Jephthah

⁶ Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.^(A) They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths,^(B) and the gods of Aram,^(C) the gods of Sidon,^(D) the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites^(E) and the gods of the Philistines.^(F) And because the Israelites forsook the Lord^(G) and no longer served him,

Jesus at the Temple^(A)

¹² Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying^(B) and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers^(C) and the benches of those selling doves.^{(D) 13} “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’^[a](E) but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’^[b]”^(F)

¹⁵ On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷ And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’^[a]?^(A) But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[b]”^(B)

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts^(A)

¹³ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,^(B) Jesus went up to Jerusalem.^{(C) 14} In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves,^(D) and others sitting at tables exchanging money.^{(E) 15} So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. ¹⁶ To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house^(F) into a market!” ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”^[a](G)

⁴ The weapons we fight with^(A) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power^(B) to demolish strongholds.^(C)

³ If anyone teaches otherwise^(A) and does not agree to the sound instruction^(B) of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴ they are conceited^(C) and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words^(D) that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵ and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth^(E) and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets^(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.^(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord^(C) who bought them^(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct^(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. ³ In their greed^(F) these teachers will exploit you^(G) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

To the Church in Sardis

3 “To the angel^[a] of the church in Sardis^(A) write: