Paul's Ministry to the Thessalonians

For you yourselves know, brothers,[a] that our (A)coming to you (B)was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated (C)at Philippi, as you know, (D)we had boldness in our God (E)to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much (F)conflict. For (G)our appeal does not spring from (H)error or (I)impurity or (J)any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God (K)to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not (L)to please man, but to please God (M)who tests our hearts. (N)For we never came with words of flattery,[b] as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—(O)God is witness. (P)Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, (Q)though we could have made (R)demands as (S)apostles of Christ. But we were (T)gentle[c] among you, (U)like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God (V)but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, (W)our labor and toil: we (X)worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and (Y)God also, (Z)how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, (AA)like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and (AB)charged (AC)you to walk in a manner worthy of God, (AD)who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

13 And (AE)we also thank God constantly[d] for this, that when you received (AF)the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it (AG)not as the word of men[e] but as what it really is, the word of God, (AH)which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, (AI)became imitators of (AJ)the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For (AK)you suffered the same things from your own countrymen (AL)as they did from the Jews,[f] 15 (AM)who killed both the Lord Jesus and (AN)the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and (AO)oppose all mankind 16 (AP)by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always (AQ)to fill up the measure of their sins. But (AR)wrath has come upon them at last![g]

Paul's Longing to See Them Again

17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, (AS)in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire (AT)to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan (AU)hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or (AV)joy or crown of boasting (AW)before our Lord Jesus at his (AX)coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 9, 14, 17
  2. 1 Thessalonians 2:5 Or with a flattering speech
  3. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts infants
  4. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Or without ceasing
  5. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
  6. 1 Thessalonians 2:14 The Greek word Ioudaioi can refer to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed the Christian faith in that time
  7. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or completely, or forever

13 A wise son hears his father's instruction,
    but (A)a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
From the fruit of his mouth a man (B)eats what is good,
    but the desire of the treacherous (C)is for violence.
(D)Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
    (E)he who opens wide his lips (F)comes to ruin.
(G)The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
    while the soul of the diligent (H)is richly supplied.
The righteous hates falsehood,
    but the wicked brings shame[a] and disgrace.
(I)Righteousness guards him whose (J)way is blameless,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.
(K)One pretends to be rich,[b] yet has nothing;
    (L)another pretends to be poor,[c] yet has great wealth.
The ransom of a man's life is his wealth,
    but a poor man (M)hears no threat.
(N)The light of the righteous rejoices,
    but (O)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10 (P)By insolence comes nothing but strife,
    but with those who take advice is wisdom.
11 (Q)Wealth gained hastily[d] will dwindle,
    but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    (R)but a desire fulfilled is (S)a tree of life.
13 Whoever (T)despises (U)the word[e] brings destruction on himself,
    but he who reveres the commandment[f] will be (V)rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is (W)a fountain of life,
    that one may (X)turn away from the snares of death.
15 (Y)Good sense wins (Z)favor,
    but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.[g]
16 (AA)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
    (AB)but a fool flaunts his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
    but (AC)a faithful envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who (AD)ignores instruction,
    (AE)but whoever (AF)heeds reproof is honored.
19 (AG)A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
    but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 (AH)Disaster[h] pursues sinners,
    (AI)but the righteous are rewarded with good.
22 (AJ)A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,
    but (AK)the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
    but it is swept away through (AL)injustice.
24 (AM)Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
    but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.[i]
25 (AN)The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:5 Or stench
  2. Proverbs 13:7 Or One makes himself rich
  3. Proverbs 13:7 Or another makes himself poor
  4. Proverbs 13:11 Or by fraud
  5. Proverbs 13:13 Or a word
  6. Proverbs 13:13 Or a commandment
  7. Proverbs 13:15 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate); Hebrew is rugged, or is an enduring rut
  8. Proverbs 13:21 Or Evil
  9. Proverbs 13:24 Or who loves him disciplines him early

The Redemption of Israel

27 In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong (A)sword will punish (B)Leviathan the fleeing serpent, (C)Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay (D)the dragon that is in the sea.

In that day,
(E)“A pleasant vineyard,[a] (F)sing of it!
    I, the Lord, am its keeper;
    every moment I water it.
    Lest anyone punish it,
I keep it night and day;
    I have no wrath.
(G)Would that I had thorns and briers to battle!
    I would march against them,
    I would burn them up together.
Or let them lay hold of my protection,
    let them make peace with me,
    let them make peace with me.”

(H)In days to come[b] Jacob shall take root,
    Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots
    and fill the whole world with fruit.

(I)Has he struck them (J)as he struck those who struck them?
    Or have they been slain (K)as their slayers were slain?
(L)Measure by measure,[c] by exile you contended with them;
    (M)he removed them with his fierce breath[d] in the day of the east wind.
Therefore by this (N)the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for,
    and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:[e]
(O)when he makes all the stones of the altars
    like chalkstones crushed to pieces,
    no (P)Asherim or incense altars will remain standing.
10 (Q)For the fortified city is solitary,
    a habitation deserted and forsaken, like the wilderness;
there the calf grazes;
    there it lies down and strips its branches.
11 When its boughs are dry, they are broken;
    women come and make a fire of them.
(R)For this is a people without discernment;
    therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them;
    he who formed them will show them no favor.

12 In that day (S)from the river Euphrates[f] to the Brook of Egypt the Lord will thresh out the grain, and you will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel. 13 And in that day (T)a great trumpet will be blown, (U)and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt (V)will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.

Judgment on Ephraim and Jerusalem

28 Ah, the proud crown of (W)the drunkards of Ephraim,
    and the fading flower of its glorious beauty,
    which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine!
Behold, the Lord has (X)one who is mighty and strong;
    like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest,
like (Y)a storm of mighty, overflowing waters,
    he casts down to the earth with his hand.
(Z)The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim
    will be trodden underfoot;
(AA)and the fading flower of its glorious beauty,
    which is on the head of the rich valley,
will be like (AB)a first-ripe fig[g] before the summer:
    when someone sees it, he swallows it
    as soon as it is in his hand.

(AC)In that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory,[h]
    and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people,
and (AD)a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment,
    and (AE)strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

(AF)These also reel with wine
    and (AG)stagger with strong drink;
the priest and (AH)the prophet reel with strong drink,
    they are swallowed by[i] wine,
    they stagger with strong drink,
they reel in vision,
    they stumble in giving judgment.
For all tables are full of filthy vomit,
    with no space left.

(AI)“To whom will he teach knowledge,
    and to whom will he explain the message?
Those who are weaned from the milk,
    those taken from the breast?
10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
    line upon line, line upon line,
    here a little, there a little.”

11 (AJ)For by people of strange lips
    and with a foreign tongue
the Lord will speak to this people,
12     to whom he has said,
(AK)“This is rest;
    give rest to the weary;
and this is repose”;
    yet they would not hear.
13 And the word of the Lord will be to them
precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
    line upon line, line upon line,
    here a little, there a little,
(AL)that they may go, and fall backward,
    and be broken, and snared, and taken.

A Cornerstone in Zion

14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you (AM)scoffers,
    who rule this people in Jerusalem!
15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,
    and with Sheol we have an agreement,
when the (AN)overwhelming whip passes through
    it will not come to us,
for we have made (AO)lies our refuge,
    and in falsehood we have taken shelter”;
16 therefore thus says the Lord God,
(AP)“Behold, I am the one who has laid[j] as a foundation (AQ)in Zion,
    a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
    ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
17 And I will make justice (AR)the line,
    and righteousness (AS)the plumb line;
and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,
    and waters will overwhelm the shelter.”
18 Then (AT)your covenant with death will be annulled,
    and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through,
    you will be beaten down by it.
19 As often as it passes through it will take you;
    (AU)for morning by morning it will pass through,
    by day and by night;
and it will be (AV)sheer terror to understand the message.
20 For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on,
    and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in.
21 For the Lord will rise up (AW)as on Mount Perazim;
    (AX)as in the Valley of (AY)Gibeon he will be roused;
to do his deed—strange is his deed!
    and to work his work—alien is his work!
22 Now therefore do not (AZ)scoff,
    lest your bonds be made strong;
for I have heard (BA)a decree of destruction
    from the Lord God of hosts against the whole land.

23 Give ear, and hear my voice;
    give attention, and hear my speech.
24 Does he who plows for sowing plow continually?
    Does he continually open and harrow his ground?
25 (BB)When he has leveled its surface,
    does he not scatter dill, sow cumin,
and put in wheat in rows
    and barley in its proper place,
    and emmer[k] as the border?
26 (BC)For he is rightly instructed;
    his God teaches him.

27 Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge,
    nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin,
but dill is beaten out with a stick,
    and cumin with a rod.
28 Does one crush grain for bread?
    No, he does not thresh it forever;[l]
when he drives his cart wheel over it
    with his horses, he does not crush it.
29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts;
    he is (BD)wonderful in counsel
    and excellent in wisdom.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 27:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts A vineyard of wine
  2. Isaiah 27:6 Hebrew In those to come
  3. Isaiah 27:8 Or By driving her away; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  4. Isaiah 27:8 Or wind
  5. Isaiah 27:9 Septuagint and this is the blessing when I take away his sin
  6. Isaiah 27:12 Hebrew from the River
  7. Isaiah 28:4 Or fruit
  8. Isaiah 28:5 The Hebrew words for glory and hosts sound alike
  9. Isaiah 28:7 Or confused by
  10. Isaiah 28:16 Dead Sea Scroll I am laying
  11. Isaiah 28:25 A type of wheat
  12. Isaiah 28:28 Or Grain is crushed for bread; he will surely thresh it, but not forever

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