Luke 12 Cross References - NSB

¹ Thousands of people in the crowd were gathered together so much that they bumped into one another. He said to his disciples: »First of all, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² »Everything covered up will be revealed. Everything hidden will be made known. ³ »That which you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. That which you have spoken in the inner chambers will be proclaimed on the housetops. ⁴ »I tell you my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body. After that they can do no more. ⁵ »I will show you the one to fear. Fear the one who, after he has killed, has power to destroy you (throw into the ever-burning trash fires of the valley of Hinnom) (Greek: Gehenna). This is one you should fear. ⁶ »Are not five sparrows sold for two coins of small value? Yet not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God. ⁷ »Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear. You are worth more than many sparrows. ⁸ »I tell you, every one who confesses me before men; the Son of man will also confess him before the angels of God. ⁹ »He who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God. ¹⁰ »He who speaks against the Son of man will be forgiven. However he who blasphemes against Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹ »When you are brought before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about what you will say to answer them. ¹² »Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you should say.« ¹³ A member of the crowd said: »Teacher, help my brother divide the inheritance with me.« ¹⁴ Then he said: »Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?« ¹⁵ Jesus said: »Be careful, do not covet, for life does not come from your possessions.« ¹⁶ He spoke an illustration to them: »The land of a rich man produced well. ¹⁷ »He reasoned to himself, what will I do? I have nowhere to store my fruits? ¹⁸ »He said: »I would pull down my barns and build larger barns. I will store all my grain and goods there. ¹⁹ »I will say to my self: ‘You have many possessions saved for many years. Take it easy and eat, drink and be merry.’ ²⁰ »But God said to him: ‘You fool this night you will give up your life. Then who will have all these things you accumulated?’ ²¹ »He who lays up (earthly) treasure for himself is not rich toward God.« ²² He told his disciples: »Therefore I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, what you eat or what you wear on your body. ²³ »Life is more than food and clothing. ²⁴ »Consider the ravens for they do not sow or reap. They have no storehouse or barn. Yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! ²⁵ »Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to your life? ²⁶ »If you are not able to do even that which is least why worry about the rest? ²⁷ »Consider the way the lilies grow. They do not toil and neither do they spin. Yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸ »If God clothes the grasses in the field, which is here today and is cast into the oven tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you? You have little faith. ²⁹ »Do not seek food and drink and do not worry. ³⁰ »For the people of the nations seek after these things. Your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ »Seek first his kingdom and these things will be added to you. ³² »Do not fear little flock for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³ »Sell your possessions and give to charity. Make yourselves purses that do not get old, a treasure in heaven where moth and rest cannot corrupt and thieves cannot steal. ³⁴ »Your heart will be where your treasure is. ³⁵ »Gird your loins (strengthen yourselves) and light your lamps. ³⁶ »Be like men looking for their master to return. He will knock when he returns from the marriage feast, and it will immediately be opened to him. ³⁷ »Those servants are blessed, for the master will find them alert when he comes. I tell you he will tighten his belt, have them sit down at the table, and he will serve them the meal. ³⁸ »Even if he comes in the second watch or the third and he finds the same his servants are blessed. ³⁹ »Know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming he would have watched. He would not have allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ »You be ready! The Son of man will come at a time when you do not think he will.« ⁴¹ Peter said: »Lord are you speaking this illustration to us or to everyone?« ⁴² The Lord said: »Who is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master shall appoint over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴³ »That servant will be blessed when his master comes and finds him doing so. ⁴⁴ »I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all that he has. ⁴⁵ »If that servant says in his heart, my master delays his coming; and beats the other servants and eats and drinks to excess, ⁴⁶ the master of that servant will come when he does not expect. He will come in an hour that he does not know. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. ⁴⁷ »The unfaithful servant who knew what his master wanted and did not do it will be beaten. ⁴⁸ »He who did not know and did things unacceptable will receive a lesser punishment. To whom much is given, much will be required and to whom they commit much they will demand even more. ⁴⁹ »I came to strike fire upon the earth and what do I care if it is already kindled? ⁵⁰ »I have a baptism to experience and I am distressed until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ »Do you think I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, No, instead division. ⁵² »From now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. ⁵³ »They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother in law against her daughter in law, and daughter in law against her mother in law.« ⁵⁴ He said to the crowd: »When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say it will rain and it does. ⁵⁵ »When you see a south wind blowing, you say there will be scorching heat and there is. ⁵⁶ »You hypocrites, you know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven but how is it that you do not know how to interpret this time? ⁵⁷ »Why do you not judge what is right? ⁵⁸ »For example when an opponent brings you to court, try to settle before you get there. Otherwise, he will drag you in front of a judge and the judge will hand you over to an officer who will throw you into prison. ⁵⁹ »I tell you that you will not get out until you pay every penny of your fine.«

¹⁷ »Run for your lives!« The angels warned. »Do not stop and do not look behind you! Escape to the mountains, or you will die.«

¹² Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. Jehovah blessed him. ¹³ He became rich, and continued to grow richer until he became very wealthy. ¹⁴ He possessed flocks and herds and a great household. The Philistines envied him.

³ Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in Seir, the country of Edom. ⁴ He informed them to say: »Your obedient servant, Jacob, reports to my master Esau that I have been staying with Laban and that I have delayed my return until now. ⁵ »I own cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and slaves. I am sending you word in the hope of gaining your favor.« ⁶ When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said: »We went to your brother Esau. He is already on his way to meet you. He has four hundred men with him.« ⁷ Jacob was frightened and worried. He divided the people who were with him into two groups. He also divided his sheep, goats, cattle, and camels. ⁸ He thought: »If Esau comes and attacks the first group, the other may be able to escape.« ⁹ Then Jacob prayed: »O God of my father Abraham, the God of my father Isaac, O Jehovah, you said to me: ‘Go back to your country and your family and I will be good to you.’ ¹⁰ »I am less than nothing in comparison with all your love and your faithfulness to me your servant. I only had a stick in my hand when I traveled across Jordan. Now I have become two armies. ¹¹ »Save me from the hand of Esau, my brother. I fear that he will attack me and kill both mothers and children. ¹² »You said, ‘I will make sure that you are prosperous and that your descendants will be as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one will be able to count them because there are so many.’« ¹³ Jacob stayed there that night. Then he prepared a gift for his brother Esau from what he had brought with him: ¹⁴ There were two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred female sheep and twenty male sheep, ¹⁵ also thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. ¹⁶ He placed servants in charge of each herd. He said to his servants: »Go ahead of me, and maintain a distance between the herds.« ¹⁷ He commanded the first servant: »When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and whose animals are these ahead of you?’ ¹⁸ »Say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. This is a gift sent to you. Jacob is directly behind us.’« ¹⁹ He also commanded the second servant, the third, and all the others who followed the herds. He said: »Say the same thing to Esau when you find him. ²⁰ »Be sure to say, ‘Jacob is right behind us.’« He thought: »I will make peace with him by giving him this gift that I am sending ahead of me. After that, I will see him, and he will welcome me back.« ²¹ Jacob sent the gift ahead of him, while he stayed in the camp that night. ²² That same night Jacob got up, took his two wives, his two concubines, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok River. ²³ After he sent them across, he also sent across all that he owned. ²⁴ Then Jacob was by himself. A man was fighting with him till dawn. ²⁵ The man saw that he was not able to overcome Jacob. He gave him a blow in the hollow part of his thigh, so that his leg was damaged. ²⁶ He said to him: »Let me go now, for the dawn is near.« But Jacob said: »I will not let you go till you have given me your blessing.« ²⁷ Then he asked: »What is your name?« And he said, »Jacob.« ²⁸ The man said: »Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel (He Struggles With God), because you have struggled with God and with men and you have won.«

⁸ He refused, and said to her: »My master does not have to concern himself with anything in the house, because I am here. He has put me in charge of everything he has. ⁹ »No one in this house is greater than I. He has kept nothing back from me except you. You are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?« ¹⁰ She kept asking Joseph day after day. He refused to go to bed with her or be with her. ¹¹ One day he went into the house to do his work. None of the household servants were there. ¹² She grabbed him by his coat and said: »Come to bed with me!« But he ran outside and left his coat in her hand. ¹³ When she realized that he had gone but had left his coat behind, ¹⁴ she called her household servants and said to them: »Look! My husband brought this Hebrew here to fool around with us. He came in and tried to go to bed with me. I screamed as loud as I could. ¹⁵ »When he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me.« ¹⁶ Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s coat until her husband came home. ¹⁷ She said: »That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me! ¹⁸ »When I screamed for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house.« ¹⁹ Potiphar became very angry ²⁰ and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king’s prisoners were kept. While Joseph was in prison, ²¹ Jehovah helped him and was good to him. He even made the jailer like Joseph so much that ²² he put him in charge of the other prisoners and of everything that was done in the jail. ²³ The jailer did not worry about anything, because Jehovah was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.

⁴⁷ During the seven years of plenty the land produced abundantly. ⁴⁸ He gathered all the food of these seven years that occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities. He placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields. ⁴⁹ Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea. He finally stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.

¹⁸ »I wait with hope for your salvation, O Jehovah.

¹⁴ The man replied: »Who made you a prince or a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?« Moses was afraid and said: »Surely the matter has become known.«

¹¹ Jehovah said to him: »Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, Jehovah?

⁹ Moses said to Aaron: »Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel: ‘Come near before Jehovah for he has heard your complaints.’« ¹⁰ Aaron was speaking to them, when everyone looked out toward the desert and saw the bright glory of Jehovah in a cloud.

¹⁷ »If any of you sin unintentionally by breaking any of Jehovah’s commandments, you are guilty and must pay the penalty.

²⁹ »The same regulation applies to all who unintentionally commit a sin, whether they are native Israelites or resident foreigners. ³⁰ »Any who sin deliberately, natives or foreigners, are guilty of treating Jehovah with contempt. They shall be put to death.

³⁰ »Any who sin deliberately, natives or foreigners, are guilty of treating Jehovah with contempt. They shall be put to death. ³¹ »They have rejected what Jehovah said and have deliberately broken one of his commandments. They are responsible for their own death.«

¹¹ »The houses will be full of good things that you did not put in them. There will be wells that you did not dig. There will be vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant. Jehovah will bring you into this land and you will have all you want to eat. ¹² »Beware that you do not forget Jehovah, for he brought you out of Egypt your house of bondage.

¹² »You will eat all you want. You will build nice houses and live in them. ¹³ »Your herds and flocks, silver and gold, and all that you have will increase. ¹⁴ »When this happens, be careful that you do not become arrogant and forget Jehovah your God. He brought you out of slavery in Egypt.

²⁹ They fail to see why they were defeated. They cannot understand what happened.

² »If the wicked man deserves to be beaten, the judge will then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence. The number of lashes is according to his guilt. ³ »He must not beat him more than forty lashes. If he beats more than that your brother will be degraded in your eyes.

²¹ »When I saw among the spoils a quality Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them. I hid them in the earth in the middle of my tent.«

³⁰ »Jehovah, the God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should walk before me all the days of your life.’« Now Jehovah says: »Far be it from me. I will honor those who honor me. I will not regard those who think little of me.

¹⁸ So Abigail quickly took two hundred loaves of bread, two full wineskins, five butchered sheep, a bushel of roasted grain, one hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred fig cakes and loaded them on donkeys. ¹⁹ »Lead the way,« she told her young men, »and I will follow you.« But she did not tell her husband Nabal about it. ²⁰ She rode her donkey down a hidden mountain path. David and his men came to her. ²¹ David thought: »I guarded this man’s possessions in the desert for nothing! Not one of his possessions was missing. Yet, he paid me back with evil when I was good to him. ²² »May God punish me if I do not kill every one of those men before morning!« ²³ Abigail saw David and quickly got down from her donkey. She immediately bowed down in front of David with her face touching the ground. ²⁴ She fell at his feet and said: »Let me be held responsible for this wrong. Please let me speak with you. Please listen to me. ²⁵ »You should not take this worthless person Nabal seriously. He is like his name. His name is Nabal (Godless Fool). He is foolish. But I did not see the young men you sent. ²⁶ »Jehovah kept you from spilling innocent blood and from getting a victory by your own efforts. As Jehovah lives and you live, may your enemies and those who are trying to harm you end up like Nabal. ²⁷ »Please accept this gift from your maidservant. And give it to the young men who accompany my lord. ²⁸ »Also please forgive the transgression of your maidservant. Jehovah will certainly give you a lasting dynasty, because my lord is fighting the battles of Jehovah. Evil will not be found in you all your days. ²⁹ »Even if someone pursues you to take your life, your life is wrapped securely in the bundle (purse) (bag) of the living from Jehovah your God (God will keep you safe). He will dispose of the lives of your enemies. They will be hurled like stones from a sling. ³⁰ »When Jehovah does all the good he promised and makes you ruler of Israel, ³¹ you should not have a troubled conscience because you spilled blood for no good reason and claimed your own victory. When Jehovah gives you success, remember me.« ³² David said to Abigail: »Blessed is Jehovah the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me. ³³ »Blessed is your good judgment and blessed are you for keeping me from slaughtering people today and from getting a victory by my own efforts. ³⁴ »I solemnly promise as Jehovah the God of Israel lives that if you had not come to meet me Nabal would not have had one of his men alive at dawn.« ³⁵ Then David accepted what she brought him. He said: »Go home in peace. I have listened to what you said and I grant your request.« ³⁶ When Abigail came to Nabal, he was holding a banquet in his home. It was like a king’s banquet. He was in a good mood and very drunk, so she did not tell him anything until dawn. ³⁷ In the morning after the effects of the wine wore off his wife told him what had happened. Nabal had a stroke. He could not move. ³⁸ Ten days later Jehovah made him sicker and Nabal died.

