Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Condescension of God » Expostulates with backsliding israel
"Present your legal case," says Yahweh. "Bring your evidence," says the king of Jacob. Let them bring [them], and let them tell us what will happen. Tell us what the former things [are] {so that} we may take [them to] our heart and know their outcome. Declare to us the things to come; tell [us] the things coming {hereafter}, that we may know that you [are] gods. Indeed, do good or do evil, that we may be afraid and see together. read more.
Look! you [are] nothing, and your work [is] something worthless; whoever chooses you [is] an abomination.
Look! you [are] nothing, and your work [is] something worthless; whoever chooses you [is] an abomination.
But now thus says Yahweh, he who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel: "You must not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called [you] by your name; {you are mine}. When you pass through the waters, I [will be] with you, and through the rivers, they shall not flow over you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and [the] flame shall not scorch you. For I [am] Yahweh, your God, the holy one of Israel, your savior. I give you Egypt [as] ransom, Cush and Seba in place of you. read more.
Because you are precious in my eyes, you are honored, and I myself love you, and I give people in place of you, and nations in place of your life. You must not fear, for I [am] with you. I will bring your {offspring} from [the] east, and I will gather you from [the] west. I will say to the north, 'Give!' and to [the] south, 'You must not withhold!' Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the end of the earth-- everyone who is called by my name, and whom I created for my glory, whom I formed, indeed whom I made." Bring out [the] people blind yet with eyes, and deaf, though they have ears. Let all the nations gather together, and let [the] peoples assemble. Who among them has declared this, and {declared} [the] former things to us? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be in the right, and let them hear and say, "[It is] true!" "You [are] my witnesses," {declares} Yahweh, "and my servant whom I have chosen so that you may know and believe {in} me and understand that I [am] he. No god was formed before {me}, and none shall be after me. I myself [am] Yahweh, and there is no savior besides me! I myself declared and saved, and I {proclaimed}. And there was no {strange god} among you. And you [are] my witnesses," {declares} Yahweh, "and I [am] God. Indeed, from [this] day I [am] the one, and no one can deliver from my hand. I perform, and who can {cancel it}?" Thus says Yahweh, your redeemer, the holy one of Israel: "For your sake I will send [to] Babylon, and I will cause all of them to fall down [as] fugitives, and {the Chaldeans}, their rejoicing on the ships. I [am] Yahweh, your holy one, the creator of Israel, your king." Thus says Yahweh, who {makes} a way in the sea and a path in [the] mighty waters, who brings out chariot and horse, army and mighty one. Together they lie down; they cannot rise. They are extinguished, quenched like wick. "You must not remember [the] former things, and you not must consider [the] former things. Look! I [am] about to do a new thing! Now it sprouts! Do you not perceive it? Indeed, I will {make} a way in the wilderness, rivers in [the] desert.
Because you are precious in my eyes, you are honored, and I myself love you, and I give people in place of you, and nations in place of your life. You must not fear, for I [am] with you. I will bring your {offspring} from [the] east, and I will gather you from [the] west. I will say to the north, 'Give!' and to [the] south, 'You must not withhold!' Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the end of the earth-- everyone who is called by my name, and whom I created for my glory, whom I formed, indeed whom I made." Bring out [the] people blind yet with eyes, and deaf, though they have ears. Let all the nations gather together, and let [the] peoples assemble. Who among them has declared this, and {declared} [the] former things to us? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be in the right, and let them hear and say, "[It is] true!" "You [are] my witnesses," {declares} Yahweh, "and my servant whom I have chosen so that you may know and believe {in} me and understand that I [am] he. No god was formed before {me}, and none shall be after me. I myself [am] Yahweh, and there is no savior besides me! I myself declared and saved, and I {proclaimed}. And there was no {strange god} among you. And you [are] my witnesses," {declares} Yahweh, "and I [am] God. Indeed, from [this] day I [am] the one, and no one can deliver from my hand. I perform, and who can {cancel it}?" Thus says Yahweh, your redeemer, the holy one of Israel: "For your sake I will send [to] Babylon, and I will cause all of them to fall down [as] fugitives, and {the Chaldeans}, their rejoicing on the ships. I [am] Yahweh, your holy one, the creator of Israel, your king." Thus says Yahweh, who {makes} a way in the sea and a path in [the] mighty waters, who brings out chariot and horse, army and mighty one. Together they lie down; they cannot rise. They are extinguished, quenched like wick. "You must not remember [the] former things, and you not must consider [the] former things. Look! I [am] about to do a new thing! Now it sprouts! Do you not perceive it? Indeed, I will {make} a way in the wilderness, rivers in [the] desert.
