Thematic Bible: Wicked people


Thematic Bible



For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.”




But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!


A Psalm of David.
Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.

“The tents of the destroyers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure,
Whom God brings into their power.

Sounds of terror are in his ears;
While at peace the destroyer comes upon him.

That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless momentary?

Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

I have seen a wicked, violent man Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil. Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.


Why do You make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted.

"I have seen the foolish taking root, And I cursed his abode immediately. "His sons are far from safety, They are even oppressed in the gate, And there is no deliverer. "His harvest the hungry devour And take it to a place of thorns, And the schemer is eager for their wealth.

“He wanders about for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows that a day of darkness is at hand.

“For he has covered his face with his fat
And made his thighs heavy with flesh.

“He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure;
And his grain will not bend down to the ground.

“In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped;
The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

"Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful? "Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes, Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them. read more.
"His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not abort. "They send forth their little ones like the flock, And their children skip about. "They sing to the timbrel and harp And rejoice at the sound of the flute. "They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol.

For he sees that even wise men die; The stupid and the senseless alike perish And leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have called their lands after their own names. But man in his pomp will not endure; He is like the beasts that perish. read more.
This is the way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who approve their words. Selah. As sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no habitation. But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah.

For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind. read more.
Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them. They say, "How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?" Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning. If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form. When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.

A senseless man has no knowledge, Nor does a stupid man understand this: That when the wicked sprouted up like grass And all who did iniquity flourished, It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.

Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease? You have planted them, they have also taken root; They grow, they have even produced fruit You are near to their lips But far from their mind.

Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they? Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, Like creeping things without a ruler over them? The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, Drag them away with their net, And gather them together in their fishing net. Therefore they rejoice and are glad. read more.
Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net And burn incense to their fishing net; Because through these things their catch is large, And their food is plentiful. Will they therefore empty their net And continually slay nations without sparing?


"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 'So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness. 'I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence; and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, because they have not listened to My words,' declares the LORD, 'which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,' declares the LORD.

When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand.

So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? "Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. "Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame, Before the decree takes effect-- The day passes like the chaff-- Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD'S anger comes upon you.

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

"And the LORD has sent to you all His servants the prophets again and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear, saying, 'Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the LORD has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever; and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm.'

"And now, because you have done all these things," declares the LORD, "and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you but you did not answer, therefore, I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave you and your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. "I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brothers, all the offspring of Ephraim.

"But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.' "Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward. "Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets, daily rising early and sending them.

"Thus says the LORD, 'Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the LORD'S house all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them Do not omit a word! 'Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.' "And you will say to them, 'Thus says the LORD, "If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, read more.
to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened; then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth."'" The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. "Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you.

"I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. "I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. "So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. read more.
"Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners came in and I related the dream to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me. "But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying, 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation. 'Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great. 'The tree grew large and became strong And its height reached to the sky, And it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 'Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all The beasts of the field found shade under it, And the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, And all living creatures fed themselves from it. 'I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. 'He shouted out and spoke as follows: "Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; Let the beasts flee from under it And the birds from its branches. "Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, But with a band of iron and bronze around it In the new grass of the field; And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, And let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth. "Let his mind be changed from that of a man And let a beast's mind be given to him, And let seven periods of time pass over him. "This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom He wishes And sets over it the lowliest of men." 'This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.' "Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him The king responded and said, 'Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you ' Belteshazzar replied, 'My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries! 'The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged-- it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth. 'In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, "Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him," this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes. 'And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules. 'Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.'

They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. Then the king's face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together. read more.
The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom." Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king. Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed. The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your face be pale. "There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans and diviners. "This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation." Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel who is one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? "Now I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. "Just now the wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the message. "But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom." Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him. "O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. "Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled. "But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. "He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. "Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified. "Then the hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out. "Now this is the inscription that was written out: 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.' "This is the interpretation of the message: 'MENE'--God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. " 'TEKEL'--you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. " 'PERES'--your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians." Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.

For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, read more.
just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. read more.
'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.