⁴⁵ But the people said to Saul: »Will Jonathan, who won this great victory for Israel, be put to death?« »No! We promise by the living Jehovah that he will not lose even a hair from his head. What he did today was done with God’s help.« So the people saved Jonathan from being put to death.

²⁸ Absalom gave an order to his servants: »Watch now and when Amnon begins to feel good from drinking too much wine, I will tell you, Attack Amnon. Then kill him. Do not be afraid. I give this order. Be strong and courageous.« ²⁹ Absalom’s servants did to Amnon as Absalom ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules, and fled.

¹¹ She said: »Please pray to Jehovah your God, Your Majesty, so that my relative who is responsible for avenging the death of my son will not commit a greater crime by killing my other son.« »I promise by the living Jehovah,« David replied, »your son will not be harmed.«

¹¹ He said to him: »Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, ¹² »I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had. There has never been nor will ever be anyone like you. ¹³ »I will also give you what you did not ask for. All your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king.

¹ The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame. She traveled to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. ² So she came to Jerusalem with a very large caravan. The camels carried spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she approached Solomon, she talked about everything she had on her mind (heart). ³ Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from the king that he did not explain to her. ⁴ When the queen of Sheba perceived all the Wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, ⁵ the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, she was overwhelmed. ⁶ She said to the king: »The report I heard in my country about your acts and your wisdom was true. ⁷ »But I had no faith in what was said about you, till I came and saw for myself. Now I see that what I was told was not the half of it! Your wisdom and your wealth are much greater than they said. ⁸ »Happy are your wives, happy are your servants whose place is ever before you, hearing your words of wisdom. ⁹ »Praise Jehovah your God! He delighted in you and made you king of Israel. Jehovah’s love for Israel is long lasting, he has made you king, to be their judge in righteousness.« ¹⁰ She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a great store of spices and jewels. Never again was such a wealth of spices seen as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. ¹¹ Hiram's fleet that brought gold from Ophir also brought a large quantity of sandalwood and precious stones from Ophir. ¹² With the sandalwood (possibly the algum tree) the king made supports for Jehovah’s Temple and the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers. Never again was sandalwood like this imported into Israel, nor has any been seen there to this day. ¹³ King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all her desire. Whatever she requested in addition to what he gave her freely from the impulse of his heart. She and her servants went back to her country.

⁹ His servant Zimri, commander of half his war-carriages made plans to kill him. He was in Tirzah, drinking hard at the house of Arza, controller of the king's house in Tirzah. ¹⁰ Zimri attacked and killed him. It was the twenty-seventh year that Asa was king of Judah.

⁴⁴ The seventh time he said: »I see a cloud coming up out of the sea, as small as a man's hand.« Then Elijah said: »Go up and say to Ahab, Get your carriage ready and go down or the rain will keep you back.« ⁴⁵ After a very little time, the heaven became black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab went in his carriage to Jezreel. ⁴⁶ The hand of Jehovah was on Elijah. Jehovah gave special strength to Elijah and he ran ahead of Ahab until they came to Jezreel.

¹ Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab: »By the living Jehovah, the God of Israel, whose servant I am, there will be no dew or rain in these years, but only at my word.« ² Then the word of Jehovah came to him, saying: ³ »Go east from here and hide by the Cherith Brook, east of Jordan. ⁴ »You will drink from the brook. I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.« ⁵ So he did as Jehovah said, living by the Cherith Brook, east of Jordan. ⁶ The ravens took him bread in the morning and meat in the evening. And he drank water from the brook.

¹⁷ The king of Israel put the city gate under the command of the officer who was his personal attendant. The officer was trampled to death there by the people and died, as Elisha had predicted when the king went to see him.

³² From the tribe of Issachar, there were two hundred leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.

¹ The QUEEN OF SHEBA heard about Solomon’s reputation. So she came to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. She arrived with a large group of servants. They had camels carrying spices, a large quantity of gold, and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. ² Solomon answered all her questions. No question was too difficult for Solomon to answer. ³ When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he built, ⁴ the food on his table, his officers’ seating arrangement, the organization of his officials and the uniforms they wore, his cupbearers and their uniforms, and the burnt offerings that he sacrificed at Jehovah’s Temple, she was breathless. ⁵ She told the king: »What I heard in my country about your words and your wisdom is true! ⁶ »I did not believe the reports until I came and saw it with my own eyes. I was not even told about half of the extent of your wisdom. You have surpassed the stories I heard. ⁷ »Your men are indeed blessed! Your servants are truly blessed. It is because they are always stationed near you and listen to your wisdom! ⁸ »I thank Jehovah your God, who is pleased with you. He has put you on his throne to be king on behalf of Jehovah your God. Because of your God’s love for the people of Israel, he has established them permanently and made you king over them so that you would maintain justice and righteousness.« ⁹ The queen gave the king nine thousand pounds of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never was there such a large quantity of spices in Israel as those that the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon. ¹⁰ Huram’s servants and Solomon’s servants who brought gold from Ophir also brought sandalwood and precious stones. ¹¹ With the sandalwood the king made gateways to Jehovah’s Temple and the royal palace. They also made lyres and harps for the singers. No one had ever seen anything like them in Judah. ¹² King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba anything she wanted. Whatever she asked for, more than what she had brought him. Then she and her servants went back to her country.

¹¹ He gave them an account of the glories of his wealth. The number of children he had. He recalled the ways in which he had been honored by the king. How the king put him over the captains and servants of the king.

¹ That day the king gave all the estate of Haman, the hater of the Jews, to Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had made clear what he was to her. ² The king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther put Mordecai over the family of Haman.

¹² »All right,« Jehovah said to Satan, »everything he has is in your power, but you must not hurt Job!« So Satan left.

⁴ Satan answered Jehovah: »Skin for skin! Certainly, a man will give everything he has for his life.

⁶ Jehovah told Satan: »He is in your power, but you must spare his life!«

²⁰ »He will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. ²¹ »There is nothing left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure. ²² »Distress will overtake him in the midst of his plenty. The full force of misery will come upon him. ²³ »With his belly full, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows upon him.

²⁹ »This is the fate God allots the wicked, the heritage appointed for them by God.«

¹¹ »They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance around. ¹² »They sing to the tambourine and the lyre, and rejoice to the sound of the pipe. ¹³ »They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to the grave.

⁶ »The tents of marauders prosper and those who provoke God are secure in what God’s hand brings them.

¹ »Man born of woman, lives a short life that is full of trouble.

⁵ »The success of the wicked is brief and the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.

²¹ »Agree with God, and be at peace. In this way good will come to you.

⁷ »There the upright would reason with him. I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

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.

²⁴ »If I have made gold my trust, or called fine gold my confidence, ²⁵ if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, or because my hand had gotten much;

¹³ »The godless in heart harbor resentment. Even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.

¹⁷ »Now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked. Judgment and justice have taken hold of you. ¹⁸ »Be careful that no one entices you by riches. Do not let a large bribe turn you aside.

¹⁷ »You whose garments are hot, when the land is still because of the south wind?

⁶ You made him rule what your hands created. You have put everything under his control:

¹⁷ The grave is the destiny of all the wicked, of all those who reject God.

³ The wicked person boasts about his selfish desires. He blesses the covetous, which Jehovah abhors.

⁵ Jehovah tests (examines) righteous and wicked people alike. He hates wicked people and the ones who love violence.

⁸ »What hope doe the godless have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

¹⁶ »Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay, ¹⁷ what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver.

¹¹ »Who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?

⁴¹ »Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

¹⁴ With your power (by your hand) rescue me from mortals, O Jehovah, from mortals who look forward only to this life. You fill their bellies with your treasure. Their children are satisfied with it, and they leave what remains to their children.

⁶ For this reason let all godly people pray to you when you may be found. Then raging floodwater will not reach them.

⁹ Respect Jehovah, you holy people who belong to him. Those who reverence him are never in need.

³ Trust Jehovah and do good things. Live in the land, and practice being faithful.

⁹ For evildoers will be destroyed, but those who wait for Jehovah will inherit the land.

¹⁶ Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.

¹⁹ They will not be ashamed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they will have abundance.

⁹ Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

⁵ Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when slanderers surround me with evil? ⁶ They trust their riches and brag about their abundant wealth. ⁷ No one can ever redeem (buy back) his brother or pay God a ransom for his life. ⁸ The price to be paid for him is so costly it can never be paid ⁹ so they should live forever and never see the grave (pit) (destruction). ¹⁰ One can see that wise people die, that foolish and stupid people meet the same end. They leave their wealth to others. ¹¹ Inwardly they think their houses are forever, their dwelling place to all generations. So they named their lands after themselves. ¹² But mortals will not continue here with what they treasure. They are like animals that die. ¹³ This is the final outcome for fools and their followers who are delighted by what they say:

¹⁷ He will not take anything with him when he dies. Even his greatness cannot follow him. ¹⁸ Even though he blesses himself while he is alive. (People will praise you when you do well for yourself.)

¹⁸ Even though he blesses himself while he is alive. (People will praise you when you do well for yourself.) ¹⁹ He must join the generation of his ancestors who will never see light again.

³ I was envious of arrogant people when I saw the peace and prosperity that wicked people enjoy.

¹² Behold, these are the ungodly. They prosper in the world; they increase in wealth.

¹⁹ How are they destroyed, suddenly! They are utterly consumed with terrors.

²⁵ I have been young, and now I am old, but I have never seen a righteous person abandoned or his descendants begging for food.

⁶ »Every man walks about like a vain illusion. He makes a lot of noise over nothing. He hoards riches and does not know who will receive them.

⁸ »I am pleased to do your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.

¹⁰ »Every living thing in the forest, even the cattle on a thousand hills, is mine. ¹¹ »I know every bird in the mountains. Everything that moves in the fields is mine.

²² »Consider this, you who do not remember God. Otherwise, I will tear you to pieces, and there will be no one to deliver.

⁵ God will destroy you forever. He will remove you from your dwelling place from out of the land of the living. ⁶ The righteous also sees, and fears, and laughs at him. They say: ⁷ Here is the man who did not make God his strength (refuge) (stronghold). He trusted in the abundance of his riches. He strengthened himself in his wickedness.

¹⁰ Do not count on extortion to make you rich. Do not hope to gain anything through robbery. When riches increase, do not depend on them.

³⁰ Before they had satisfied their desire, while their food was in their mouths,

¹⁴ Jehovah will not abandon his people. He will not desert those who belong to him.

¹¹ For Jehovah God is a sun and shield. Jehovah will give favor and honor. He will not withhold blessing from those who walk faithfully in truth.

³⁶ Incline my heart to your laws and not to dishonest gain. ³⁷ Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in your ways.

⁴⁶ I will also speak of your laws before kings and will not be ashamed.

⁵ Who is like Jehovah our God? He is seated on his high throne. ⁶ He bends down (humbles himself) to look at heaven and earth.

¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due time. ¹⁶ You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹ My son, if you serve as surety for your friend and you give your pledge to him, ² You are snared with the words of your mouth. You are captured by the words of your mouth! ³ You are now in the power of that person. Here is what you should do: Go and beg for permission to call off the agreement. ⁴ Do this before you fall asleep. Do not allow your eyes to close. ⁵ Deliver your self like a deer from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler (bird catcher).

⁹ He is the one who gives food to animals and to young ravens when they call out.

⁴ Riches do not profit in the day of wrath. Righteousness delivers from death.

⁸ The ransom of a man's life is his riches. The poor [in spirit] does not listen to rebuke.

²⁶ Respect for Jehovah builds strong confidence. Your children will have a place of refuge.

¹¹ The rich man's wealth is his strong city. It is his high wall of vanity.

⁸ Do not run quickly to court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame. ⁹ Debate your cause with your neighbor direct; and do not reveal the secret of another.

¹⁶ It is better to have a little with respect for Jehovah than great treasure and trouble.

²³ A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken at the right time, how good it is!

¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding instead of silver!

⁴ Do not exhaust yourself to get rich. Be wise and show restraint. ⁵ Will you look for things that do not exist? Riches grow wings and fly away like a bird.

⁵ Will you look for things that do not exist? Riches grow wings and fly away like a bird.

¹ Do not brag about tomorrow for you do not know what a day may bring.

⁸ He who becomes wealthy through unfair loans and interest collects them for the one who pitys the poor.

¹⁶ The ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor. He who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

¹⁷ She fortifies herself with strength and strengthens her arms.

