Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Now this commandment is for you priests: "If you don't listen, and if you don't choose to give honor to my name," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "then I'll curse both you and your blessings. I've even cursed them already, because none of you are taking it to heart. Look! I'm rebuking your descendants because of you, and I'll spread waste on your faces, the waste of your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. read more.
"You will know that I sent this commandment to you in order to continue my covenant with Levi," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "My covenant with him was for life and peace, and I gave the commandments to him so he would fear me. He did fear me as he stood in my presence. True teachings were in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips. He walked with me peacefully and righteously, and he turned many from sin. For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he's the messenger of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "But you priests turned aside from the way, and by your teaching you caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.



"You've exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. "You've had the vessels from his Temple brought into your presence. "And you, your officials, and your wives and mistresses drank wine from them. "You praised gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which can't see, hear, or demonstrate knowledge. "But you didn't honor God, who holds in his power your very life and all your ways.

That night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was killed,


"If you don't listen, and if you don't choose to give honor to my name," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "then I'll curse both you and your blessings. I've even cursed them already, because none of you are taking it to heart.


"If you don't listen, and if you don't choose to give honor to my name," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "then I'll curse both you and your blessings. I've even cursed them already, because none of you are taking it to heart.


The LORD told Moses, "Speak to the priests, Aaron's sons, and tell them that no priest is to defile himself on account of the dead among his people, except his close relatives his mother, father, son, daughter, brother, or virgin sister (who is a near relative of him and did not have a husband he may defile himself for her). read more.
Because he is a husband among his people, he is not to defile himself, thereby polluting himself. "They are not to cut their hair in ritualistic patterns on their heads, deface the edges of their beards, or make incisions in their flesh. They are to be holy to their God. They are not to defile the name of their God, because they're the ones who bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire the food of their God so they are to be holy. "They are not to marry a prostitute or a woman who has been dishonored or who was divorced from her husband, because the priest is holy to his God. Consecrate him, because he's the one who offers the food of your God. He is to be holy for you, because I, the LORD, the one who sanctifies you, am holy. "Now if the daughter of any priest defiles herself by being a prostitute, she defiles her father. She is to be incinerated. "The high priest among his relatives whose head has been anointed with oil and who has been consecrated to put on the priestly clothing is not to let his hair hang loose or to tear his clothes. He is not to come near any dead body whether the deceased is his father or his mother so as not to defile himself. He is not to go out of the sanctuary or defile the sanctuary of his God, because his God's consecrating oil of anointing rests on him. I am the LORD. "Furthermore, he is to marry a true virgin. He is not to marry a widow or one who has been divorced, has been defiled, or has been a prostitute. Instead, he is to take a virgin from among his people as his wife. "He is not to defile his children among his people, because I am the LORD, who sets him apart."

Now this commandment is for you priests: "If you don't listen, and if you don't choose to give honor to my name," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "then I'll curse both you and your blessings. I've even cursed them already, because none of you are taking it to heart. Look! I'm rebuking your descendants because of you, and I'll spread waste on your faces, the waste of your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. read more.
"You will know that I sent this commandment to you in order to continue my covenant with Levi," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "My covenant with him was for life and peace, and I gave the commandments to him so he would fear me. He did fear me as he stood in my presence. True teachings were in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips. He walked with me peacefully and righteously, and he turned many from sin. For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he's the messenger of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.


Woe to this filthy, polluted, and oppressive city! It won't obey anyone. It won't accept discipline. It does not trust in the LORD. It does not approach God. Its national officials are roaring lions; its judges are like wolves of the night that don't leave the bones for the morning. read more.
Its prophets are arrogant and treacherous. Its priests have contaminated the sanctuary. They give perverse interpretations of the Law.

Now this commandment is for you priests: "If you don't listen, and if you don't choose to give honor to my name," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "then I'll curse both you and your blessings. I've even cursed them already, because none of you are taking it to heart. Look! I'm rebuking your descendants because of you, and I'll spread waste on your faces, the waste of your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. read more.
"You will know that I sent this commandment to you in order to continue my covenant with Levi," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "My covenant with him was for life and peace, and I gave the commandments to him so he would fear me. He did fear me as he stood in my presence. True teachings were in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips. He walked with me peacefully and righteously, and he turned many from sin. For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he's the messenger of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "But you priests turned aside from the way, and by your teaching you caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "So I also made you despised, humiliating you before all of the people, because you aren't following my ways and are showing partiality when you teach."


Don't be like a horse or mule, without understanding. They are held in check by a bit and bridle in their mouths; otherwise they will not remain near you.


They will not be like the rebellious generation of their ancestors, a rebellious generation, whose heart was not steadfast, and whose spirits were unfaithful to God.

"If you don't listen, and if you don't choose to give honor to my name," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "then I'll curse both you and your blessings. I've even cursed them already, because none of you are taking it to heart.

"Listen to me, you hard-hearted, you who are far removed from righteousness: