A good name is better than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.

²⁴ He who hates disguises with his lips, and stores deceit within him. ²⁵ When he speaks kind words do not believe him. There are seven abominations in his heart. ²⁶ When hatred is covered by deceit, wickedness is revealed to the entire congregation.

¹ The wicked run when no man pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

⁴ They who forsake the law praise the wicked. Those who obey the law oppose them.

⁵ A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.

⁴ I have learned why people work so hard to succeed. It is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is vanity! It is like chasing the wind.

¹ A good name (honor) (renown) (reputation) is better than pleasant ointment and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you are going.

¹ Dead flies cause the perfumer’s oil to smell. A little foolishness does the same for the one with a reputation for wisdom and honor.

¹⁴ So Jehovah will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed (rush) in one day. ¹⁵ Elders and dignitaries are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail.

¹⁸ It will completely destroy the splendor of his forests and fertile fields, as when a sick man wastes away.

³ Strengthen the tired hands and the knees that tremble with weakness. ⁴ Tell the discouraged ones with anxious heart: »Be strong and do not be afraid! God is coming to your rescue! He is coming to punish your enemies.«

¹⁰ »Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you. He says to you: »Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.« ¹¹ »‘You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries. He destroyed them completely. And will you be delivered? ¹² »‘Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my forefathers deliver them? And what about the gods of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar? ¹³ »‘Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, or of Hena or Ivvah?’« ¹⁴ Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. He went to the temple of Jehovah and spread it out before Jehovah.

⁷ »Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts. Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.

¹² »I, even I, am the one who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men? The sons of men are like grass! ¹³ »You forget Jehovah your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. Will you live in constant terror of the human oppressor, who is bent on your destruction? Will you fear your enemies from morning until night?

¹⁰ »‘Do not fear for I am with you! Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’

¹¹ They are dogs with mighty appetites. They never have enough! They are shepherds who lack understanding. They all turn to their own way and each one seeks dishonest (unjust) gain.

¹¹ »Who frightened you? Who made you afraid, that you have lied and not remembered me? You did not take it to your heart. Is it not because I have held my peace from of old that you do not reverence (respect) me?

⁴ No one calls for justice and no one pleads his case truthfully. People trust pointless arguments and speak lies. They conceive trouble and give birth to evil.

¹⁷ »Strengthen yourself, Jeremiah! Stand up, and say to them whatever I tell you to say. Do not be terrified in their presence, or I will make you even more terrified in their presence.

³ They bend their tongue like their bow. Lies and not truth prevail in the land. They move from evil to evil. »They do not know me,« says Jehovah. ⁴ »Let everyone be on guard against his neighbor. Do not trust any brother because every brother deals craftily (cunningly), and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. ⁵ »Everyone deceives his neighbor and does not speak the truth. They have taught their tongue to speak lies. They wear themselves out committing sin. ⁶ »You live in the middle of deceit. Through deceit they refuse to know me,« says Jehovah.

²⁰ O Jehovah of Hosts, you are a fair judge. You test motives and thoughts. I want to see you take revenge on them. For that reason I presented my case to you. ²¹ This is what Jehovah says: »The people of Anathoth want to kill you. They say: Do not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, or we will kill you.« ²² This is what Jehovah of Hosts says: »I am going to punish them. The young men will die by the sword because of war. Their sons and daughters will die by famine. ²³ »I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth. It will be a year of punishment. There will be no survivors.«

¹⁴ Jehovah then told me: »These are the lies that the prophets are telling in my name: They claim that I sent them. They claim that I commanded them. They claim that I spoke to them. They even dreamed up visions to tell you. Their predictions are worthless! They are the products of their own imagination. ¹⁵ »I did not send these prophets. Yet, they prophesy in my name that there will be no wars or famines in this land. So this is what I, Jehovah, say about them: ‘Wars and famines will bring an end to these prophets.

¹⁸ »‘If I go to the field, I see those killed because of war. If I go to the city, I see those sick because of famine. Prophets and priests wander through a land they have not heard of.’«

¹⁸ Then they said: »Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise man, nor the divine word to the prophet! Come on and let us strike him with our tongue, and let us pay no attention to any of his words.«

²⁰ Should good be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before you to speak good on their behalf. I tried to turn away your wrath from them. ²¹ Therefore, give their children over to famine and deliver them up to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless and widowed. Let their men also be smitten to death and their young men struck down by the sword in battle. ²² Let an outcry be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring raiders upon them. For they have dug a pit to capture me and hidden snares for my feet. ²³ Yet You, O Jehovah, know all their deadly designs against me. Do not forgive their iniquity or blot out their sin from your sight. But may they be overthrown before you. Deal with them in the time of your anger!