¹⁸ I hated all the work I had done under the sun, because I would leave it behind for the man who comes after me. ¹⁹ Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? But he will have power over all the work that I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This too is vanity. ²⁰ My heart turned to grief over all for which I had labored and all my wisdom under the sun. ²¹ Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand. But one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This also is vanity and a great evil. ²² What does a man get for all his work, and for the desire of his heart with which he has done his work under the sun?

⁶ One hand full of quietness is better than two hands full of trouble and striving after wind. ⁷ Then I came back and saw vanity under the sun. ⁸ There is a man who is by himself, without a companion. He is without son or brother. There is no end to all his work. He never has enough wealth. Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. He never asks: »For whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?« This too is vanity and a terrible problem.

¹⁰ He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth, with gain. This too is vanity. ¹¹ When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to see them? ¹² The sleep of the workingman is pleasant, whether he eats little or much. However the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. ¹³ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun. I have seen riches being hoarded by their owner to his downfall (distress). ¹⁴ When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he fathered a son, then there was no support for him. ¹⁵ We entered this world with nothing and naked and we will leave this world with nothing and naked. ¹⁶ This also is a serious evil. Just as we came we will go. Whatever profit or gain we earned we loose as if we labored for the wind.

¹³ Consider the work of God. Who can make straight what he has made crooked?

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. ¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness. The result of his talk is mischievous madness.

²⁰ Do not curse the king, no not even in thought. Do not curse the rich in your bedchamber for a bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which has wings will tell the matter.

² Give a portion to seven, and even to eight. You do not know what calamity will be upon the earth.

⁹ Rejoice, O young man, in your youth. Let your heart cheer you in your early days. Walk in the ways of your heart, and in the desires of your eyes. Yet you know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.

¹⁴ For God will bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil.

⁷ (To Her Beloved) »Tell me, O you whom I love where you feed your flock and where you make it rest at noon. Why should I be as one who veils herself by the flocks of your companions?« ⁸ (The Beloved) »If you do not know, O you fairest among women, follow the footsteps of the flock. Feed your kids beside the shepherds' tents.

¹ (The Beloved) »I came to my garden, my sister, my spouse. I gathered my myrrh with my spice. I ate my honeycomb with my honey and drank my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; drink, yes, drink abundantly, O beloved.«

⁵ »I rose up to open to my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh. My fingers were sweet from sweet smelling myrrh and they grasped the lock handles. ⁶ »I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone. My heart jumped when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him. I called him, but he did not answer.

¹⁶ »His mouth is very sweet: yes, he is altogether handsome. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.«

⁸ Cursed are those who are joining house to house, and putting field to field, till there is no more living-space for any but themselves in all the land!

¹¹ How horrible it will be for those who get up early in the morning to look for a drink and who sit up late at night until they are drunk from wine.

²⁷ None of them grow tired or stumble. None of them slumber or sleep. The belts on their waists are not loose or their sandal straps broken.

⁵ Righteousness will be the belt around his loins. Faithfulness will be the belt around His waist.

¹³ Instead there was joy and festivity, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating meat and drinking wine. »Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.«

⁴ But with righteousness he will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth (power of his words), and with the spirit (breath) of his lips he will destroy the wicked.

¹⁴ The sinners in Zion are terrified. The godless tremble. Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with long lasting fire?

¹⁶ This man will dwell on the heights. His refuge will be the mountain fortress. His bread will be supplied, and he will have water.

³ »I AM JEHOVAH YOUR GOD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, YOUR SAVIOR. Egypt is the ransom I exchanged for you. Sudan and Seba are the price I paid for you. ⁴ »I honor you because you are precious to me and I love you. I will exchange others for you. Nations will be the price I pay for your life.

⁴ The Lord Jehovah will teach me what to say, so I will know how to encourage tired people. Morning after morning he will wake me to listen like a student.

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. ⁸ »The moth will eat them up like a garment. The worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever! My salvation will last through all generations.« ⁹ Awake, awake! Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of Jehovah. Awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced that monster through? ¹⁰ Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over? ¹¹ Jehovah’s ransomed will return. They will enter Zion with singing! Everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. 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?

⁶ We are all like sheep. We have gone astray! Each of us has turned to his own way. Jehovah has caused the iniquity (sin) of all of us to be laid on him.

⁶ Seek Jehovah while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.

⁶ A voice shouts: »Cry out!« And I said: »What shall I cry?« The voice shouts: »All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart. He gently leads those that have young.

⁸ »However you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham, my friend,

¹⁴ »Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I will help you. This is the declaration of Jehovah, your Redeemer, and the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁰ Israel’s watchmen are blind. They all lack knowledge they are all mute dogs. They cannot bark. They just lie around and dream, they love to sleep. 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. ¹² »Come, each one cries, let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.«

⁷ »Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house? When you see the naked, should you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh?

⁶ »See, it stands written before me. I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps

⁸ »Do not be afraid of people. I am with you. I will rescue you,« says Jehovah.

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.

¹⁹ »I wanted to treat you like children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful property among the nations. I thought you would call me Father and not turn away from me.

²² »Do you not reverence (respect) me?« Asks Jehovah. »Do you not tremble [with awe] in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, a permanent barrier it cannot cross. Although the waves toss continuously, they cannot break through. Although they roar, they cannot cross it.

¹³ »From the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain! From the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely!

⁷ Who would not respect you, O King of the nations? It is your right! There is none like you among all the wise men of the nations.

⁵ »Your sons will marry you like a young man marries a woman. Your God will rejoice over the same way a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

⁴ No one has ever heard and no one has paid attention. No one has perceived any god except you. You help those who wait for you.

¹¹ »A person who gets rich dishonestly is like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay. During his lifetime, he will lose his wealth. In the end, he will be a wicked fool.«

² Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put him in the stocks that were at the upper Benjamin Gate, which was by the house of Jehovah.

⁴¹ »I will enjoy blessing them. With all my heart and all my being I will faithfully plant them in this land.’«

¹⁷ »Your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain. You are shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion.« ¹⁸ Therefore Jehovah tells us about Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: »They will not cry for him: ‘Alas, my brother!’ And, ‘Alas, sister!’ They will not mourn him: ‘Alas for the master!’ And, »Alas for his splendor!«

⁴ »I will also raise up shepherds over them who will tend them. They will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing, proclaims Jehovah.

¹⁴ »I am in your hand (power)! Do with me whatever you think is fair and right. ¹⁵ »But if you put me to death, you and everyone else in Jerusalem will be guilty of murdering an innocent man. This is because everything I spoke came from Jehovah.«

²⁵ Jehovah is good to those who are waiting for him, to the person seeking him. ²⁶ It is good to go on hoping and quietly waiting for the salvation of Jehovah.

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.

²⁷ »Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, ‘The vision that Ezekiel sees will not happen for a long time. What he prophecies will happen in the distant future.’ ²⁸ »Tell them: ‘This is what the Lord Jehovah says:’ »Everything that I say will no longer be delayed. Whatever I say will happen, declares the Lord Jehovah.«’«

²² »Son of man, what is this proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel. You say: ‘The days are long and every vision fails?’

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.

³ »‘»You eat the best parts of the sheep, dress in the wool, and butcher the finest sheep. Yet, you do not take care of the sheep.

³ »‘»You eat the best parts of the sheep, dress in the wool, and butcher the finest sheep. Yet, you do not take care of the sheep. ⁴ »‘»You have not strengthened those that were weak, healed those who were sick, or bandaged those who were injured. You have not brought back those who strayed away or looked for those who were lost. You have ruled them harshly and violently.

⁸ ‘»As I am alive, declares the Lord Jehovah, because there is no shepherd, my sheep have become prey. My sheep have become food for wild animals. My shepherds have not searched for my sheep. They have taken care of only themselves, not my sheep.«’

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king: »O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ »If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the blazing furnace. He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

¹ King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine with them. ² While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar commanded to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the Temple in Jerusalem. This way the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them. ³ Then they brought the gold vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the House of God that was at Jerusalem. The king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them. ⁴ They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, silver, copper, iron, wood, and of stone. ⁵ In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared, and wrote above the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace. The king saw the part of the hand that wrote. ⁶ Then the king's countenance (appearance) changed in him. His thoughts troubled him. The joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one against the other.

²⁵ »This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. ²⁶ »This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and brought it to an end; ²⁷ »TEKEL: you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting. ²⁸ »PERES; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.« ²⁹ Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. ³⁰ In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.

² »Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. ³ »Those who have wisdom (insight) will shine like the brightness of the firmament. They turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

⁸ »She did not know that I gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.

¹ »The people of Israel were like a grapevine that used to produce grapes. The more prosperous they were, the more altars they built. The more productive their land was, the more beautiful they made the sacred stone pillars they worship.

³⁰ »I will show wonders in the sky and on the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. ³¹ »The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible (awesome) Day of Jehovah comes!

³ »You put far away the evil day and cause the place of violence to come near. ⁴ »You lie on beds of ivory, and stretch on couches. You eat the the best lambs out of the flock and the fattest calves out of the stall. ⁵ »You sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David you improvise on musical instruments. ⁶ »You drink wine in bowls, and anoint yourselves with the finest oils. But you are not grieved because of the affliction of Joseph.

²⁴ »Seventy weeks (seventy sets of seven time periods) are decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish transgression and to make an end of sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. 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. ²⁶ »And after the sixty-two weeks the anointed one will be cut off (destroyed) (killed) and shall have nothing. The people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be by the flood of war and desolations.

⁸ »The people of Ephraim say: We are rich. We have made a fortune. With all this wealth, no one will find us guilty of any sin.

² »They covet fields and seize them. They covet houses and confiscate them! They oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.«

⁸ He told you, O lowly man, what is good and what Jehovah requires of you. You should display justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God!

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.

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.

¹⁰ Entangled like thorns and drunken from drink, they are consumed like dry stubble.

¹⁶ He offers sacrifices and burns incense to his fishing net. For it is through this their catch is great and the food is plentiful.

⁹ »He who receives a dishonest profit for his house will have trouble. He may set his nest on high in order to be delivered from the hand of evil!

¹⁷ »Jehovah your God is with you! He is a mighty one. He will exult over you with joy. He will refresh you with his love. He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

⁶ »You sow much and reap little. You eat but you do not have enough! You drink and yet you are not filled. You clothe yourselves but you are not warm. You earns wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.«

⁷ »I will shake all the nations and make them afraid. The treasures of all the nations will be brought here. I will fill this house with glory.

⁷ »So I fed the poor of the flock of slaughter. I took two staffs; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. ⁸ »And I eliminated the three shepherds in one month. I was tired of them, and they also abhorred me (found me repugnant).

¹⁰ So I took my staff, Beauty, and broke it in pieces that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. ¹¹ It was broken in that day. In this way, the poor of the flock listened to me and knew that it was the word of Jehovah.

¹⁴ I broke my other staff in pieces. It was the one I called Bands. That way I broke the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

² Jehovah of Hosts declared: »I will remove the names of the idols from the land! They will no longer be remembered. I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to leave the land. ³ »It will happen when any attempt to prophesy, the father and mother who gave birth to him will say to him: You will not live, for you speak lies in the name of Jehovah. They will stab him through when he prophesies. ⁴ »It will happen! The prophets, each one of them will be ashamed of his vision and his prophesy. They will not wear a hairy mantle to deceive. ⁵ »He will say I am no prophet! I am a tiller of the ground. I have been made a slave from my youth. ⁶ »One will ask him: What are these wounds between your arms? He will answer: Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

¹ »Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes,« said Jehovah of Hosts. ² »Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? He is like a refiner's fire and like laundry soap (the lye of laundrymen). ³ »He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer to Jehovah offerings in righteousness.

¹ Jehovah of Hosts proclaims: »The day is coming when all arrogant and evil people will burn like stubble. On that day they will burn up and there will be nothing left of them, either root or bough. ² »The sun of righteousness with it’s healing will shine on you who respect my name and obey me. You will be free and paw the ground like fat calves.«

¹⁶ »Likewise, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

²² »Now I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother [without cause] shall be guilty before the court. Whoever speaks to his brother with words of contempt shall receive condemnation before the Sanhedrin [Supreme Court]. Curse your brother and you will be guilty enough to be destroyed by fire, with the burning trash, at the Valley of Hinnom, outside of Jerusalem (Greek: Gehenna). ²³ »When making an offering at the altar and you remember your brother has something against you, ²⁴ »leave your gift at the altar and go make peace with your brother. Then return and make your offering. ²⁵ »Come to an agreement quickly with the one who has a legal case against you. Do it before he turns the case over to the judge and you are thrown into jail. ²⁶ »Take it from me; you will stay in jail until you pay the very last penny of your fine.

³⁶ »And do not promise by your head, for you cannot even control the hair on your head.

⁴² »Give to those who ask. Lend to those who borrow.

⁴⁵ »You will then act as true children of your Father in heaven. He gives sunlight to both evil and good people. He sends rain for the just and the unjust.

⁴⁷ »When you are kind only to your friends [and brothers] what makes you different from anyone else? Even people of the nations do that.

¹ »Be careful! Do not display your righteousness (good works) before men to be noticed by them. If you do, you will have no reward with your heavenly Father.

