Seek(A) the Lord and live,(B)
    or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;(C)
it will devour them,
    and Bethel(D) will have no one to quench it.(E)

There are those who turn justice into bitterness(F)
    and cast righteousness(G) to the ground.(H)

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Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.

Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

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10 There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court(A)
    and detest the one who tells the truth.(B)

11 You levy a straw tax on the poor(C)
    and impose a tax on their grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,(D)
    you will not live in them;(E)
though you have planted lush vineyards,
    you will not drink their wine.(F)
12 For I know how many are your offenses
    and how great your sins.(G)

There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes(H)
    and deprive the poor(I) of justice in the courts.(J)
13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet(K) in such times,
    for the times are evil.(L)

14 Seek good, not evil,
    that you may live.(M)
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
    just as you say he is.
15 Hate evil,(N) love good;(O)
    maintain justice in the courts.(P)
Perhaps(Q) the Lord God Almighty will have mercy(R)
    on the remnant(S) of Joseph.

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10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

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12 Teach us to number our days,(A)
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.(B)

13 Relent, Lord! How long(C) will it be?
    Have compassion on your servants.(D)
14 Satisfy(E) us in the morning with your unfailing love,(F)
    that we may sing for joy(G) and be glad all our days.(H)
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
    your splendor to their children.(I)

17 May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
    establish the work of our hands for us—
    yes, establish the work of our hands.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90:17 Or beauty

12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

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12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.(A) 13 But encourage one another daily,(B) as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.(C) 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold(D) our original conviction firmly to the very end.(E) 15 As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts
    as you did in the rebellion.”[a](F)

16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?(G) 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness?(H) 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest(I) if not to those who disobeyed?(J) 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 3:15 Psalm 95:7,8

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

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The Rich and the Kingdom of God(A)

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees(B) before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”(C)

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[a](D)

20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,(E) and you will have treasure in heaven.(F) Then come, follow me.”(G)

22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20

17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

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