"I let myself be sought by [those who] did not ask; I let myself be found by [those who] did not seek me. I said, 'Here I am; here I am!' to a nation [that] did not call on my name; I spread out my hands all day to a stubborn people, those who walk after their thoughts [in] the way [that is] not good, the people {who provoke} me to anger continually to my face, slaughtering for sacrifices in the garden, and making smoke offerings on bricks, read more.
{who sit} in graves and spend the night in {secret places}, {who eat} the flesh of swine with a fragment of impurity [in] their vessels, {who say}, "{Keep to yourself}! You must not come near me, for I am [too] holy for you!" These [are] a smoke in my {nostrils}, a fire burning all day. Look! [It] is written before me: I will not be silent, but I will repay; and I will repay in the fold of their garment your iniquities and the iniquities of your ancestors together, says Yahweh, because they made smoke offerings on the mountains and they taunted me on the hills, I will measure their punishment [from the] beginning into the fold of their garment." Thus says Yahweh: "Just as the new wine is found in the cluster, and they say 'You must not destroy it, for [there is] a blessing in it,' so I will do for the sake of my servants {by} not destroying {everyone}. And I will bring descendant s out from Jacob, and a {people} from Judah to take possession of my mountain, and my chosen ones shall inherit it, and my servants shall settle there. And Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the valley of Achor a resting place for herds for my people who have sought me. But you {who forsake} Yahweh, forgetting {my holy mountain}, who set a table for Fortune, and who {pour out} a jug of mixed wine for Destiny, and I will remit you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not listen, but you did the evil in my eyes, and you chose that in which I do not delight." Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Look! My servants shall eat but you, you shall be hungry. Look! My servants shall drink but you, you shall be thirsty. Look! My servants shall rejoice but you, you shall be ashamed. Look! My servants shall shout {for joy}, but you, you shall cry out {for pain} and howl {for sadness}. And you shall leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse, and the Lord Yahweh will kill you, and he will {give} his servants another name. Whoever blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of trustworthiness, and the one who swears an oath in the land shall swear by the God of trustworthiness, because the former troubles are forgotten, and they are hidden from my eyes.
{who sit} in graves and spend the night in {secret places}, {who eat} the flesh of swine with a fragment of impurity [in] their vessels, {who say}, "{Keep to yourself}! You must not come near me, for I am [too] holy for you!" These [are] a smoke in my {nostrils}, a fire burning all day. Look! [It] is written before me: I will not be silent, but I will repay; and I will repay in the fold of their garment your iniquities and the iniquities of your ancestors together, says Yahweh, because they made smoke offerings on the mountains and they taunted me on the hills, I will measure their punishment [from the] beginning into the fold of their garment." Thus says Yahweh: "Just as the new wine is found in the cluster, and they say 'You must not destroy it, for [there is] a blessing in it,' so I will do for the sake of my servants {by} not destroying {everyone}. And I will bring descendant s out from Jacob, and a {people} from Judah to take possession of my mountain, and my chosen ones shall inherit it, and my servants shall settle there. And Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the valley of Achor a resting place for herds for my people who have sought me. But you {who forsake} Yahweh, forgetting {my holy mountain}, who set a table for Fortune, and who {pour out} a jug of mixed wine for Destiny, and I will remit you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not listen, but you did the evil in my eyes, and you chose that in which I do not delight." Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Look! My servants shall eat but you, you shall be hungry. Look! My servants shall drink but you, you shall be thirsty. Look! My servants shall rejoice but you, you shall be ashamed. Look! My servants shall shout {for joy}, but you, you shall cry out {for pain} and howl {for sadness}. And you shall leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse, and the Lord Yahweh will kill you, and he will {give} his servants another name. Whoever blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of trustworthiness, and the one who swears an oath in the land shall swear by the God of trustworthiness, because the former troubles are forgotten, and they are hidden from my eyes.
