Obedience Commanded

4 Now, Israel, hear the decrees^(A) and laws I am about to teach^(B) you. Follow them so that you may live^(C) and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. ² Do not add^(D) to what I command you and do not subtract^(E) from it, but keep^(F) the commands^(G) of the Lord your God that I give you.

³ You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor.^(H) The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, ⁴ but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.

⁵ See, I have taught^(I) you decrees and laws^(J) as the Lord my God commanded^(K) me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering^(L) to take possession of it. ⁶ Observe^(M) them carefully, for this will show your wisdom^(N) and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”^{(O) 7} What other nation is so great^(P) as to have their gods near^(Q) them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? ⁸ And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws^(R) as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

⁹ Only be careful,^(S) and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach^(T) them to your children^(U) and to their children after them. ¹⁰ Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb,^(V) when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn^(W) to revere^(X) me as long as they live in the land^(Y) and may teach^(Z) them to their children.” ¹¹ You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain^(AA) while it blazed with fire^(AB) to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.^{(AC) 12} Then the Lord spoke^(AD) to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form;^(AE) there was only a voice.^{(AF) 13} He declared to you his covenant,^(AG) the Ten Commandments,^(AH) which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. ¹⁴ And the Lord directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws^(AI) you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem^(A)(B)

32 After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib^(C) king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. ² When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem,^{(D) 3} he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. ⁴ They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs^(E) and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings^[a] of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. ⁵ Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall^(F) and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces^[b](G) of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons^(H) and shields.

⁶ He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: ⁷ “Be strong and courageous.^(I) Do not be afraid or discouraged^(J) because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.^{(K) 8} With him is only the arm of flesh,^(L) but with us^(M) is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.”^(N) And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

⁹ Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish,^(O) he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:

¹⁶ Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. ¹⁷ The king also wrote letters^(W) ridiculing^(X) the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods^(Y) of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” ¹⁸ Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. ¹⁹ They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.^(Z)

1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa^(A)—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake,^(B) when Uzziah^(C) was king of Judah and Jeroboam^(D) son of Jehoash^[a] was king of Israel.^(E)

² He said:

Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors

³ This is what the Lord says:

⁶ This is what the Lord says:

⁹ This is what the Lord says:

¹¹ This is what the Lord says:

¹³ This is what the Lord says:

2 This is what the Lord says:

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am^(A) the light of the world.^(B) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”^(C)

¹³ The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”^(D)

¹⁴ Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.^(E) But you have no idea where I come from^(F) or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge by human standards;^(G) I pass judgment on no one.^{(H) 16} But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.^{(I) 17} In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.^{(J) 18} I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”^(K)

¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,”^(L) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”^{(M) 20} He spoke these words while teaching^(N) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.^(O) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.^(P)

⁶ If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,^[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith^(A) and of the good teaching that you have followed.^{(B) 7} Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales;^(C) rather, train yourself to be godly.^{(D) 8} For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,^(E) holding promise for both the present life^(F) and the life to come.^{(G) 9} This is a trustworthy saying^(H) that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God,^(I) who is the Savior of all people,^(J) and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things.^{(K) 12} Don’t let anyone look down on you^(L) because you are young, but set an example^(M) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith^(N) and in purity. ¹³ Until I come,^(O) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,^(P) to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy^(Q) when the body of elders^(R) laid their hands on you.^(S)

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save^(T) both yourself and your hearers.