¹⁶ This is what Jehovah of Hosts says: »Do not listen to what the prophets are saying to you. They fill you with false hope. They speak about visions that they dreamed up. These visions are not from Jehovah.

²⁵ »I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in my name. They say: ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!«

¹⁵ Then Jeremiah the prophet told the prophet Hananiah: »Listen, Hananiah! Jehovah did not send you. You are making these people believe a lie.

¹⁰ For I have heard the whispering of many: »Terror on every side! Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!« All my trusted friends are watching for my fall. They say: »Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may prevail against him and take our revenge on him.«

¹ That same year, in the fifth month of the fourth year that Zedekiah was king, Hananiah son of Azzur, a prophet from the town of Gibeon, spoke to me in the Temple. In the presence of the priests and of the people he told me

¹⁰ Hananiah took the yoke off my neck and broke it in pieces.

⁵ Jeremiah told Baruch: »I am no longer allowed to go to Jehovah’s Temple.

⁴ The officials went to the king and said: »This man must be put to death. By talking like this he is making the soldiers in the city lose their courage. He is doing the same thing to everyone else left in the city. He is not trying to help the people. He only wants to hurt them.«

² Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him got up, drew their swords, and killed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. So they assassinated the man whom the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the land.

⁶ »Son of man, do not be afraid of them or the things they say. Do not be afraid, even though thorns and thistles are around you and you live among scorpions. Do not let the things they say frighten you. Do not be terrified in their presence even though they are rebellious people.

²⁴ The Spirit entered me and stood me on my feet. He talked to me. He said: »Go shut yourself in your home.

⁷ ‘»Did you not see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said ‘Jehovah declares,’ but it is not I who has spoken?«’

¹⁶ ‘»The prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem are gone. Those who said that everything was all right, when it was not all right, are gone, declares the Lord Jehovah. ¹⁷ »Son of man, look at the women among your people who make up prophesies, and prophesy against them.

¹⁷ »Son of man, look at the women among your people who make up prophesies, and prophesy against them. ¹⁸ »Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Jehovah says: »How horrible it will be for women who sew magic charms for people's wrists and make magic veils of every size for people's heads. You want to trap people. You want to control the lives of my people for your own profit. ¹⁹ ‘»You dishonor me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who should not die. You spare the lives of people who should not live. You lie to my people who are willing to listen.«’

¹⁹ ‘»You dishonor me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who should not die. You spare the lives of people who should not live. You lie to my people who are willing to listen.«’ ²⁰ »This is what the Lord Jehovah says: ‘I am against the magic charms that you use to trap people like birds. I will tear them from your arms and free the people that you have trapped. ²¹ ‘»I will tear off your magic veils and rescue my people from your power so that they will no longer be under your control. Then you will know that I am Jehovah. ²² ‘»You have discouraged righteous people with your lies, even though I had not brought them any grief. You encouraged wicked people not to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives.

²² ‘»You have discouraged righteous people with your lies, even though I had not brought them any grief. You encouraged wicked people not to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives. ²³ ‘»That is why you will no longer see false visions or make predictions. I will rescue my people from your power. Then you will know that I am Jehovah.’«

³¹ »Then they come to you, as if they are still my people, and they sit down in front of you. They listen to what you say, but they do not do it. They say that they love me, but in their hearts they chase dishonest profits.

⁴ Then the commissioners and the governors sought to find a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. They could find no charge, nor error, nor fault, for he was faithful. ⁵ These men said: »We shall not find any charge against Daniel, unless we find it against him in the Law of his God.«

²⁷ »And as for both these kings, their hearts will be inclined to do bad things. They will speak lies at one table and nothing will succeed. The end will come at the time appointed.

²⁵ »Know and discern, that from the utterance of the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One (Messiah), the Leader: there shall be seven weeks, also sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again with a public square and moat, even in terrible times.