A {saying}: 'Look, [if] a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him {and she becomes another man's wife}, will he return to her again?' Will not that land be greatly defiled? And you have prostituted [yourself] [with] many lovers, [would] you now return to me?" {declares} Yahweh. "Lift up your eyes at [the] barren heights, and see where you have not been ravished. Beside the roads you sat for them like an Arab in the desert, and you have defiled [the] land with your fornication and with your wickedness. Therefore rain showers have been withheld, and the spring rain has not come. Yet {you have} [the] forehead of a woman prostitute, you refuse to be ashamed. read more.
Have you not just now called to me, 'My father, you [are] the close friend of my youth? Will he be angry {forever}? Will he maintain [it] {always}'? Look, you have spoken, but you have done all the evil that you could." Then Yahweh said to me in the days of Josiah, the king, "Have you seen what apostate Israel has done? She has gone on every high hill and under every leafy tree and she has prostituted [herself] there. And I thought, 'After her doing all these [things] to me she will return,' but she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw [it]. And I saw that {for this very reason, that} on account of apostate Israel committing adultery I divorced her and gave the letter of divorce to her. Yet her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid and she went and prostituted [herself] also. And it was because of the frivolity of her fornication that she defiled the land and committed adultery with the stone and with the tree. Yet even in all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, {but only} in pretense," {declares} Yahweh. Then Yahweh said to me, "Apostate Israel has proved herself more upright than treacherous Judah. Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, 'Return, apostate Israel,' {declares} Yahweh. 'I will not cause my {anger} to fall on you. For I [am] loyal,' {declares} Yahweh. 'I will not be angry {forever}. Only acknowledge your guilt, that against Yahweh your God you have rebelled, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every leafy tree, and you have not obeyed my voice,' {declares} Yahweh." "Return, apostate children," {declares} Yahweh. "For {I am your master}, and I will take you one from a city and two from a clan, and I will bring you [to] Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart and they will feed you knowledge and insight.
Have you not just now called to me, 'My father, you [are] the close friend of my youth? Will he be angry {forever}? Will he maintain [it] {always}'? Look, you have spoken, but you have done all the evil that you could." Then Yahweh said to me in the days of Josiah, the king, "Have you seen what apostate Israel has done? She has gone on every high hill and under every leafy tree and she has prostituted [herself] there. And I thought, 'After her doing all these [things] to me she will return,' but she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw [it]. And I saw that {for this very reason, that} on account of apostate Israel committing adultery I divorced her and gave the letter of divorce to her. Yet her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid and she went and prostituted [herself] also. And it was because of the frivolity of her fornication that she defiled the land and committed adultery with the stone and with the tree. Yet even in all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, {but only} in pretense," {declares} Yahweh. Then Yahweh said to me, "Apostate Israel has proved herself more upright than treacherous Judah. Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, 'Return, apostate Israel,' {declares} Yahweh. 'I will not cause my {anger} to fall on you. For I [am] loyal,' {declares} Yahweh. 'I will not be angry {forever}. Only acknowledge your guilt, that against Yahweh your God you have rebelled, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every leafy tree, and you have not obeyed my voice,' {declares} Yahweh." "Return, apostate children," {declares} Yahweh. "For {I am your master}, and I will take you one from a city and two from a clan, and I will bring you [to] Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart and they will feed you knowledge and insight.
"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' Listen, now, house of Israel, is my way not fair? [Is it] not your ways [that] are not fair? When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and he does injustice, then he will die because of them; because of his injustice that he did he will die! And when the wicked turns from his wickedness that he did and he does justice and righteousness, {he will preserve his life}. read more.
And if he sees and he returns from all of his transgressions that he did, surely he will live; he will not die! And [yet] they, the house of Israel, say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [Are] not my ways fair, house of Israel? {Are not your ways unfair?} "Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. "Repent and turn around from all of your transgression, and it will not be as a stumbling block of iniquity to you. Throw {away from yourselves} all of your transgressions that you committed, and make {for yourselves} a new heart and new spirit, and [so] why will you die, house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. "And [so] repent and live!"
And if he sees and he returns from all of his transgressions that he did, surely he will live; he will not die! And [yet] they, the house of Israel, say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [Are] not my ways fair, house of Israel? {Are not your ways unfair?} "Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. "Repent and turn around from all of your transgression, and it will not be as a stumbling block of iniquity to you. Throw {away from yourselves} all of your transgressions that you committed, and make {for yourselves} a new heart and new spirit, and [so] why will you die, house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. "And [so] repent and live!"
"And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, {saying}, 'So you said, {saying}, "Indeed, our transgressions and our sins [are] on us, and because of them we [are] rotting, and how can we live?" ' Say to them, '{As I live},' {declares} the Lord Yahweh, '{Surely I have no delight} in the death of the wicked, {except} in [the] wicked returning from his way, and he lives. Turn back! Turn back from your ways, O evil [ones], for why should you die, house of Israel?' "So you, son of man, say to {your people} [that] the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked {will not cause him to stumble} on the day of his returning from his wickedness; and [the] righteous will not be able to live by it on the day when he returns to his sin. read more.
When I say to the righteous, 'Certainly he will live,' and he trusted in his righteousness, and he [turns and he] does injustice, all of his righteousness will not be remembered, and because of his injustice that he did, because of it he will die. And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair. When [the] righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die {because of it}. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it {he will certainly live}! Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each [person] according to his ways."
When I say to the righteous, 'Certainly he will live,' and he trusted in his righteousness, and he [turns and he] does injustice, all of his righteousness will not be remembered, and because of his injustice that he did, because of it he will die. And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair. When [the] righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die {because of it}. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it {he will certainly live}! Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each [person] according to his ways."
Hear now what Yahweh says: "Arise! Plead [your case] with the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice." Hear, O mountains, the indictment of Yahweh, and you eternal foundations of the earth, for Yahweh has an indictment against his people, and against Israel he contends. "O my people, what have I done to you, and how have I wearied you? Answer me! read more.
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and from the house of slavery I redeemed you. And I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam before you. O my people, remember what Balak the king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and [what happened from] Shittim to Gilgal, so that you might know the righteous acts of Yahweh." With what shall I approach Yahweh, and bow down to God on high? Shall I approach him with burnt offerings, with bull calves a year old? Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriads of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body [for the] sin of my soul? He has told you, O mortal, what [is] good, and what does Yahweh ask from you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? The voice of Yahweh calls to the city ([it is] sound judgment to fear your name): "Hear, staff! Now who has appointed it?
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and from the house of slavery I redeemed you. And I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam before you. O my people, remember what Balak the king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and [what happened from] Shittim to Gilgal, so that you might know the righteous acts of Yahweh." With what shall I approach Yahweh, and bow down to God on high? Shall I approach him with burnt offerings, with bull calves a year old? Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriads of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body [for the] sin of my soul? He has told you, O mortal, what [is] good, and what does Yahweh ask from you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? The voice of Yahweh calls to the city ([it is] sound judgment to fear your name): "Hear, staff! Now who has appointed it?
From the days of your ancestors you have turned aside from my rules, and have not kept [them]! Return to me and I will return to you," says Yahweh of hosts, "but you say, 'How shall we return?' Will a human [dare to] rob God? Yet you [are] robbing me! And you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In the tithes and the contributions! You [are] being cursed with curse, for you [are] robbing me, the whole nation [of you]! read more.
Bring the whole tithe to {the storehouse}, so that there will be food in my house, and test me please in this," says Yahweh of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour forth for you {an overflowing blessing}. I will rebuke the devourer for you; it will not destroy the fruit of your soil; your vine in the field will not be unfruitful," says Yahweh of hosts. "And all the nations will call you blessed, because you will be {a land in which one takes joy}," says Yahweh of hosts. "Your words have been harsh against me," says Yahweh. "But you say, 'How have we spoken together against you?' You have said, '[It is] useless to serve God! What [is the] gain if we keep his requirements, and if we walk as mourners {before} Yahweh of hosts? And now we [are] calling [the] arrogant blessed! Not only do those who do wickedness prosper; they also test God and they escape!'"
Bring the whole tithe to {the storehouse}, so that there will be food in my house, and test me please in this," says Yahweh of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour forth for you {an overflowing blessing}. I will rebuke the devourer for you; it will not destroy the fruit of your soil; your vine in the field will not be unfruitful," says Yahweh of hosts. "And all the nations will call you blessed, because you will be {a land in which one takes joy}," says Yahweh of hosts. "Your words have been harsh against me," says Yahweh. "But you say, 'How have we spoken together against you?' You have said, '[It is] useless to serve God! What [is the] gain if we keep his requirements, and if we walk as mourners {before} Yahweh of hosts? And now we [are] calling [the] arrogant blessed! Not only do those who do wickedness prosper; they also test God and they escape!'"
Opportunity » The measure of responsibility
But he said to him, "A certain man was giving a large banquet and invited many. And he sent his slave at the hour of the banquet to say to those who have been invited, 'Come, because now it is ready!' And they all {alike} began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, 'I have purchased a field, and {I must} go out to look at it. I ask you, consider me excused.' read more.
And another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them. I ask you, consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and for this [reason] I am not able to come.' And the slave came [and] reported these [things] to his master. Then the master of the house became angry [and] said to his slave, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame!' And the slave said, 'Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and hedges and press [them] to come in, so that my house will be filled! For I say to you that none of those persons who were invited will taste my banquet!'"
And another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them. I ask you, consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and for this [reason] I am not able to come.' And the slave came [and] reported these [things] to his master. Then the master of the house became angry [and] said to his slave, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame!' And the slave said, 'Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and hedges and press [them] to come in, so that my house will be filled! For I say to you that none of those persons who were invited will taste my banquet!'"
Therefore he said, "A certain nobleman traveled to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. And summoning ten of his own slaves, he gave them ten minas and said to them, 'Do business {until I come back}.' But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to be king over us!' read more.
And it happened that when he returned [after] receiving the kingdom, he ordered these slaves to whom he had given the money to be summoned to him, so that he could know what they had gained by trading. So the first arrived, saying, 'Sir, your mina has made ten minas more!' And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small thing, {have authority} over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas.' So he said to this one also, 'And you be over five cities.' And another came, saying, 'Sir, behold your mina, which I had put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man--you withdraw what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow!' He said to him, '{By your own words} I will judge you, wicked slave! You knew that I am a severe man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. And why did you not give my money to the bank, and I, [when I] returned, would have collected it with interest?' And to the bystanders he said, 'Take away from him the mina and give [it] to the one who has the ten minas!' And they said to him, 'Sir, he has ten minas.' 'I tell you that to everyone who has, [more] will be given. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. But these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them--bring [them] here and slaughter them [in] my presence!'"
And it happened that when he returned [after] receiving the kingdom, he ordered these slaves to whom he had given the money to be summoned to him, so that he could know what they had gained by trading. So the first arrived, saying, 'Sir, your mina has made ten minas more!' And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small thing, {have authority} over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas.' So he said to this one also, 'And you be over five cities.' And another came, saying, 'Sir, behold your mina, which I had put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man--you withdraw what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow!' He said to him, '{By your own words} I will judge you, wicked slave! You knew that I am a severe man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. And why did you not give my money to the bank, and I, [when I] returned, would have collected it with interest?' And to the bystanders he said, 'Take away from him the mina and give [it] to the one who has the ten minas!' And they said to him, 'Sir, he has ten minas.' 'I tell you that to everyone who has, [more] will be given. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. But these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them--bring [them] here and slaughter them [in] my presence!'"
Then he began to reproach the towns in which the majority of his miracles had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and for Sidon on the day of judgment than for you! read more.
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. Nevertheless I tell you that it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you!"
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. Nevertheless I tell you that it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you!"
With their flocks and herds they will go to seek Yahweh, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them.