⁸ »Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

¹⁹ »Do not accumulate large amounts of wealth on earth. This is where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal.

¹⁹ »Do not accumulate large amounts of wealth on earth. This is where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal.

¹⁹ »Do not accumulate large amounts of wealth on earth. This is where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ »Accumulate wealth in heaven where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

²⁰ »Accumulate wealth in heaven where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ Your heart will be where you keep your wealth.

²¹ Your heart will be where you keep your wealth.

²⁵ »I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink. And do not worry about your body, what you will wear. Is life worth more than food? And is the body worth more than clothes?

²⁵ »I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink. And do not worry about your body, what you will wear. Is life worth more than food? And is the body worth more than clothes? ²⁶ »Look at the birds of the sky, they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you worth more than they?

²⁶ »Look at the birds of the sky, they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you worth more than they?

²⁶ »Look at the birds of the sky, they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you worth more than they? ²⁷ »Can you live longer by worrying about it?

²⁷ »Can you live longer by worrying about it? ²⁸ »Why are you worried about clothing? Look at how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil. They do not spin.

²⁸ »Why are you worried about clothing? Look at how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil. They do not spin. ²⁹ »I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like these.

²⁹ »I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like these. ³⁰ »If God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, won’t he care for you even more? You of little faith!

³⁰ »If God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, won’t he care for you even more? You of little faith!

³⁰ »If God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, won’t he care for you even more? You of little faith! ³¹ »Do not worry! Do not say: ‘What shall we eat?’ or, ‘What shall we drink?’ or, ‘What shall we wear?’

³¹ »Do not worry! Do not say: ‘What shall we eat?’ or, ‘What shall we drink?’ or, ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² »All people go in search of these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

³² »All people go in search of these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ »Seek (desire) (require) (serve) first the kingdom of God and his righteousness [continuously] and all these things will be added to you.

³³ »Seek (desire) (require) (serve) first the kingdom of God and his righteousness [continuously] and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴ »Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have its own worries. Sufficient for each day is its own badness.

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

²² »Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ »I will say to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of evil.’

²³ »I will say to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of evil.’

²⁶ He said to them: »Why are you afraid, you of little faith?« Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea. Suddenly there was a great calm.

¹⁷ »Beware of men! They will take you to court! They will have you beaten in their meeting places. ¹⁸ »You will be taken before governors and kings for my sake. This will serve as a testimony to them and to the people of the nations. ¹⁹ »When they hand you over, do not worry about what to say and how to say it. You will be given the words to speak at that time. ²⁰ »You will not speak on your own. Your Father’s Spirit will speak through you.

²⁰ »You will not speak on your own. Your Father’s Spirit will speak through you. ²¹ »People will hand over their brothers to be put to death. Parents will oppose children and children will oppose parents, causing them to be put to death. ²² »Men will hate you because of me. He who endures to the end will be saved.

²⁶ »Do not be afraid. Nothing will be hidden. Every secret will be made known. ²⁷ »The things I tell you in darkness, speak in the light. Proclaim everything you hear from on top of the house.

²⁷ »The things I tell you in darkness, speak in the light. Proclaim everything you hear from on top of the house. 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.)

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.) ²⁹ »Do two sparrows sell for a penny? Not one of them will fall on the ground without your Father knowing.

²⁹ »Do two sparrows sell for a penny? Not one of them will fall on the ground without your Father knowing. ³⁰ »Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

³⁰ »Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ »Do not fear! You are more valuable than many sparrows.

³¹ »Do not fear! You are more valuable than many sparrows.

³¹ »Do not fear! You are more valuable than many sparrows. ³² »I will tell my heavenly Father about everyone who confesses me (witnesses to others about me) before men.

³¹ »Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men. But the blasphemy against God’s Spirit will not be forgiven. ³² »Whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.

³⁶ »I tell you there will be an account in the Judgment Day for every careless word that men say.

¹² »He who has shall receive more to the point of abundance. He who does not have, it shall be taken away including that which he has.

⁴¹ »The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all who stumble others and commit lawlessness. ⁴² »The angels will cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

¹⁰ »The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ »I baptize you with water because of your repentance. He that comes after me is mightier than I. He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire. I am not even good enough to carry his sandals. ¹² »His winnowing shovel is in his hand. He will clean his threshing floor and gather his wheat into a barn. He will then burn the husks in a fire that cannot be put out.«

³³ »I will deny, before my heavenly Father, anyone who denies me before men.

³³ »I will deny, before my heavenly Father, anyone who denies me before men. ³⁴ »Do not think I came to bring peace on the earth. I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ »My coming will cause a separation. A man will be against his father and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶ »A man’s enemies will be from his own family.

²² »I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of Judgment than for you. ²³ »Will you, Capernaum, be exalted into heaven? You will go down into the grave. If the mighty works had been done in Sodom, which were done in you, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴ »But I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment, than for you.« ²⁵ Then Jesus prayed: »I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and have revealed them to children. (Acts 2:36)

²⁵ Then Jesus prayed: »I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and have revealed them to children. (Acts 2:36) ²⁶ »Yes, Father, for it was very pleasing in your sight. ²⁷ »All things have been delivered to me from my Father. Only the Father knows the Son, and only the Son knows the Father. The Son tells others about the Father so that they can know him too.

¹² »How much more value is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day!«

⁴⁹ »It will be that way at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous. ⁵⁰ »The wicked will be cast into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

⁵² And he said to them: »Every scribe (journalist) (writer) who has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a householder, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.«

²⁷ At once Jesus said: »It is I; do not be afraid.«

³¹ Suddenly, Jesus put out his hand and took hold of him, and said: »You of little faith, why were you in doubt?«

¹⁰ He got the people together and said to them: »Listen, and let my words be clear to you. ¹¹ »That which comes out of the mouth makes a man unclean, not that which goes into the mouth.« ¹² The disciples told him the Pharisees were upset by what he said. ¹³ In answer he replied: »Every plant my Father in heaven has not planted in the earth will be pulled out by the roots. ¹⁴ »Let them be. They are blind guides. If a blind man guides another blind man, they will fall in a hole together.«

²⁰ He told them: »It was because of your lack of faith: Truly I say to you, if you have faith as small as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, move and it will move. Nothing will be impossible to you.«

¹² »What do you think? A man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone wandering away. Will he leave the ninety-nine and go in search of the wandering one? ¹³ »When he finds it, I tell you he will be filled with more joy than he would have if he had stayed with the ninety-nine. ¹⁴ »Even so, your Father in heaven does not want any of these little ones to be lost.

¹⁴ »Even so, your Father in heaven does not want any of these little ones to be lost.

³⁰ »He would not give him time. He put him into prison till he paid the debt.

³⁴ »His lord was angry and sent him to jail to be punished until he paid back all of his debt.

²¹ Jesus then replied: »If you wish to be complete, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor. You will have wealth in heaven. Then follow me!«

³² »John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. Even the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. When you saw this, you did not regret your sins and did not have faith in him.

¹ Jesus continued to speak to them with illustrations. ² »The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. ³ »He sent out his servants to invite guests to the feast, but they would not come. ⁴ »Again he sent out other servants with orders to say to the guests, ‘I have prepared my feast. Oxen and fat livestock are butchered and everything is ready, so come to the feast.’ ⁵ »But they paid no attention and went about their business. One went to his farm and another went to his trade. ⁶ »The rest violently attacked his servants and put them to death.

⁶ »The rest violently attacked his servants and put them to death. ⁷ »The king was angry, and sent his armies to put the evil servants to death and to destroy their town with fire. ⁸ »He said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but the guests were not worthy. ⁹ »‘Go then, to the main roads, and invite all those whom you see to come to the feast.’ ¹⁰ »They went to the roads and brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike. And the banquet room was filled with guests. ¹¹ »When the king met the guests he found that one of them was not wearing the right kind of clothes for the wedding. ¹² »The king asked why did he not wear proper clothes for the wedding? But the guest had no excuse. ¹³ »The king gave orders for that person to be tied hand and foot and thrown outside into the dark. That is where people will cry and grind their teeth in pain. ¹⁴ »Many are called, but few chosen.«

³⁴ »Look! I am sending you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will torture and kill. Others you will torment and persecute from city to city.

⁷ »Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many places. ⁸ »These things are the beginning of birth pains (Greek: odin': in the throws of pain, such as childbirth). ⁹ »People will cause you tribulation, and kill you. You will be hated by all the nations for my name’s sake. ¹⁰ »Many will stumble and betray and hate one another.

¹⁰ »Many will stumble and betray and hate one another.

³² »Learn from the illustration of the fig tree. When the branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ »Therefore, when you see all these things, you will know he is near, even at the door.

⁴² »Be alert, for you do not know what day the Lord will come.

⁴² »Be alert, for you do not know what day the Lord will come. ⁴³ »Know this, if the master of the house had known what time the thief was coming, he would have watched and his house would not have been vandalized. ⁴⁴ »Be prepared! The Son of man will come at a time when you do not expect it.

⁴⁴ »Be prepared! The Son of man will come at a time when you do not expect it. ⁴⁵ »Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his lord put in charge of his other servants, to give them their food at the proper time?

⁴⁵ »Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his lord put in charge of his other servants, to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ »That servant is blessed when his lord comes and finds him doing his will.

⁴⁶ »That servant is blessed when his lord comes and finds him doing his will. ⁴⁷ »I tell you, he will put him in charge of everything he owns.

⁴⁷ »I tell you, he will put him in charge of everything he owns. ⁴⁸ »But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays,

⁴⁸ »But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays, ⁴⁹ »so I will beat (mistreat) my fellow servants.’ And he eats and drinks with drunkards,

⁴⁹ »so I will beat (mistreat) my fellow servants.’ And he eats and drinks with drunkards, ⁵⁰ »the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect it, an hour when he is unaware.

⁵⁰ »the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect it, an hour when he is unaware. ⁵¹ »He will punish him severely, and send him to be with the hypocrites. There they will cry and grind their teeth.

⁵¹ »He will punish him severely, and send him to be with the hypocrites. There they will cry and grind their teeth.

¹ »The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

¹ »The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ² »Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ »The foolish took no oil with their lamps. ⁴ »The wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

⁴ »The wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ »They all slept, because the bridegroom delayed his arrival.

⁵ »They all slept, because the bridegroom delayed his arrival. ⁶ »There was a shout at midnight. ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come meet him.’

⁶ »There was a shout at midnight. ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come meet him.’

⁶ »There was a shout at midnight. ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come meet him.’ ⁷ »The virgins awoke and trimmed their lamps.

⁷ »The virgins awoke and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ »All the foolish virgins said to the wise: ‘Give us your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

⁸ »All the foolish virgins said to the wise: ‘Give us your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ »But the wise answered: ‘There will not be enough for both of us. Go to the dealers and buy oil for yourself.’

⁹ »But the wise answered: ‘There will not be enough for both of us. Go to the dealers and buy oil for yourself.’ ¹⁰ »While they were away, the bridegroom came. They that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast and the door was shut.

¹⁰ »While they were away, the bridegroom came. They that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast and the door was shut. ¹¹ »Later the other virgins came, saying: ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ ¹² »But he told them: ‘I do not know you.’

¹² »But he told them: ‘I do not know you.’ ¹³ »Watch therefore, for you do not know the day or the hour.

¹³ »Watch therefore, for you do not know the day or the hour. ¹⁴ »It is like a man going to another country. He called his servants and put them in charge of his property. ¹⁵ »To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one. He assigned according to the servants’ ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ »Right away the servant who received the five talents traded with them and made another five talents. ¹⁷ »In like manner, he who received the two gained another two. ¹⁸ »He who received the one dug a hole in the ground and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ »After a long time the lord of those servants came back to settle with them. ²⁰ »The servant who received five talents brought another five talents. He said: ‘Lord, here are your five talents, plus the five I gained.’

²⁰ »The servant who received five talents brought another five talents. He said: ‘Lord, here are your five talents, plus the five I gained.’ ²¹ »His lord said: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, so I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

²¹ »His lord said: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, so I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ²² »The one who received two talents said: ‘Lord you gave me two talents and I gained another two talents.’

²² »The one who received two talents said: ‘Lord you gave me two talents and I gained another two talents.’ ²³ »His lord said: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

²³ »His lord said: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ²⁴ »The servant who received one talent said: ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man. You reap where you did not sow and gather where you did not scatter. ²⁵ »‘I was afraid, so I hid your talent in the earth. See, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ »But his lord answered: ‘You wicked and lazy servant. You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter. ²⁷ »‘You should have put my money in the bank. I should have received my money back plus interest. ²⁸ »‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. ²⁹ »‘More will be given to every one who has and he will have abundance. He who does not have will have every thing taken away.

³¹ »When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.

³¹ »When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² »All nations will be gathered before him. He will then separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ »He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ »The King will say to those on his right hand: ‘Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

³⁴ »The King will say to those on his right hand: ‘Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

⁴¹ »Then he will tell those on his left: ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the ever-burning fire that is prepared for the Devil and his [fallen] angels.