"Indeed, the light of the wicked goes out, And the flame of his fire gives no light. "The light in his tent is darkened, And his lamp goes out above him. "His vigorous stride is shortened, And his own scheme brings him down. read more.
"For he is thrown into the net by his own feet, And he steps on the webbing. "A snare seizes him by the heel, And a trap snaps shut on him. "A noose for him is hidden in the ground, And a trap for him on the path. "All around terrors frighten him, And harry him at every step. "His strength is famished, And calamity is ready at his side. "His skin is devoured by disease, The firstborn of death devours his limbs. "He is torn from the security of his tent, And they march him before the king of terrors. "There dwells in his tent nothing of his; Brimstone is scattered on his habitation. "His roots are dried below, And his branch is cut off above. "Memory of him perishes from the earth, And he has no name abroad. "He is driven from light into darkness, And chased from the inhabited world. "He has no offspring or posterity among his people, Nor any survivor where he sojourned. "Those in the west are appalled at his fate, And those in the east are seized with horror. "Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, And this is the place of him who does not know God."

‘Your iniquities have turned these away,
And your sins have withheld good from you.

"This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the inheritance which tyrants receive from the Almighty. "Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; And his descendants will not be satisfied with bread. "His survivors will be buried because of the plague, And their widows will not be able to weep. read more.
"Though he piles up silver like dust And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay, He may prepare it, but the just will wear it And the innocent will divide the silver. "He has built his house like the spider's web, Or as a hut which the watchman has made. "He lies down rich, but never again; He opens his eyes, and it is no longer. "Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night. "The east wind carries him away, and he is gone, For it whirls him away from his place. "For it will hurl at him without sparing; He will surely try to flee from its power. "Men will clap their hands at him And will hiss him from his place.

"The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless. "Sounds of terror are in his ears; While at peace the destroyer comes upon him. "He does not believe that he will return from darkness, And he is destined for the sword. read more.
"He wanders about for food, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is at hand. "Distress and anguish terrify him, They overpower him like a king ready for the attack, Because he has stretched out his hand against God And conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty. "He rushes headlong at Him With his massive shield. "For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh. "He has lived in desolate cities, In houses no one would inhabit, Which are destined to become ruins. "He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure; And his grain will not bend down to the ground. "He will not escape from darkness; The flame will wither his shoots, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away. "Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward. "It will be accomplished before his time, And his palm branch will not be green. "He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine, And will cast off his flower like the olive tree. "For the company of the godless is barren, And fire consumes the tents of the corrupt. "They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception."

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless momentary? "Though his loftiness reaches the heavens, And his head touches the clouds, He perishes forever like his refuse; Those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?' read more.
"He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him; Even like a vision of the night he is chased away. "The eye which saw him sees him no longer, And his place no longer beholds him. "His sons favor the poor, And his hands give back his wealth. "His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it lies down with him in the dust. "Though evil is sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue, Though he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth, Yet his food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him. "He swallows riches, But will vomit them up; God will expel them from his belly. "He sucks the poison of cobras; The viper's tongue slays him. "He does not look at the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and curds. "He returns what he has attained And cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them. "For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built. "Because he knew no quiet within him, He does not retain anything he desires. "Nothing remains for him to devour, Therefore his prosperity does not endure. "In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped; The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him. "When he fills his belly, God will send His fierce anger on him And will rain it on him while he is eating. "He may flee from the iron weapon, But the bronze bow will pierce him. "It is drawn forth and comes out of his back, Even the glittering point from his gall Terrors come upon him, Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures, And unfanned fire will devour him; It will consume the survivor in his tent. "The heavens will reveal his iniquity, And the earth will rise up against him. "The increase of his house will depart; His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger. "This is the wicked man's portion from God, Even the heritage decreed to him by God."

"Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful? "Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes, Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them. read more.
"His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not abort. "They send forth their little ones like the flock, And their children skip about. "They sing to the timbrel and harp And rejoice at the sound of the flute. "They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol. "They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways. 'Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we entreat Him?' "Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me. "How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their calamity fall on them? Does God apportion destruction in His anger? "Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away? "You say, 'God stores away a man's iniquity for his sons.' Let God repay him so that he may know it. "Let his own eyes see his decay, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty. "For what does he care for his household after him, When the number of his months is cut off? "Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high? "One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied; His sides are filled out with fat, And the marrow of his bones is moist, While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good. "Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them. "Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plans by which you would wrong me. "For you say, 'Where is the house of the nobleman, And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?' "Have you not asked wayfaring men, And do you not recognize their witness? "For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity; They will be led forth at the day of fury. "Who will confront him with his actions, And who will repay him for what he has done? "While he is carried to the grave, Men will keep watch over his tomb. "The clods of the valley will gently cover him; Moreover, all men will follow after him, While countless ones go before him.