Because I called out and you refused me, I stretched out my hand, yet there is none who heeds. You have ignored all my counsel, and my reproof you are not willing [to accept]. I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic comes [upon] you. read more.
When your panic comes like a storm, and your calamity arrives like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you, then they will call me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but not find me. Since they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Yahweh, they were not willing [to accept] my counsel, they despised all my reproof. They shall eat from the fruit of their way, and they shall be sated from their own schemes, for the waywardness of the simple ones will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. Whoever listens to me will dwell in security and rest securely from dread and disaster."
When your panic comes like a storm, and your calamity arrives like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you, then they will call me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but not find me. Since they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Yahweh, they were not willing [to accept] my counsel, they despised all my reproof. They shall eat from the fruit of their way, and they shall be sated from their own schemes, for the waywardness of the simple ones will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. Whoever listens to me will dwell in security and rest securely from dread and disaster."
And you, if you do warn [the] wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness and from his wicked way, on account of his guilt he will die, and you yourself will have saved your life.
[The] harvest has passed, [the] summer has come to an end, and we have not received help.
And that slave who knew the will of his master and did not prepare or do according to his will {will be given a severe beating}.
And the word of Yahweh {came} to me, {saying}, "Son of man, speak to {your people}, and you must say to them, 'A land, if I bring over it a sword and the people of the land take a man, one from their number, and they appoint him for them as a watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land, and he blows on the horn and he warns the people, read more.
and {anyone who listens} hears the sound of the horn and {he does not take warning} and [the] sword comes and it takes him, his blood will be on his [own] head. [For] he heard the sound of the horn and he did not take warning; his blood will be on him. But [if] he took warning, he saved his life. And [as for] the watchman, if he sees the sword coming and {he does not blow} the horn, and the people [are] not warned, and [the] sword comes and it takes {their lives}, he will be taken through his guilt, but his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.' "And you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; if you hear a word from my mouth, then you must warn them from me. {When I say} to the wicked, 'Wicked [one], you will certainly die,' and you {did not speak} to warn [the] wicked from his way, he, [the] wicked, will die by his guilt, but his blood I will seek from your hand. But, you, if you warn [the] wicked from his way, to turn from it, and {he does not turn} from his way, he will die by his guilt, and you will have saved your life. "And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, {saying}, 'So you said, {saying}, "Indeed, our transgressions and our sins [are] on us, and because of them we [are] rotting, and how can we live?" ' Say to them, '{As I live},' {declares} the Lord Yahweh, '{Surely I have no delight} in the death of the wicked, {except} in [the] wicked returning from his way, and he lives. Turn back! Turn back from your ways, O evil [ones], for why should you die, house of Israel?' "So you, son of man, say to {your people} [that] the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked {will not cause him to stumble} on the day of his returning from his wickedness; and [the] righteous will not be able to live by it on the day when he returns to his sin. When I say to the righteous, 'Certainly he will live,' and he trusted in his righteousness, and he [turns and he] does injustice, all of his righteousness will not be remembered, and because of his injustice that he did, because of it he will die. And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair.
and {anyone who listens} hears the sound of the horn and {he does not take warning} and [the] sword comes and it takes him, his blood will be on his [own] head. [For] he heard the sound of the horn and he did not take warning; his blood will be on him. But [if] he took warning, he saved his life. And [as for] the watchman, if he sees the sword coming and {he does not blow} the horn, and the people [are] not warned, and [the] sword comes and it takes {their lives}, he will be taken through his guilt, but his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.' "And you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; if you hear a word from my mouth, then you must warn them from me. {When I say} to the wicked, 'Wicked [one], you will certainly die,' and you {did not speak} to warn [the] wicked from his way, he, [the] wicked, will die by his guilt, but his blood I will seek from your hand. But, you, if you warn [the] wicked from his way, to turn from it, and {he does not turn} from his way, he will die by his guilt, and you will have saved your life. "And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, {saying}, 'So you said, {saying}, "Indeed, our transgressions and our sins [are] on us, and because of them we [are] rotting, and how can we live?" ' Say to them, '{As I live},' {declares} the Lord Yahweh, '{Surely I have no delight} in the death of the wicked, {except} in [the] wicked returning from his way, and he lives. Turn back! Turn back from your ways, O evil [ones], for why should you die, house of Israel?' "So you, son of man, say to {your people} [that] the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked {will not cause him to stumble} on the day of his returning from his wickedness; and [the] righteous will not be able to live by it on the day when he returns to his sin. When I say to the righteous, 'Certainly he will live,' and he trusted in his righteousness, and he [turns and he] does injustice, all of his righteousness will not be remembered, and because of his injustice that he did, because of it he will die. And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair.