² He said to them, »At nightfall you say the weather will be good, for the sky is red. ³ »And in the morning, the weather will be bad today for the sky is red and angry. You are able to see the face of heaven, but not the signs of the time.

³ »And in the morning, the weather will be bad today for the sky is red and angry. You are able to see the face of heaven, but not the signs of the time. ⁴ »An evil and false generation is searching after a sign. However, no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.« Then he left them.

⁶ Jesus said: »Take care to have nothing to do with the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.« ⁷ They reasoned among themselves, saying: »We took no bread.« ⁸ Hearing this, Jesus said: »You of little faith, why are you reasoning among yourselves about not having bread?

⁸ Hearing this, Jesus said: »You of little faith, why are you reasoning among yourselves about not having bread? ⁹ »Do you still not see or remember the five cakes of bread of the five thousand, and the number of baskets you took up? ¹⁰ »Or the seven cakes of bread of the four thousand, and the number of baskets you took up? ¹¹ »Why do you not understand I was not talking about bread? Instead, about keeping away from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?« ¹² Then they realized it was not the leaven of bread he had in mind. It was the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

¹⁷ Jesus answered: »You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.«

⁸ »When evening came, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager: ‘Let the workers come and pay them from the last to the first.’

¹² »They said: ‘The last ones have done only one hour’s work. You have made them equal to us. We have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.’

¹⁶ »So the last will be first, and the first last.« ¹⁷ When Jesus went to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and talked to them. ¹⁸ »When we get to Jerusalem,« he said, »The Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. They will give orders for him to be put to death. ¹⁹ »They will turn him over to the heathen to be made sport of and to be whipped. He will be put to death on the stake. The third day he will come back from the dead.« ²⁰ The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons. She bowed down and requested a favor of him. ²¹ »What is your desire?« he asked. She said to him: »Let my two sons be seated, the one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.« ²² Jesus told her: »You have no idea what you are requesting. Are you able to take of the cup I am about to take? »

²¹ Jesus answered: »If you have faith and do not doubt, I make this promise to you: You will be able to do what was done to this fig tree. When you say to this mountain, be moved into the sea, it will be done.

⁴⁶ »These will go away into ever-burning fire (everlasting cutting off) (death) (total destruction) (doom) (punishment) (everlasting penalty), but the righteous to everlasting life.’«

²⁸ »I tell you sins will be forgiven of the sons of men, and their evil talk will be forgiven. ²⁹ »But whoever speaks evil and defames Holy Spirit will not be forgiven but is guilty of an eternal sin.« ³⁰ They exclaimed: »He has an unclean spirit!«

²² »There is nothing hidden unless it should be made known. Nothing is made secret that should come to light.

²⁶ The king was very sorry. Even so he kept his promise to her. He did not turn her down. This also showed his dinner guests he was a man of his word.

²² coveting, wickedness, deceit, loose conduct, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.

¹⁵ He ordered them to be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. ¹⁶ They reasoned with one another saying: »We have no bread.« ¹⁷ Hearing this Jesus said: »Why do you reason about having no bread? Do you not understand? Are your hearts dull of understanding? ¹⁸ »Having eyes, do you not see? Having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? ¹⁹ »When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand how many baskets full of broken pieces did you up bring back?« They answered: »Twelve.« ²⁰ And the seven loaves among the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you bring back? And they told him: »Seven.« ²¹ He said: Do you not yet understand?

³⁸ »For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.«

³² Jesus went to Jerusalem. The disciples followed him. They were amazed at what Jesus did. Others followed and were afraid. He met with the twelve to tell them the things that were to happen to him. ³³ »When we go to Jerusalem the Son of man will be turned over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to the people of the nations. ³⁴ »They will mock him, spit on him, and scourge him. Then they will kill him. After three days he will rise again.« ³⁵ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him saying: »Teacher, we want you to do for us what we ask of you.« ³⁶ He asked: »What do you want me to do for you? ³⁷ They said to him: »Allow us to sit next to you in your glory. One could sit on your right hand, and one on your left hand.« ³⁸ »You do not know what you ask,« Jesus replied. »Are you able to drink the cup that I drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?«

⁴² A poor widow came along and dropped in two mites.

⁹ »Be on guard for they will deliver you up to courts. You will be beaten in the meeting places. You will be taken before governors and kings for a testimony to them for my sake. ¹⁰ »And the good news must first be preached to all the nations. ¹¹ »When they deliver you up to judgment, do not worry before hand what you shall speak. Holy Spirit will give it to you at that time.

²³ »Be alert for I have told you all things beforehand.

³³ »Be awake (beware) (be cautious and active), watch (perceive) and pray, for you do not know the time. ³⁴ »It is similar to a man traveling to another country. He leaves his house and gives authority to his servants to do the work. He commands them to watch.

³⁴ »It is similar to a man traveling to another country. He leaves his house and gives authority to his servants to do the work. He commands them to watch. ³⁵ »Watch therefore for you do not know when the lord of the house comes. It could be in the evening, at midnight or in the morning (when the cock crows).

³⁵ »Watch therefore for you do not know when the lord of the house comes. It could be in the evening, at midnight or in the morning (when the cock crows). ³⁶ »He could come suddenly and find you sleeping.

³⁶ »He could come suddenly and find you sleeping. ³⁷ »What I say to you I say to all, be on the watch (be vigilant) (stay awake) (be circumspect) (attentive and ready)!«

³⁷ »What I say to you I say to all, be on the watch (be vigilant) (stay awake) (be circumspect) (attentive and ready)!«

²⁵ There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout. He was waiting for God to save Israel. God’s Holy Spirit was working in him. ²⁶ Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would not die before he saw the Christ of God. ²⁷ Under the power of the spirit he came to the temple. The parents brought in the child Jesus, that they obey the custom of the law. ²⁸ He received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: ²⁹ »Let your servant depart according to your word in peace. ³⁰ »My eyes have seen your salvation.

¹¹ He answered: »He who has two coats let him give to him who has none. He who has food let him do likewise.«

¹ Jesus stood by the Lake of Gennesaret as the crowds pressed in upon him in order to hear the word of God.

¹⁵ The news about him spread far away and large crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities.

³⁷ He returned to find them sleeping. He said to Peter, »Simon why do you sleep? Could you not watch for one hour?

²⁰ Seeing their faith, Jesus said: »Man your sins are forgiven you.«

¹⁷ He came down with them, and stood on a level place. A great crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem came to hear him. Others from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases.

²⁴ »Woe to you who are rich! You have received your reward.

⁴⁵ »The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good. The evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth that which is evil. Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

¹³ When the Lord saw her he had sympathy for her. »Do not cry,« he said.

²⁶ »If any man is ashamed of my teachings, and of me the Son of man will be ashamed of that person. This will happen when he comes in his own glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels.

⁷ »Remain in that house eating and drinking what they give you. The laborer is worthy of his hire. Do not stay in different houses. ⁸ »When they receive you in their city eat what ever they set before you.

¹² »I tell you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. ¹³ »Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! If the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ »It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ »Will you Capernaum be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to the grave.

²¹ In that same hour he rejoiced in Holy Spirit and said: »I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you did hide these things from the wise and the understanding and revealed them to babes. Father, it is pleasing in your sight.

²⁵ A lawyer stood up to test him. He asked: »Teacher what shall I do to inherit everlasting life?«

⁴² »However one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the proper way and it shall not be taken away from her.«

⁴⁰ »You foolish ones. Did he that made the outside also make the inside? ⁴¹ »Give that which is within as charity. Then all things are clean for you.

⁴⁴ »Woe to you! You are as the tombs that do not appear and men walk over them and do not know it.«

⁵³ When he left there the scribes and the Pharisees became hostile with him. They tried to quarrel with him about many things. ⁵⁴ They plotted against him and tried to catch him in something he might say.

⁷ »Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear. You are worth more than many sparrows.

¹⁹ »I will say to my self: ‘You have many possessions saved for many years. Take it easy and eat, drink and be merry.’ ²⁰ »But God said to him: ‘You fool this night you will give up your life. Then who will have all these things you accumulated?’ ²¹ »He who lays up (earthly) treasure for himself is not rich toward God.« ²² He told his disciples: »Therefore I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, what you eat or what you wear on your body.

²⁴ »Consider the ravens for they do not sow or reap. They have no storehouse or barn. Yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds!

²⁷ »Consider the way the lilies grow. They do not toil and neither do they spin. Yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

²⁹ »Do not seek food and drink and do not worry. ³⁰ »For the people of the nations seek after these things. Your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ »Seek first his kingdom and these things will be added to you. ³² »Do not fear little flock for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

³² »Do not fear little flock for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³ »Sell your possessions and give to charity. Make yourselves purses that do not get old, a treasure in heaven where moth and rest cannot corrupt and thieves cannot steal.

⁴⁰ »You be ready! The Son of man will come at a time when you do not think he will.«

⁴³ »That servant will be blessed when his master comes and finds him doing so.

⁴⁹ »I came to strike fire upon the earth and what do I care if it is already kindled?

⁵¹ »Do you think I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, No, instead division. ⁵² »From now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

⁵⁶ »You hypocrites, you know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven but how is it that you do not know how to interpret this time?

¹⁰ »I tell you, it is the same for the angels of God who rejoice over one sinner who repents.«

¹ Jesus told his disciples: »There was a rich man who had a servant who managed his property. The rich man learned that the manager was accused of wasting his master’s money. ² »He said: ‘Is it true what I hear about you? Give me a complete accounting of your management of my property for you may not be my manager any longer.’

² »He said: ‘Is it true what I hear about you? Give me a complete accounting of your management of my property for you may not be my manager any longer.’ ³ »The servant thought: ‘I am fired from my job. What shall I do? I am not strong enough for heavy work and I am ashamed to beg.

³ »The servant thought: ‘I am fired from my job. What shall I do? I am not strong enough for heavy work and I am ashamed to beg. ⁴ »‘I know what I will do when my job is gone. My friends will welcome me in their homes.’ ⁵ »He called all the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one: ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ⁶ »‘One hundred barrels of olive oil,’ he said. ‘Here is your bill,’ he told him; ‘settle for fifty.’ ⁷ »He asked another: ‘How much do you owe?’ ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he answered. ‘Here is your bill. Pay eight hundred bushels.’ ⁸ »The master of the dishonest manager praised him for doing a shrewd thing. People of this world are more astute at handling their affairs than people who belong to the light. ⁹ Jesus continued: »I tell you, make friends for yourselves with worldly wealth. That way when it gives out, you will be welcomed in the eternal home.

⁹ Jesus continued: »I tell you, make friends for yourselves with worldly wealth. That way when it gives out, you will be welcomed in the eternal home. ¹⁰ »Whoever is faithful in little things will be faithful in large ones. Whoever is unrighteous in small things will be unrighteous in large ones.

¹⁰ »Whoever is faithful in little things will be faithful in large ones. Whoever is unrighteous in small things will be unrighteous in large ones. ¹¹ »If you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with true wealth?

¹¹ »If you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with true wealth?

¹¹ »If you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with true wealth? ¹² »If you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what belongs to you?

¹² »If you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what belongs to you? ¹³ »No one can serve two masters. He will hate one and love the other. He will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.« ¹⁴ Hearing this the Pharisees made fun of Jesus, because they loved money.

¹⁴ Hearing this the Pharisees made fun of Jesus, because they loved money. ¹⁵ Jesus said: »You make yourselves look righteous to other people. God knows your hearts. The things considered of great value by people are worth nothing in God’s sight. ¹⁶ »The Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets was in effect until John the Baptist. From that time on the Good News about the Kingdom of God is being taught. ¹⁷ »It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest detail of the Law to be eliminated. ¹⁸ »A man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery. The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. [Jesus continued to tell illustrations.] ¹⁹ »A rich man dressed in the most expensive clothes and lived in great luxury every day.

¹⁹ »A rich man dressed in the most expensive clothes and lived in great luxury every day. ²⁰ »A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, used to be brought to the rich man’s door. ²¹ »He hoped he could eat the bits of food that fell from the rich man’s table. Then the dogs would come and lick his sores. ²² »The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man died and was buried.

²² »The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man died and was buried. ²³ »He was in great torment in the grave (hades). He looked up and saw Abraham, far away, with Lazarus at his side.

²³ »He was in great torment in the grave (hades). He looked up and saw Abraham, far away, with Lazarus at his side. ²⁴ »He called out: Father Abraham! Take pity on me! Please send Lazarus to dip his finger in some water and cool off my tongue. I am in torment in this fire! ²⁵ »Abraham said: Remember, my son, in your lifetime you were given good things, while Lazarus got all the bad things. Now he is enjoying himself while you are in torment. ²⁶ »There is a deep pit lying between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so. And no one can cross over to us from where you are.

²⁶ »There is a deep pit lying between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so. And no one can cross over to us from where you are. ²⁷ »The rich man said: I beg you, father Abraham, send Lazarus to my father’s house. ²⁸ »Have him go warn my five brothers that they will not come to this place of torment. ²⁹ »Abraham said: Your brothers have Moses and the prophets to warn them. They should listen to them. ³⁰ »The rich man responded: It is not enough father Abraham! If someone from the dead went to them they would repent. ³¹ »Abraham said: If they would not listen to Moses and the prophets, they would not listen to someone from the dead.«

⁸ »No you do not. You say to him get my supper ready. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. After that you may have your meal.