"Some remove the landmarks; They seize and devour flocks. "They drive away the donkeys of the orphans; They take the widow's ox for a pledge. "They push the needy aside from the road; The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether. read more.
"Behold, as wild donkeys in the wilderness They go forth seeking food in their activity, As bread for their children in the desert. "They harvest their fodder in the field And glean the vineyard of the wicked. "They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering against the cold. "They are wet with the mountain rains And hug the rock for want of a shelter. "Others snatch the orphan from the breast, And against the poor they take a pledge. "They cause the poor to go about naked without clothing, And they take away the sheaves from the hungry. "Within the walls they produce oil; They tread wine presses but thirst. "From the city men groan, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet God does not pay attention to folly. "Others have been with those who rebel against the light; They do not want to know its ways Nor abide in its paths. "The murderer arises at dawn; He kills the poor and the needy, And at night he is as a thief. "The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, 'No eye will see me.' And he disguises his face. "In the dark they dig into houses, They shut themselves up by day; They do not know the light. "For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness, For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness. "They are insignificant on the surface of the water; Their portion is cursed on the earth They do not turn toward the vineyards. "Drought and heat consume the snow waters, So does Sheol those who have sinned. "A mother will forget him; The worm feeds sweetly till he is no longer remembered And wickedness will be broken like a tree. "He wrongs the barren woman And does no good for the widow. "But He drags off the valiant by His power; He rises, but no one has assurance of life. "He provides them with security, and they are supported; And His eyes are on their ways. "They are exalted a little while, then they are gone; Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.

You will fall by the sword. I will judge you to the border of Israel; so you shall know that I am the Lord.

"Then say to the people of the land, 'Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel, "They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because their land will be stripped of its fullness on account of the violence of all who live in it. "The inhabited cities will be laid waste and the land will be a desolation. So you will know that I am the LORD."'"

And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the LORD smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.



By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.


Would that they were wise, that they understood this,
That they would discern their future!

Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!

["For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.] "What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? "If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. read more.
"So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.




For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,


Ephraim is joined to idols; Let him alone. Their liquor gone, They play the harlot continually; Their rulers dearly love shame. The wind wraps them in its wings, And they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.


God is a righteous judge,
And a God who has indignation every day.


The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. You destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.


His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

“Are they as straw before the wind,
And like chaff which the storm carries away?

The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.


Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Like a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who repeats his folly.


You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross;
Therefore I love Your testimonies.

"Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace; they are the dross of silver. "Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Because all of you have become dross, therefore, behold, I am going to gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.


Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah. "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. "When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? read more.
"Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. "So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen Your hands are covered with blood.

But to the wicked God says, "What right have you to tell of My statutes And to take My covenant in your mouth? "For you hate discipline, And you cast My words behind you.


"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. "Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.


“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace; they are the dross of silver.

All of them are stubbornly rebellious,
Going about as a talebearer.
They are bronze and iron;
They, all of them, are corrupt.


“Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up,
And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up,
And it will be a memorial to the Lord,
For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.”

And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house.



I will bring distress on men
So that they will walk like the blind,
Because they have sinned against the Lord;
And their blood will be poured out like dust
And their flesh like dung.


For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”

“Are they as straw before the wind,
And like chaff which the storm carries away?



But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed,


The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil. He is Micaiah, son of Imla.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”


They have venom like the venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,



Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”


They are all adulterers,
Like an oven heated by the baker
Who ceases to stir up the fire
From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger;
The Lord will swallow them up in His wrath,
And fire will devour them.


Behold, the Lord God helps Me;
Who is he who condemns Me?
Behold, they will all wear out like a garment;
The moth will eat them.

“For the moth will eat them like a garment,
And the grub will eat them like wool.
But My righteousness will be forever,
And My salvation to all generations.”


As sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
And the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for Sheol to consume
So that they have no habitation.



That when the wicked sprouted up like grass
And all who did iniquity flourished,
It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.