¹¹ The leaders judge for a bribe, and the priests teach for wages! The prophets predict for money yet they rely on Jehovah when they say: »Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? No evil will come upon us.«

¹ Too bad for me! For I am like the gathered summer fruit, as the grape gleanings of the vintage. There is no cluster to eat. I desire the first ripe fig. ² The godly (loyal) (holy) man has perished from the earth. There is none upright among men! They all lie in wait for blood. Every man hunts his own brother with a net. ³ They diligently seek to do evil with their hands. The prince asks and the judge is ready for a bribe. The great man utters his own evil desire. They weave it together. ⁴ The best of them is as a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge! Your watchmen’s day has come. Your visitation has come. Now you will be perplexed.

⁴ The best of them is as a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge! Your watchmen’s day has come. Your visitation has come. Now you will be perplexed. ⁵ Do not put your faith in your neighbor. Do not trust a friend! Guard your lips from her who lies in your bosom (is your intimate companion).

⁵ Do not put your faith in your neighbor. Do not trust a friend! Guard your lips from her who lies in your bosom (is your intimate companion). ⁶ The son dishonors the father. The daughter rises up against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man's enemies are the men of his own house.

¹² »I will strengthen them in Jehovah and they will walk in his name,« declared Jehovah.

¹⁰ Jehovah of Hosts continues: »Is there one among you who will shut the Temple doors to prevent lighting a useless fire on my altar. I am not pleased with you! I will not accept the offerings you bring me.

¹⁵ »Watch out for the false prophets. They are disguised as sheep. But in their hearts they are vicious wolves.

¹⁶ »I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

²⁸ »Do not fear those who kill the body. They are not able to take away your [everlasting] life. Instead, fear him who is able to destroy both life and body in the ever-burning fires. (Greek: Gehenna: continuously burning trash fires in the valley of Hinnom.)

³⁴ »You offspring of vipers. How can you who are evil speak good things? Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

¹¹ »Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.

¹⁵ The Pharisees took counsel how they might trap him in his talk.

¹⁰ »Many will stumble and betray and hate one another. ¹¹ »Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

¹¹ »Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. ¹² »Wickedness and lawlessness will increase. The love of many will grow cold.

²⁴ »There will be false Christs and false prophets. They will show great signs and wonders so that many will be misled. This includes some of the chosen ones.

⁵⁹ The chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death.

⁵ »However this widow bothers me. For this reason I will avenge her. If she keeps coming to me she will wear me out.«

³¹ Some Pharisees came to Jesus and warned him: »You must leave and go somewhere else for Herod wants to kill you.« ³² Jesus told them: »Go tell that fox I cast out demons and heal people today and tomorrow. On the third day my work will be finished. ³³ »I must go on my way today, tomorrow and the following day. It would not be right that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.

³⁰ »‘You started and could not finish,’ they will say.

¹⁹ The scribes and the chief priests attempted to capture him in that very hour. They feared the people. They perceived that he spoke this illustration against them. ²⁰ They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous. The spies listened for something in his speech to deliver him up to the authority of the governor. ²¹ »Teacher,« they said, »we know that you are right in what you say and teach. You are not partial and do not play favorites. Rather you teach the way of God truthfully.«

²⁰ »Every one who does evil hates the light. He does not come to the light because his works would be reproved.

² They accused him, saying: »We found this man perverting our nation. He forbids payment of tax to Caesar. He claims to be Christ a king.«

⁷ »The world has no reason to hate you. But it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.

⁴⁴ »You are from your father [Satan] the Devil (slanderer) (false accuser)! You want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning. He does not stand for the truth. There is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks his own lies. He is a liar and the father of the lie!

⁴ »We must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. When the night comes no man can work.

¹⁹ »If you were of the world, the world would love its own. I chose you out of the world. The world hates you because you are not of the world.

¹³ When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment-seat. They were at a place called The Stone Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

¹⁸ They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ Peter and John answered: »You judge whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God. ²⁰ »We cannot stop speaking the things we have seen and heard.« ²¹ When they further threatened them, they let them go. They found no basis for punishment because of the people for all men glorified God for that which was done.

¹ Saul agreed to his death. There was at that time a great persecution against the congregation at Jerusalem. All but the apostles were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.

³⁸ »I tell you: Leave these men alone. If this message and this work are from men it will come to nothing.