And whoever does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet [as you] are going out of that house or [that] town. Truly I say to you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!
For this [reason], behold, I am sending to you prophets and wise men and scribes. [Some] of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and will pursue from town to town, so that upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of righteous Abel up to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these [things] will come upon this generation! read more.
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together {the way} a hen gathers her young together under [her] wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house has been left to you desolate
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together {the way} a hen gathers her young together under [her] wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house has been left to you desolate
when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock [on] the door, saying, 'Lord, open [the door] for us!' And he will answer [and] say to you, 'I do not know where you are from!' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets!' And he will reply, saying to you, 'I do not know where you are from! Go away from me, all [you] {evildoers}!' read more.
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside!
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside!
Repentance » The reward for repenting
you shall hear in heaven, the place of your dwelling, and act according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you as your people Israel, and to know that your name has been invoked over this house that I have built. If your people go out to battle against his enemy in the way that you shall send them and they pray to Yahweh, toward the city which you have chosen and the house which I have built for your name, then you shall hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and you shall {vindicate} them. read more.
"If they sin against you (for there is not a person who does not sin) and you are angry with them and you give them to an enemy and they take them captive to the land of the enemy far or near, and then they return their heart in the land where they have been taken captive and they return and plead to you in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned and we did wrong. We acted wickedly,' if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive and they pray to you toward their land which you gave to their ancestors, the city that you have chosen and the house that you built for your name, then you shall hear in heaven, the place of your dwelling, their prayer and their plea, and you shall {vindicate them}. You shall forgive your people who sinned against you, [even] for all their transgressions which they committed against you. You shall give them compassion before their captors so that they may have compassion on them,
"If they sin against you (for there is not a person who does not sin) and you are angry with them and you give them to an enemy and they take them captive to the land of the enemy far or near, and then they return their heart in the land where they have been taken captive and they return and plead to you in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned and we did wrong. We acted wickedly,' if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive and they pray to you toward their land which you gave to their ancestors, the city that you have chosen and the house that you built for your name, then you shall hear in heaven, the place of your dwelling, their prayer and their plea, and you shall {vindicate them}. You shall forgive your people who sinned against you, [even] for all their transgressions which they committed against you. You shall give them compassion before their captors so that they may have compassion on them,
And when the wicked turns from his wickedness that he did and he does justice and righteousness, {he will preserve his life}. And if he sees and he returns from all of his transgressions that he did, surely he will live; he will not die! And [yet] they, the house of Israel, say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [Are] not my ways fair, house of Israel? {Are not your ways unfair?} read more.
"Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. "Repent and turn around from all of your transgression, and it will not be as a stumbling block of iniquity to you. Throw {away from yourselves} all of your transgressions that you committed, and make {for yourselves} a new heart and new spirit, and [so] why will you die, house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. "And [so] repent and live!"
"Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. "Repent and turn around from all of your transgression, and it will not be as a stumbling block of iniquity to you. Throw {away from yourselves} all of your transgressions that you committed, and make {for yourselves} a new heart and new spirit, and [so] why will you die, house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. "And [so] repent and live!"
Say to them, '{As I live},' {declares} the Lord Yahweh, '{Surely I have no delight} in the death of the wicked, {except} in [the] wicked returning from his way, and he lives. Turn back! Turn back from your ways, O evil [ones], for why should you die, house of Israel?' "So you, son of man, say to {your people} [that] the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked {will not cause him to stumble} on the day of his returning from his wickedness; and [the] righteous will not be able to live by it on the day when he returns to his sin. When I say to the righteous, 'Certainly he will live,' and he trusted in his righteousness, and he [turns and he] does injustice, all of his righteousness will not be remembered, and because of his injustice that he did, because of it he will die. read more.