"Yield now and be at peace with Him; Thereby good will come to you. "Please receive instruction from His mouth And establish His words in your heart. "If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent, read more.
And place your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks, Then the Almighty will be your gold And choice silver to you. "For then you will delight in the Almighty And lift up your face to God. "You will pray to Him, and He will hear you; And you will pay your vows. "You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways. "When you are cast down, you will speak with confidence, And the humble person He will save. "He will deliver one who is not innocent, And he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."


"Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it. "In a dream, a vision of the night, When sound sleep falls on men, While they slumber in their beds, Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction, read more.
That He may turn man aside from his conduct, And keep man from pride; He keeps back his soul from the pit, And his life from passing over into Sheol. "Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with unceasing complaint in his bones; So that his life loathes bread, And his soul favorite food. "His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones which were not seen stick out. "Then his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those who bring death. "If there is an angel as mediator for him, One out of a thousand, To remind a man what is right for him, Then let him be gracious to him, and say, 'Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom'; Let his flesh become fresher than in youth, Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor; Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him, That he may see His face with joy, And He may restore His righteousness to man. "He will sing to men and say, 'I have sinned and perverted what is right, And it is not proper for me. 'He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit, And my life shall see the light.' "Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men, To bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.


"So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the godless will perish, Whose confidence is fragile, And whose trust a spider's web. "He trusts in his house, but it does not stand; He holds fast to it, but it does not endure. read more.
"He thrives before the sun, And his shoots spread out over his garden. "His roots wrap around a rock pile, He grasps a house of stones. "If he is removed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, 'I never saw you.'


Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. "And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. read more.
"Again he sent out other slaves saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast."' "But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. "But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. "Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 'Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.' "Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. "But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And the man was speechless. "Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "For many are called, but few are chosen."


"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. "When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. "And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; read more.
and to those he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' And so they went. "Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. "And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day long?' "They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.' "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.' "When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. "When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. "When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.' "But he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 'Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?' "So the last shall be first, and the first last."


“But you have been cast out of your tomb
Like a rejected branch,
Clothed with the slain who are pierced with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the pit
Like a trampled corpse.


An idiot will become intelligent
When the foal of a wild donkey is born a man.


‘Therefore their inhabitants were short of strength,
They were dismayed and put to shame;
They were as the vegetation of the field and as the green herb,
As grass on the housetops is scorched before it is grown up.


But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
For it cannot be quiet,
And its waters toss up refuse and mud.


wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.


‘Therefore their inhabitants were short of strength,
They were dismayed and put to shame;
They were as the vegetation of the field and as the green herb,
As grass on the housetops is scorched before it is grown up.


These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted;


“But you have been cast out of your tomb
Like a rejected branch,
Clothed with the slain who are pierced with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the pit
Like a trampled corpse.


wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.


They surrounded me like bees;
They were extinguished as a fire of thorns;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.


“All around terrors frighten him,
And harry him at every step.


Many bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.


Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.


By the fury of the Lord of hosts the land is burned up,
And the people are like fuel for the fire;
No man spares his brother.


I have seen a wicked, violent man
Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.


Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.


‘But like the bad figs which cannot be eaten due to rottenness—indeed, thus says the Lord—so I will abandon Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land and the ones who dwell in the land of Egypt.


and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.


For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades away
Or as a garden that has no water.


“He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him;
Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.


He is like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion lurking in hiding places.




“For he will be like a bush in the desert
And will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
A land of salt without inhabitant.




They call them rejected silver,
Because the Lord has rejected them.


“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children,


For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades away
Or as a garden that has no water.


O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
Like chaff before the wind.






Therefore they will be like the morning cloud
And like dew which soon disappears,
Like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor
And like smoke from a chimney.


Therefore they will be like the morning cloud
And like dew which soon disappears,
Like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor
And like smoke from a chimney.


“I have listened and heard,
They have spoken what is not right;
No man repented of his wickedness,
Saying, ‘What have I done?’
Everyone turned to his course,
Like a horse charging into the battle.


Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.


You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord of hosts.


For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.


Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.




They have venom like the venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,


As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
As wax melts before the fire,
So let the wicked perish before God.


And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house.


Therefore they will be like the morning cloud
And like dew which soon disappears,
Like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor
And like smoke from a chimney.