⁴ »At first he refused. Then he thought about it and he said to himself, I do not fear God and have little respect for man.

⁶ The Lord continued: »Pay attention to what the unrighteous judge said.«

²² When Jesus heard it he said to him, »You lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.«

¹⁴ »The seeds that fell among the thorns are people who hear the word and go their own way. They are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and do not produce fruit.

¹⁷ »Nothing is hidden that will not be revealed. Nothing is secret that will not be made known and come to light.

²⁵ He asked them, »Were is your faith?« They were afraid and they marveled. They asked: »Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?«

²⁴ »Strive to go in through the narrow door. Many people will try to go in and will not be able. ²⁵ »The master of the house will close the door. You stand outside and knock on the door and say: ‘Open the door for us, sir!’ He will answer: ‘I do not know where you come from!’ ²⁶ »Then you will answer, we ate and drank with you. You taught in our town!

²⁶ »Then you will answer, we ate and drank with you. You taught in our town! ²⁷ »Again he will say: ‘I do not know where you come from. Get away from me, you wicked people!’

²⁷ »Again he will say: ‘I do not know where you come from. Get away from me, you wicked people!’ ²⁸ »You will cry and grind your teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, while you are thrown 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.

¹³ »When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴ »You will be blessed because they are not able to pay you back. God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.«

³¹ »When a king commands ten thousand men to fight another king who comes against him with twenty thousand men, he will sit down first and decide if he is strong enough to defeat the other king. ³² »If he is not strong enough he will send messengers to the other king to ask for terms of peace while he is still far away.«

³ He tried to see who Jesus was. Being a short person he could not see over the crowd.

¹⁵ »He received the kingdom and went back to check on his servants. He wanted to know what they had gained by trading with the money he gave them. ¹⁶ »The first reported: Your pound has made ten pounds more. ¹⁷ »He said: Well done, you good servant. You were faithful in very little. Now you shall have authority over ten cities.

¹⁷ »He said: Well done, you good servant. You were faithful in very little. Now you shall have authority over ten cities. ¹⁸ »The second said: Your pound, Lord, has made five pounds. ¹⁹ »He replied: You should be over five cities.

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, »Teacher, rebuke your disciples.« ⁴⁰ He answered: »I tell you if these remain quiet the stones will cry out!«

⁴² He said: »If you only knew today the things needed to bring peace! But they are hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ »The time is coming when your enemies will surround you and blockade you with a rampart (wall) on all sides. They will close in on you. ⁴⁴ »They will knock you and your children down to the ground. They will not leave one stone upon another. What’s more you do not know when this visit will take place.«

¹² »Even before all these things, they will capture you, and persecute you. You will be delivered to synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. ¹³ »It will give you an opportunity to witness. ¹⁴ »Do not think about what you will say before it happens. ¹⁵ »I will give you ability to talk and words of wisdom, which your adversaries shall not be able to resist or refute.

¹⁸ »Yet not a hair of your head will perish.

³⁰ »When they produce leaves you know that summer is near.

³⁴ »Be awake so your hearts are not weighed down. Do not allow the weight of worldly involvement, drunkenness, and cares of this life be a snare when that day suddenly comes.

³⁴ »Be awake so your hearts are not weighed down. Do not allow the weight of worldly involvement, drunkenness, and cares of this life be a snare when that day suddenly comes. ³⁵ »It will come as a surprise to all who dwell on the face of the earth. ³⁶ »Be on the watch all the time. Pray for the strength to escape all these things in order to stand before the Son of man.«

³⁶ »Be on the watch all the time. Pray for the strength to escape all these things in order to stand before the Son of man.«

²⁹ »I assigned a kingdom to you just as my Father assigned it to me. ³⁰ »Just as you eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

³⁵ Speaking to them he asked: »When I sent you out without purse, and wallet, and shoes, did you lack anything?« They said: »Nothing.«

⁵⁸ After a little while another saw him, and said: »You are one of them.« Peter replied: »Man I am not!«

³⁴ Jesus said: »My food is to do the will of him that sent me. To finish his work!

³⁴ [Jesus said: »Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.«](This verse not found in older manuscripts.) They cast lots and divided his garments among themselves.

¹⁵ Jesus knew that they were about to take him by force and make him king. So he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

²⁷ »Do not work for food that perishes but for food that offers everlasting life. The Son of man will give you this food. The Father, even God, has set his seal upon him.«

⁶ Then Jesus replied: »My time is not yet here but your time is always ready. ⁷ »The world has no reason to hate you. But it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. ⁸ »You go to this feast. I will not go to this feast for my time has not yet come.«

¹⁰ When his brothers left he secretly went to the feast.

²⁴ »Do not judge according to appearance! Judge a righteous judgment.«

⁴¹ Others said: »This is the Christ.« But some asked: »Does the Christ come out of Galilee? ⁴² »Do the Scriptures say that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?« ⁴³ So there arose a division in the crowd because of him.

¹¹ []

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

¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said: »This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath.« Others said: »How could a man that is a sinner perform such signs?« There was division among them.

⁴¹ Jesus replied: »If you were blind you would have no sin. But you say we see so your sin remains.«

¹⁹ The Jews were again divided because of what Jesus said. ²⁰ Many of them said: »He has a demon and is mad. Why listen to him?« ²¹ Others said: »These are not the sayings of one possessed with a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?«

²⁶ »You do not believe because you are not my sheep! ²⁷ »My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. ²⁸ »I give them eternal life. They will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ »My Father has given them to me. He is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ »The Father and I are one (united in purpose).«

³⁹ They tried again to capture him but he escaped from them. ⁴⁰ He traveled beyond the Jordan into the place where John first baptized and stayed there. ⁴¹ Many came to him and they said: »John indeed did not perform a single miracle. Yet everything John said about this man was true.«

⁸ The disciples said: »Rabbi, the Jews were seeking to stone you and you go there?«

¹⁹ The Pharisees spoke among themselves: »You see that you are not accomplishing anything. Look the world has gone after him.«

²⁶ »If you want to serve me follow me! My servant will be where I am and the Father will honor my servant. ²⁷ »I am troubled! What should I say? Father, save me out of this hour? It is for this purpose that I came to this hour! (Hebrews 5:7) ²⁸ »Father, glorify your name.« A voice came from heaven: »I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.«

⁴⁸ »He that rejects me and does not accept my message has one that judges him. The word (divine expression) (God’s Word) that I spoke shall judge him now and in the last day. (Deuteronomy 18:19)

⁴ He got up from the meal and laid aside his garments. He wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ Then he poured water into the basin and washed the disciples’ feet. He wiped them with the towel he was wearing.

¹⁴ »You are my friends if you do the things that I command you. ¹⁵ »I no longer call you servants for the servant does not know what the lord does. I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.

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. I chose you out of the world. The world hates you because you are not of the world. ²⁰ »Remember the word I said to you. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours also. ²¹ »They will do all these things to you for my name’s sake. It is because they do not know the one that sent me. ²² »If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin!

²² »If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin! ²³ »He who hates me hates my Father also. ²⁴ »If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would have no sin. They have seen and hated both my Father and me.

² »They will throw you out of the synagogues. Yes, the hour comes that whoever kills you will think that he offered service to God.

⁹ Jesus answered: »Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks in the day he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰ »But if a man walk in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.«

⁶ He did not say this because he cared for the poor. He was a thief. He had the moneybox and took away what was put in it.

¹⁷ The crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, gave witness. ¹⁸ For this reason also the crowd met him, for they heard that he had performed this miracle.

¹¹ Jesus said to Peter: »Put the sword in the sheath. Shall I drink the cup the Father has given me?«

³⁵ Pilate answered: »Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me! What have you done?« ³⁶ Jesus answered: »My kingdom is not of this world! If my kingdom were of this world my servants would fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. My kingdom is not from this domain.«

³⁶ Jesus answered: »My kingdom is not of this world! If my kingdom were of this world my servants would fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. My kingdom is not from this domain.«

¹¹ Jesus answered him: »You would have no power against me except it was given you from above. Therefore he that delivered me to you has greater sin.«

³⁰ When Jesus received the vinegar, he said, »it is finished.« He bowed his head, and he stopped breathing.

¹⁷ Jesus said: »Do not touch me for I am not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers, and say to them, I ascend to my Father and you’re Father, and my God and your God.« (Revelation 3:12)

¹⁵ When they had eaten Jesus said to Simon Peter: »Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?« He said: »Yes Lord; you know I have affection for you.« Jesus said to him: »Feed my lambs.« ¹⁶ He spoke to him a second time: »Simon, son of John, do you love me?« He replied: »Yes Lord, you know I have affection for you.« Then Jesus said: »Shepherd my sheep.« ¹⁷ The third time Jesus said to him: »Simon, son of John, do you have affection for me?« Peter was grieved. Because he said to him the third time, do you have affection for me? Peter replied: »Lord, you know all things; you know I have affection for you!« Jesus said to him: »Feed my sheep.«

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were stabbed to the heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles: »Men and brothers, what shall we do?«

⁴⁰ He gave a thorough witness with many words and exhorted them, saying: »Save yourselves from this indecent generation.«

⁴⁵ They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all men, as every man had need.

¹³ »The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus. You handed him over to Pilate. When he was determined to let him go you denied him. ¹⁴ »You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and requested a murderer to be released to you.

²⁴ »Yes, all the prophets from Samuel and his successors also announced these days. ²⁵ »You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant that God made with our fathers. He said to Abraham: ‘All the families of the earth will be blessed in your seed.’ ²⁶ »God raised up his servant and sent him to you first. He sent him to bless you and to turn every one of you from your wicked ways.«

⁵ The next morning their rulers, elders, scribes, ⁶ Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. ⁷ They stood them in their presence and asked: »By what power or by what name do you do this?« ⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said: »You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

¹³ They observed the confidence of Peter and John. Yet they thought they were uneducated (not formally educated) and ordinary men. They were amazed and recognized them as having been with Jesus.

³⁴ There was no needy person among them for as many as possessed land or houses sold them, and brought the money from the things that were sold. ³⁵ They gave it to the apostles. Distribution was made to every man according as he had need.

¹⁹ »He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our fathers so that they cast out their young children and they did not survive. ²⁰ »Moses was born then. He was divinely beautiful. He was nursed three months in his father’s house. ²¹ »And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and nourished him as her own son. ²² »Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. ²³ »When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers the children of Israel. ²⁴ »Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged the oppressed one by killing the Egyptian. ²⁵ »He supposed his brothers would understand how God by his hand would deliver them but they did not understand. ²⁶ »The next day he appeared to them while they were fighting. He wanted to unite them and said, ‘You are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’ ²⁷ »The one who was treating his neighbor unjustly pushed him away, saying: ‘Who made you our ruler and judge? ²⁸ ‘»Will you kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’ ²⁹ »When he heard this talk Moses fled and became a stranger in the land of Median, where he became father to two sons. ³⁰ »At the end of forty years, Jehovah’s angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai in a flame of fire in a bush. (Exodus 3:3) ³¹ When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. He drew near to look at it and the voice of Jehovah came to him. ³² »He said: I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled and did not dare to look further. ³³ »Jehovah said: Take the sandals from your feet for the place where you stand is holy ground. (Exodus 3:5) ³⁴ »I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come to deliver them. Come, I will send you into Egypt. ³⁵ »This Moses whom they refused, saying: Who made you ruler and judge? God sent him to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ »He brought them out. He showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. ³⁷ »This is the Moses that said to the children of Israel, your God will raise up a prophet like me from your brothers. ³⁸ »This one was with our father in the congregation in the wilderness. The angel spoke to him on Mount Sinai. He received the living oracles to give to us. ³⁹ »Our fathers would not obey him. They sent him away, and in their hearts turned back again to Egypt. ⁴⁰ »They said to Aaron: Make us gods to go in front of us. We do not know what happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. ⁴¹ »They made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. ⁴² »God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven. It is written in the book of the prophets: O you house of Israel, have you offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? ⁴³ »Yes, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan. You made figures to worship them. I will carry you away beyond Babylon. ⁴⁴ »Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking to Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. ⁴⁵ »Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Joshua into the possession of the nations, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, until the days of David; ⁴⁶ »Who found favor before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷ »But Solomon built him a house. ⁴⁸ The most High does not dwell in houses made with hands as the prophet says, ⁴⁹ »Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. What house will you build me? Said Jehovah God. What is the place of my rest? (Isaiah 66:1) ⁵⁰ »Did my hand make all these things? ⁵¹ »You obstinate men who are uncircumcised in heart and ears. You always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did. ⁵² »Which of the prophets have your fathers not persecuted? They killed those who announced in advance the coming of the righteous one whom you have betrayed and murdered. ⁵³ »You have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not obeyed it.«

⁵⁵ Being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

¹⁸ When Simon saw the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. ¹⁹ Simon said: »Give me this power that on whomever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.«

²⁷ They brought them before the council and the high priest asked them: ²⁸ »Did we command you not to teach in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and are willing to bring this man’s blood upon us.« ²⁹ Peter and the other apostles answered: »We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰ »The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed. You hanged him on a stake. ³¹ »God exalted him to his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. ³² »We are witnesses of these things. The Holy Spirit, which God gave to those who obey him, also witnessed.«

⁹ Certain men arose from the synagogue. It was called the synagogue of the Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians. Some of them were from Cilicia and Asia. They argued with Stephen. ¹⁰ They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.