¹³ They brought false witnesses, which said: »This man will not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.

²⁴ »I do not consider my life of any account. It is not dear to me so that I may finish the race, and I may accomplish the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to preach the good news of the grace of God.

³³ »I coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or clothes.

¹³ Why do you weep and break my heart? Paul answered: »For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.«

³⁰ The entire city was aroused, and the people ran together from all directions. They laid hold on Paul and dragged him out of the Temple. Immediately the doors were shut.

¹⁰ »I stand at Caesar’s court,« Paul replied, »where I ought to be judged. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you are finding out.

¹⁵ »Now therefore you, with the Sanhedrin, inform the commander that he bring him down to you tomorrow. You say you would inquire some more regarding him. We are ready to put him to death before he comes near.«

¹² »They did not find me in the Temple, in the synagogues nor in the city disputing with any man. Neither did I cause a riot with the people. ¹³ »Neither can they prove the things for which they now accuse me.

⁷ When he arrived the Jews who also came there from Jerusalem presented many grievous complaints against Paul. They could not prove them.

⁸ Why not say, »Let us do evil so that good may come?« Some people have insulted me by accusing me of saying this very thing! They should be condemned and they will be.

¹⁵ He that is spiritual judges all things, yet no man judges him.

¹⁰ To another the workings of miracles and to another prophesy. To another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.

¹¹ that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

⁸ by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and unmovable. Always have plenty to do in the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

¹² But what I do, I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion; that in whatever matter they boast, they may be found equal with me. ¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder for even Satan fashions himself into an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

⁵ We did not yield to them for a moment or an hour! That way the truth of the good news (the whole body of Christian teachings) might continue with you.

¹⁶ That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man.

³⁰ because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.

¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

⁹ He told me: »My grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness.« Most gladly therefore, I would rather glory in my infirmities (frailities), that the power of Christ may rest upon me (cover me like a tent) (descend upon me) (abide with me). (Isaiah 40:29-31)

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in his mighty strength. ¹¹ Put on the full armor (every implement) of God, that you may be able to stand against the cunning (inventive) (clever) methods of the devil.

¹⁷ If I am offered for the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice with you all.

¹⁰ He will use every kind of wicked deceit on those who will perish. They will perish because they did not welcome and love the truth so as to be saved.

¹⁵ Be diligent and think about these things. Give yourself wholly to them. That way your progress may be apparent to all. ¹⁶ Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things. When you do this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

¹⁴ I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for reviling.

⁷ God has not given us a spirit of timidity (fear), but of power and love and discipline.

⁸ And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth. Men corrupted in mind, rejected concerning the faith,

³ not addicted to wine, not quarrelsome; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;

¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: God will render to him according to his works. ¹⁵ You should also beware of him, for he intensely opposed our words.

⁷ The overseer must be blameless as God's steward. He must not be self-willed, not prone to anger, not a brawler, and not violent (quarrelsome) (pugnacious), not greedy of dishonest gain.

⁸ Have sound speech that cannot be condemned so the man opposing us may be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the anger of the king. He endured, by seeing him who is invisible.

¹² Lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees.

¹⁷ He that knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.

¹² Maintain fine behavior among the nations. That way when they speak badly about you, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation (inspection). ¹³ Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it is to the king,

³ They speak evil words about you because of their extreme greed. They will exploit you with false evil words. Their judgment from long ago is not idle. Their destruction will not delay.

¹⁶ Keep a good conscience. When you are spoken against, those who revile your good manner of life in Christ may be put to shame.

² Shepherd the flock of God in your care. Exercise the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God. Do not do it for dishonest gain, but eagerly.

¹⁰ After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will perfect, establish, and strengthen you.

¹ Beloved, do not believe every spirit. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God. This is because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

⁵ They are from the world. They speak that which is from the world and the world listens to them.

¹³ »cinnamon, odors and ointments, frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour, wheat, beasts, and sheep and horses, chariots and slaves and humans

²⁰ The beast was captured, and with him the false prophet that performed signs before him, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, and those who worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.

⁸ »But the fearful and unbelieving, abominable and murderers, fornicators and those practicing spiritism, idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur: which is the second death.«

¹⁶ If any man see his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he will ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not leading to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I do not say that he should make request concerning this.