And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair. When [the] righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die {because of it}. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it {he will certainly live}! Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each [person] according to his ways."
And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair. When [the] righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die {because of it}. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it {he will certainly live}! Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each [person] according to his ways."
Supererogation » The doctrine of excessive and meritorious righteousness
"So you, son of man, say to {your people} [that] the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked {will not cause him to stumble} on the day of his returning from his wickedness; and [the] righteous will not be able to live by it on the day when he returns to his sin. When I say to the righteous, 'Certainly he will live,' and he trusted in his righteousness, and he [turns and he] does injustice, all of his righteousness will not be remembered, and because of his injustice that he did, because of it he will die.
Thus you also, when you have done all the {things you were ordered to do}, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done what we were obligated to do.'"
Turning » Those that turn from righteousness
Say to them, '{As I live},' {declares} the Lord Yahweh, '{Surely I have no delight} in the death of the wicked, {except} in [the] wicked returning from his way, and he lives. Turn back! Turn back from your ways, O evil [ones], for why should you die, house of Israel?' "So you, son of man, say to {your people} [that] the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked {will not cause him to stumble} on the day of his returning from his wickedness; and [the] righteous will not be able to live by it on the day when he returns to his sin. When I say to the righteous, 'Certainly he will live,' and he trusted in his righteousness, and he [turns and he] does injustice, all of his righteousness will not be remembered, and because of his injustice that he did, because of it he will die. read more.
And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair. When [the] righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die {because of it}. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it {he will certainly live}! Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each [person] according to his ways."
And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair. When [the] righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die {because of it}. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it {he will certainly live}! Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each [person] according to his ways."
And {when the righteous turns from his righteousness} and does injustice, and I place a stumbling block {before him}, he will die, for you did not warn him. Because of his sin he will die, and his righteousness that he did will not be remembered, and his blood I shall seek from your hand. And if you warn him, the righteous, not to sin, and [the] righteous does not sin, surely he will live, for he heeded a warning. And you will have saved your life."
And {when the righteous turns} from his righteousness, so that he does injustice, and does all of the detestable things that the wicked do, then will he live [because of] all of his righteousness that he did? [Those things] will not be remembered because of his infidelity that he displayed, and because of his {sin that he committed}. Through them he shall die. "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' Listen, now, house of Israel, is my way not fair? [Is it] not your ways [that] are not fair? When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and he does injustice, then he will die because of them; because of his injustice that he did he will die!
Turning » Those that turn from wickedness
But if the wicked returns from all of his sins that he has done and he keeps all of my statutes and he does justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die! All of his transgressions that he committed will not be remembered against him. Through his righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I delight by any means [in the] death of [the] wicked, {declares} the Lord Yahweh, [and] not at his turning from his way, {so that} he lives?
Say to them, '{As I live},' {declares} the Lord Yahweh, '{Surely I have no delight} in the death of the wicked, {except} in [the] wicked returning from his way, and he lives. Turn back! Turn back from your ways, O evil [ones], for why should you die, house of Israel?' "So you, son of man, say to {your people} [that] the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked {will not cause him to stumble} on the day of his returning from his wickedness; and [the] righteous will not be able to live by it on the day when he returns to his sin. When I say to the righteous, 'Certainly he will live,' and he trusted in his righteousness, and he [turns and he] does injustice, all of his righteousness will not be remembered, and because of his injustice that he did, because of it he will die. read more.
And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair. When [the] righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die {because of it}. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it {he will certainly live}! Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each [person] according to his ways."
And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness-- [for example], [the] wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores {stolen property}, he goes in the statutes of life [so as] not to do injustice--certainly he will live; he will not die. All of his {sins that he committed}, they will not be remembered against him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. "Yet {your people} say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' [yet] their way is not fair. When [the] righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die {because of it}. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it {he will certainly live}! Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each [person] according to his ways."