¹⁰ They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. ¹¹ They secretly induced me to say: »We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.« ¹² They stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and pursued him. They caught him and brought him to the council. ¹³ They brought false witnesses, which said: »This man will not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. ¹⁴ »We heard him say: ‘This Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.’« ¹⁵ All who sat in the council looked intently at him and saw his face was like the face of an angel.

² He said: »Men, brothers and fathers, listen; The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. ³ »He said to him: ‘Get out of your country and away from your relatives. Go to the land that I will show you. ⁴ »He went out of the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. After his father died, God moved him to this land, where you now dwell. ⁵ »He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. Yet he promised that he would give it to him and his seed after him for a possession. This promise was made before he had a child. ⁶ »God spoke to this effect, that his seed would be alien residents in a strange land. They would enslave them, and mistreat them for four hundred years. ⁷ ‘»I will judge the nation to whom they shall be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after they will come serve me in this place.’ ⁸ »He gave him the covenant of circumcision. Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became father to Jacob and Jacob fathered the twelve family heads. ⁹ »The family heads were jealous of Joseph and sold him as a slave into Egypt. However, God was with him. ¹⁰ »And God delivered him out of all his afflictions. He gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Pharaoh made him governor over Egypt and his entire house. ¹¹ »A famine and great suffering came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan. Our fathers found no food. ¹² »When Jacob heard there was food in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit. ¹³ »The second time Joseph got acquainted with his brothers and Pharaoh was told about Joseph’s family. ¹⁴ »Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his family, seventy-five people. ¹⁵ »Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers. ¹⁶ »Their bodies were brought to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem. ¹⁷ »When the time of God’s promise to Abraham drew near, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt. ¹⁸ »Another king arose. He did not know Joseph.

⁴³ When the congregation dismissed, many followed Paul and Barnabas. They urged them to continue in the grace of God. ⁴⁴ Nearly the entire city gathered the next Sabbath day to hear the word of God. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds they were filled with envy. They spoke against those things Paul spoke. They contradicted and blasphemed him. ⁴⁶ Paul and Barnabas became very bold, and said: »It was necessary that the Word of God should first be spoken to you. But seeing you reject it you judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life! Therefore we turn to the people of the nations.

¹ Paul and Barnabas entered the synagogue of the Jews at Iconium. There they spoke to a great crowd of Jews and Greeks who became believers. ² The unbelieving Jews stirred up the people of the nations and poisoned their minds against the brothers. ³ The apostles stayed there for a long time. They spoke boldly by the authority of God who proved that their message about his grace was true by giving them the power to perform miracles and wonders. ⁴ The people of the city were divided. Some were for the Jews and others for the apostles.

¹⁷ »He has not left himself without witness. For he did good and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.«

³⁰ He brought them out and asked: »Sirs, what must I do to be saved?«

³⁰ »God overlooked the times of ignorance; but now he commands men everywhere to repent.

²² »I am compelled by the spirit to go to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there.

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.

²⁸ »Be on guard for yourselves and the flock that the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Feed the Congregation of God that he purchased with the blood of his own [Son].

²⁰ Those who heard it glorified God. They said to him: »You see brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews who have believed. They are all zealous for the law.

¹ Agrippa said to Paul, »You are permitted to speak for yourself.« Then Paul stretched out his arm and began his defense, ² »I would be happy, King Agrippa, to answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which the Jews accuse me. ³ »I know you are an expert in all customs and controversy among the Jews. Therefore I urge you to hear me patiently. ⁴ »All the Jews know the way I first lived as a youth among my own nation at Jerusalem. ⁵ »They knew me from the beginning. They could testify that I was from the strictest sect of our religion and I lived as a Pharisee. ⁶ »Now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. ⁷ »Our twelve tribes served God day and night with the promise and hope of what was to come. It is because of this hope that the Jews accuse me, King Agrippa. ⁸ »Why should it be an incredible thought to you that God should raise the dead? ⁹ »I was convinced that I should oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ »That I did in Jerusalem. I locked up many of the holy ones in prison. I received authority from the chief priests and gave the command to put them to death. ¹¹ »I punished them in every synagogue and tried to force them to recant their beliefs. I was exceedingly mad against them. I persecuted them even in strange cities. ¹² »I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests. ¹³ »At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven. It was brighter than the sun and shinned all around me. It also shinned around those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴ »We all fell to the ground. I heard a voice speaking to me. It said in the Hebrew tongue: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ (You only hurt yourself.) ¹⁵ »I said: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he answered: ‘I am Jesus whom you persecute. ¹⁶ »Stand up on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things that you have seen, and of those things I will show to you. ¹⁷ »I will rescue you from the people and the nations. I am sending you to them. ¹⁸ »To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. They may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ ¹⁹ »You see, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. ²⁰ »I preached first to Damascus, and to Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the people of the nations, that they should repent and turn to God, and prove their repentance by deeds. ²¹ »For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. ²² »Having obtained help from God, I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those that the prophets and Moses said should come. ²³ »That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first to rise from the dead, and should show light to the people, and to the nations.« ²⁴ While he was defending himself, Festus said with a loud voice: »Paul, you are beside yourself. Much learning has made you mad.« ²⁵ But he answered back: »I am not mad, most noble Festus. I speak the words of truth and soberness! ²⁶ »For the king knows about these things. I speak freely to him for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For this was not done in a corner. ²⁷ »King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.« ²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul: »In a short time you would persuade (convince) me to become a Christian.« ²⁹ Paul replied, »I pray to God, that you and also all that hear me this day were altogether such as I am, except for these bonds.« ³⁰ When he finished speaking, the king rose up and the governor and Bernice and all who sat with them. ³¹ As they left they talked between themselves, saying, »This man does nothing worthy of death or of prison.« ³² Then Agrippa said to Festus, »This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.«

²⁶ »Men and brothers, children of Abraham, and you of the nations who respect God, the message of salvation is sent to you. ²⁷ »The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not know Jesus. They fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath when they condemned Jesus. ²⁸ »They found no grounds for the death sentence for him. Yet they asked Pilate to put him to death. ²⁹ »When they had fulfilled all that was written about him, they took him down from the stake, and laid him in a tomb. ³⁰ »But God raised him from the dead: ³¹ »Those who came with him from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him. They are his witnesses to the people. ³² »We tell you good news. It is God’s promise to the fathers. ³³ »God has fulfilled this promise to their children by resurrecting Jesus. Just as it is written in the second psalm: You are my Son, today I have become your father. (Psalms 2:7) ³⁴ »He raised him up from the dead, never to decay. It is stated in these words: I will give you the sure blessings promised David. (Isaiah 55:3) ³⁵ »He said in another psalm: You will not allow your Holy One to see decay. (Ps 16:10) ³⁶ »After David served his own generation by doing the will of God he died and was buried with his fathers. His body decayed. ³⁷ »But he (Jesus), whom God raised again, saw no decay. ³⁸ »You should know, men and brothers that it is through this man Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

¹⁸ The violent storm continued. The next day they began to throw some of the ship’s cargo overboard. ¹⁹ The following day they threw part of the ship’s equipment overboard.

³⁴ »I encourage you to take some food for this is for your safety. Not a hair will perish from the head of any of you.«

³⁸ When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.

²⁴ Some of them were convinced by his words, but others did not believe.

¹ You who judge have no excuse. For when you judge another you condemn yourself. After all you do the same things.

³ What do you reason O man? When you judge these things, and you also do them, do you think that you will escape the judgment of God?

⁵ Thanks to your stubborn and unrepentant heart, you store up wrath for yourself, in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

¹² For all who have sinned without law will perish without law. All who have sinned under law will be judged under law. ¹³ The hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be righteous. ¹⁴ When those of the nations, who have no law, practice by nature the things of the law they are a law to themselves even though they do not have any law. ¹⁵ They show the work of the law written in their hearts. Their conscience also bears witness, and their thoughts accuse or excuse them. ¹⁶ This is in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my good news, by Jesus Christ.

¹⁶ This is in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my good news, by Jesus Christ.

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift from God is everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

²⁸ We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ Those he first recognized, he ordained in advance that they be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ He ordained in advance the ones he called. He declared righteous the ones he called. He also glorified those he declared righteous. ³¹ What shall we then say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

³¹ What shall we then say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He that did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, will he not with him freely give us all things?

²⁰ Yes, but you, O man, who are you to answer back to God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: »Why have you made me this way?« (Isaiah 45:9)

⁹ If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and have active faith in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes for righteousness. And with the mouth one declares for salvation.

¹³ Contribute to the needs of the holy ones and practice hospitality.

¹⁸ They do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the unaware.

⁹ It is written: »Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, and it has not entered into the heart of man, the things God prepared for those who love him.« (Isaiah 64:4)

¹¹ You know the time. It is the hour for you to awake from sleep. Now our salvation is nearer than when we became believers.

¹⁴ Put on (live like) (clothe yourself with) the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not make provision for the desires of the flesh.

¹ People should regard us as servants of Christ. God has trusted us with his secrets. ² It is required of stewards that a man is trustworthy.

⁵ Do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make apparent the counsels of the hearts. Then each man’s praise will come from God.

⁷ Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new batch of dough. For even Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us. ⁸ Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

¹⁰ Yet you cannot completely avoid the fornicators of this world, nor the greedy persons, nor cheaters and robbers, nor those who worship idols. To do so you would have to leave this world. ¹¹ I wrote you not to keep company with any man who is called a brother who is a fornicator, or who is greedy, or who worships idols, or constantly gets drunk, or cheats people. Do not even eat with such a person.

¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous (greedy), nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, will inherit the kingdom of God.

³² I want you to be free from anxiety. He who is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord.

¹⁴ Does not even nature itself teach you, that, if men have long hair, it is a shame?

³ First of all, I delivered to you what I also received, how Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

¹⁵ For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God. We are an aroma for those who are saved and those who perish. ¹⁶ To the one an aroma of death leading to death and to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

¹⁰ We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether it is good or bad.

² For he said: At an acceptable time I listened to you. In a day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!

¹⁰ Also as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

² Out of severe affliction they have an abundance of joy and their deep poverty abounds in the riches of their generosity.

¹⁷ For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward. But if I do it against my will, I am just performing the trust of the good news committed to me. ¹⁸ What is my reward then? When I preach the good news, I may offer the good news of Christ without charge. That is way I do not abuse my power in the good news.

³² If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage was it to me if the dead do not rise? Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.

⁶ He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. ⁷ Let each man do according as he has purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ God is able to make all grace abound toward you. You have plenty of everything you need and should abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written: He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor. His righteousness abides forever. ¹⁰ The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be made rich in everything. And you can be generous on every occasion. This will cause thanksgiving to God through us. ¹² This service not only takes care of the needs of the holy ones, but also abounds with many expressions of thanksgiving to God. ¹³ The proof of this ministry is that they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the good news of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men. ¹⁴ They pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

²⁰ You suffer, if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes advantage of you, if a man exalts himself, if a man strikes you on the face.

⁴ When the full time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

⁵ He predetermined (ordained) us to adoption, as sons to himself through Jesus Christ, according to the kind intention of his will. ⁶ This is to the praise of the glory of his kindness, with which he freely honored us, the loved ones. ⁷ In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. ⁸ He made this undeserved kindness abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence (insight). ⁹ He made known to us the secret of his will, according to his good pleasure and purpose.

¹⁷ This I say therefore, and testify (affirm) in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the nations also walk, in the vanity (futility) (depravity) of their mind (thinking).

³ Fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among holy ones. ⁴ Nor should there be filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ For you know this with certainty, that no fornicator, no unclean person, no covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

¹⁸ Many live as enemies of the stake of Christ. I often wept as I told you about them. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction. Their god is their belly. Their glory is in their shame. They set their mind on earthly things.

¹⁹ Their end is destruction. Their god is their belly. Their glory is in their shame. They set their mind on earthly things. ²⁰ However, our citizenship is in heaven. We also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

¹⁴ Stand firm therefore and gird your loins with truth. Put on the breastplate of righteousness.

²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

²³ I am hard pressed between the two. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ for it is far better.

²⁸ Do not be frightened by opponents. This is evidence of destruction for them and salvation for you from God.

¹³ It is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

¹⁵ That way you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. You are seen as lights in the world.

¹ If you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Think about the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. ³ For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

⁵ Make your members that are upon the earth dead with regard to fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (greed), which is idolatry.

⁵ not in the lust of sexual desire like the nations who do not know God. ⁶ Let no man defraud his brother in any matter. Jehovah is the avenger of this. We also have warned you and testified.

² For you know perfectly that the »Day of Jehovah« will come like a thief in the night. (Zephaniah 1:14) ³ When they say, »Peace and security!« then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They will not escape.

³ When they say, »Peace and security!« then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They will not escape. ⁴ You do not live in the dark. That day should not overtake you by surprise as a thief would. ⁵ You are all the children (sons) of light, and the children of the day. We are not of the night, not of darkness. ⁶ Therefore, let us not sleep like others do. But let us watch and be sober. ⁷ They that sleep do so in the night. They that get drunk are drunk in the night.

³ Our friends, we should thank God at all times for you. It is right for us to do so, because your faith is growing so much and the love each of you has for the other abounds toward each other.

⁵ All of this proves that God’s judgment is just, and as a result, you will become worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering.

¹¹ We pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and every work of faith with power.

⁸ Bodily exercise is profitable for a little. However, godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of the life that is to come.

⁶ But she that gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives.

¹⁷ Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

⁵ frictions between men corrupted in mind and lacking in truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain. ⁶ Godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ We brought nothing into the world and we can carry nothing out.

⁷ We brought nothing into the world and we can carry nothing out. ⁸ We should be content with having food and covering. ⁹ Those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts. These draw men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some by longing for it have been led away from the faith. They have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present system not to be high-minded (arrogant), not to have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present system not to be high-minded (arrogant), not to have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. ¹⁸ They should do good works and be rich in good works, that they are ready to distribute, willing to communicate. ¹⁹ They store up for them a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life that is life indeed. ²⁰ O Timothy, guard that which is committed to you. Turn away from the empty speeches that violate what is holy and from opposition and from false »knowledge.«

¹² If we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we deny him, He will deny us!

² For men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous (lovers of money), arrogant, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful (ungrateful), unholy,

⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

² preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching.

⁷ I have fought the good fight! I have finished the course! I have kept the faith! ⁸ The crown of righteousness is laid up for me. The Lord, the righteous judge, will give it to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing (manifestation).

⁵ Indeed Moses was faithful in His house, as a ministering servant, for a testimony of the things to be spoken afterwards.

⁷ The Holy Spirit says: »Today if you will hear his voice, ⁸ »do not harden your hearts and be stubborn like those who tested me in the day of temptation in the wilderness. ⁹ »Your forefathers examined (inspected) (scrutinized) me by proving (testing) me. And they saw my works for forty years. ¹⁰ »I was disgusted (angry) with this generation, and said: ‘They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.’ ¹¹ »So I swore in my anger: ‘They will not enter into my rest.’« ¹² Be careful, brothers and sisters, that none of you develop a wicked heart lacking faith and turning away (departing) from the living God. ¹³ Encourage yourselves each day, as long as it is called »Today,« that none of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

¹¹ Sound teaching (doctrine) is according to the good news of the glory of the blessed (happy) God. This was committed to my trust.

¹³ I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and a violent aggressor. I was shown mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

¹⁵ though if I am delayed, so that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the household of God, which is the congregation of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

³ In his own time he made his word known through the message that was entrusted to me according to the commandment of God our Savior.

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.

⁴ Those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ if they shall fall away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance. This is because they personally impale the Son of God again, and expose him to public shame. ⁷ The earth that drinks in the rain that comes upon it, and brings forth vegetation for those by whom it was cultivated, receives blessing from God. ⁸ That which bears thorns and briars is rejected, and is near to being cursed. It ends up being burned.

²⁶ If we continue to (practice) (deliberately persist in) sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins. ²⁷ But there remains a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fiery indignation, which will devour God’s enemies. ²⁸ He that despised Moses’ Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. ²⁹ What about those who despise the Son of God? Those who treat as a cheap thing the blood of God’s covenant that purified them from sin? Those who insult the Spirit of grace? Think how much worse the punishment they deserve will be! ³⁰ We know who said: »Vengeance is mine; I will repay«; and who also said, »Jehovah will judge his people.« (Deuteronomy 32:35) ³¹ It is a dreadful (terrible) thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³¹ It is a dreadful (terrible) thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

²⁸ Let us be thankful, because we will receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be grateful and worship (serve) (intensely adore) God in a way that will please him, with reverence and awe.

⁵ You should be free from the love of money. Be content with what you have, for he has said: »I will not leave you. I will not forsake you.«

⁷ Remember those who are taking the lead among you, men that spoke the Word of God to you. Consider their behavior and imitate their faith.

¹⁷ Obey those who lead you. Submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your lives and must account for this. Obey them that their work may be a joy and not a burden; that would be without gain for you.

¹⁰ But the rich must be glad when God humbles them. This is because they will wither like wildflowers and pass away. ¹¹ The sun rises with scorching heat and withers the grass. The flower falls off and its beauty perishes. So also the rich man will fade away in his pursuits.

¹⁴ You do not know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a vapor (puff of air) that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

¹⁴ You do not know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a vapor (puff of air) that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. ¹⁵ You should say, »If God wills, we should both live, and do this or that.«

¹⁵ You should say, »If God wills, we should both live, and do this or that.«

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

¹ Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. ² Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and your silver are rusted. Their corrosion will be for a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up your treasure in the last days.

⁵ You lived in luxury on the earth, and take your pleasure; you nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter.

⁷ Be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and late rains. ⁸ You also be patient. Make your hearts firm, for the coming of the Lord is near.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy he gave us a new birth to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. ⁴ You are born to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that does not fade away and is reserved in heaven for you. ⁵ You are protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

¹³ Brace up your minds. Remain sober, and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

²⁴ All people are like grass. All their glory is like the blossom of a flower. The grass withers and the flower drops off.

¹ Put away all badness and all deception, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil talk.

¹¹ For in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly (abundantly) supplied to you.

¹³ I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by reminding you. ¹⁴ I know that putting off my earthly dwelling is imminent, even as our Lord Jesus Christ indicated to me. ¹⁵ I will be diligent so that every time after my departure you will remember these things.

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.

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. ⁴ God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to captivity in pits of darkness reserved for judgment!

⁴ God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to captivity in pits of darkness reserved for judgment!

¹³ They suffer wrong as their reward for wrongdoing. They are men that count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions while they feast with you. ¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin! They entice unsteady persons. Their hearts are full of covetousness. They are children of cursing.

¹⁹ They promise them freedom, while they are bondservants of corruption. A man is brought into bondage by one and enslaved by another.

¹⁰ The day of Jehovah will come as a thief. The heavens will pass away with a great noise. The elements shall be dissolved with intense heat. And the earth and the works in it will be burned up (destroyed). (Joel 2:31) (Zephaniah 1:14)

¹² Look for and earnestly desire the coming presence of the »Day of Jehovah.« (Zephaniah 1:14) The heavens being on fire will be dissolved (destroyed), and the elements will melt with intense heat! ¹³ We look for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. This is according to his promise. ¹⁴ Seeing that you anticipate these things, be diligent that you may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.

¹⁴ Seeing that you anticipate these things, be diligent that you may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.

⁵ Listen, my dearly beloved brothers! Did God choose poor people in the world to be rich in faith and to receive the kingdom he promised to those who love him?

²³ The scripture was fulfilled which says: »Abraham believed Jehovah and it was reckoned (imputed) (considered) (credited) to him for righteousness.« He was called »Jehovah’s friend« (Genesis 15:6) ( Isaiah 41:8).

¹ Many of you should not be teachers, my brothers. You know that we will receive a heavier (stricter) judgment.

¹⁵ This wisdom is not a wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable (yielding), full of mercy and good fruits, without discord (partiality), without hypocrisy.

¹³ Come now, you that say, »Today or tomorrow we will go to this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and make profit.«

¹⁴ Even if you suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. Do not fear! Do not be troubled (distressed) (intimidated)!

¹⁹ He preached to the people in prison.

² From now on you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires (lusts). ³ You have spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. Your lives were spent in indecency, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and the disgusting worship of idols (false gods).

³ You have spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. Your lives were spent in indecency, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and the disgusting worship of idols (false gods). ⁴ They think it strange that you do not run with them in wild and reckless living and they speak evil about you.

⁷ The end of all things is near. Be of sound mind and judgment. Also be sober for the purpose of prayer.

¹⁰ According to the gift you have received, minister among yourselves, as good stewards of the increased grace (divine influence) (love) of God.

¹ I exhort the elders among you. I too am an older man and a witness of the sufferings of Christ. I am also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed. 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. ³ Do not lord it over your charge, but make yourselves examples to the flock. ⁴ When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

⁷ Throw all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you. ⁸ Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour (consume).

²³ Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.

²⁸ Now, my little children dwell (Greek: meno: stay, dwell, be present) with him. If he shall be made known we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming (presence) (being near).

¹⁶ By this we know love, because he (Jesus) gave his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

¹⁴ Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these, saying: »Behold, Jehovah came with many thousands of his holy ones. ¹⁵ »They execute judgment upon all. They convict all the ungodly of all their wicked behavior, deeds that they have committed in an irreverent way, and of all the hard things those detestable sinners have spoken against him.«

²⁰ You, beloved, build yourself up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. ²¹ Stay in the love of God! Look (wait) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for everlasting life.

²⁴ Now to him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish with exceeding joy. ²⁵ To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time, now, and for evermore, amen.

⁶ He made us to be a kingdom of kings and priests to his God and Father. To him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

⁹ »'I know your troubles. I know that you are poor, but you are rich! I know the evil things said against you by those who claim to be Jews but are not. Their synagogue belongs to Satan! ¹⁰ »'Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil (false accuser) (Devil) is about to throw you into prison, that you may be tested. You will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful even if you must die, and I will give you the crown of life.

¹³ »'I know where you live and where the throne of Satan is. You cling to my name and have not denied my faith, even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness. He was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

³ »'Remember what you received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If you do not stay awake, I will come to you like a thief. You will not know the hour when I will come to you. ⁴ »'You have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled (defiled) their garments. They will walk with me in white: for they are worthy. ⁵ »'He who overcomes will be clothed in white garments. I will not blot out his name from the book of life. In fact I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

⁸ »'I know your works (deeds) (acts). Pay attention, I set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name.

¹⁸ »'I counsel you to buy gold from me, gold purified by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed. In this way the shame of your nakedness will not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see.

²⁰ »'Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and dine with him, and he with me. ²¹ »'To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.

⁷ It was granted to him to wage war with the holy ones, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all tribes, and tongues, and nations. ⁸ All the citizens of earth will worship him, all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life who was slain from the foundation of the world. ⁹ If any man can listen, let him hear. ¹⁰ He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity. He who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. This requires the patience and the faith of the holy ones.

¹⁵ He had power to give breath to the image of the beast and to make that image of the beast speak. He caused many to be killed, those who would not worship the image of the beast. ¹⁶ And he forces all persons, the great and the small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. ¹⁷ No one could buy or sell without the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of its name.

³ They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders. No man can learn that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who were redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are they who were not defiled with women. They are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed (bought) from among mankind. They are the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

⁷ He spoke in a loud voice: »Respect God, and give him glory! The hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.«

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say: »Write: Blessed are the dead who die in union with the Lord from this time forward: Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works follow them.«

⁴ »Who will not reverence you, Jehovah, and glorify your name, for only you are holy. All nations will come and worship you. Your righteous judgments are clearly apparent.«

⁶ »They have shed the blood of the holy ones and prophets. You give them blood to drink for they deserve it.«

¹⁵ »Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his outer garment, that he does not walk naked and they see his shame.«

⁵ A name was written on her forehead, a mystery, »Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth.« ⁶ I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the holy ones, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her I wondered greatly.

⁷ »To the extent she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to that extent give her much torment and sorrow. She says in her heart: 'I sit a queen, and am no widow, and I shall see no sorrow.'

⁷ »To the extent she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to that extent give her much torment and sorrow. She says in her heart: 'I sit a queen, and am no widow, and I shall see no sorrow.' ⁸ »Therefore her plagues (literal and figurative) will overtake her in one day, death and mourning and famine; and she will be utterly burned with fire, for mighty is Jehovah God who judges her. (Jeremiah 50:34; 51:58)

²⁴ »The blood of prophets, and of holy ones, and of all who were slain upon the earth was found in her.«

⁷ »Let us be glad, rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife made herself ready.

⁷ When the thousand years end, Satan will be let loose out of his prison.

¹¹ I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it. From before him the earth and heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. ¹² I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. The books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged according to the things written in the books, according to their works.

¹⁴ Death and the grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

⁵ There will be no night there. They need no lamp, neither light of the sun, for Jehovah God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

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.

⁹ I wrote something to the congregation. But Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, did not receive us. ¹⁰ If I come, I will remind you of what he does. He unjustly accuses us with wicked words and is never satisfied. He does not allow the brothers to greet one another and he throws them out of the congregation.

¹² These men are hidden rocks in your love feasts when they feast (entertain) with you. They are shepherds that without fear feed themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by winds. They are autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. ¹³ They are wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame. They are wandering stars, for which the black darkness has been reserved forever.

¹⁷ »The Lamb who is in the middle of the throne will feed them and lead them to living fountains of water. God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.«