מ Mem

97 Oh, how I love your law!(A)
    I meditate(B) on it all day long.
98 Your commands are always with me
    and make me wiser(C) than my enemies.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
    for I meditate on your statutes.(D)
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
    for I obey your precepts.(E)
101 I have kept my feet(F) from every evil path
    so that I might obey your word.(G)
102 I have not departed from your laws,(H)
    for you yourself have taught(I) me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey(J) to my mouth!(K)
104 I gain understanding(L) from your precepts;
    therefore I hate every wrong path.(M)

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97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

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16 Then the officials(A) and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death!(B) He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, 18 “Micah(C) of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“‘Zion(D) will be plowed like a field,
    Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(E)
    the temple hill(F) a mound overgrown with thickets.’[a](G)

19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah(H) fear the Lord and seek(I) his favor? And did not the Lord relent,(J) so that he did not bring the disaster(K) he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster(L) on ourselves!”

20 (Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim(M) was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim(N) and all his officers and officials(O) heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death.(P) But Uriah heard of it and fled(Q) in fear to Egypt. 22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan(R) son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword(S) and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)(T)

24 Furthermore, Ahikam(U) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12

16 Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.

17 Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,

18 Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the Lord, and besought the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

20 And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.

21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.

23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

24 Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

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Dealing With False Teachers

14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words;(A) it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.(B) 16 Avoid godless chatter,(C) because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus(D) and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place,(E) and they destroy the faith of some.(F) 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm,(G) sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”(H) and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord(I) must turn away from wickedness.”

20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.(J) 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.(K)

22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love(L) and peace, along with those who call on the Lord(M) out of a pure heart.(N) 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.(O) 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.(P) 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,(Q) 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil,(R) who has taken them captive to do his will.

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14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

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