Hearts like Flint

In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is (A)Chislev. Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and [a]their men to [b](B)seek the favor of the Lord, speaking to the (C)priests who belong to the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the (D)fifth month [c]and abstain, as I have done these many years?” Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, “Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months [d]these (E)seventy years, was it actually for (F)Me that you fasted? When you eat and drink, [e]do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves? Are not these the words which the Lord (G)proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and [f](H)prosperous along with its cities around it, and the [g](I)Negev and the [h]foothills were inhabited?’”

Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah saying, “Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘(J)Dispense true justice and practice (K)kindness and compassion each to his brother; 10 and (L)do not oppress the widow or the [i]orphan, the [j]stranger or the poor; and do (M)not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’ 11 But they (N)refused to pay attention and [k](O)turned a stubborn shoulder and [l](P)stopped their ears from hearing. 12 They made their (Q)hearts like [m](R)flint [n]so that they could not hear the law and the (S)words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the (T)former prophets; therefore great (U)wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 And just as (V)He called and they would not listen, so (W)they called and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts; 14 “but I [o](X)scattered them with a (Y)storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is (Z)desolated behind them [p]so that (AA)no one went back and forth, for they (AB)made the pleasant land desolate.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 7:2 Lit his
  2. Zechariah 7:2 Lit soften the face of
  3. Zechariah 7:3 Lit abstaining; or dedicating myself
  4. Zechariah 7:5 Lit and these
  5. Zechariah 7:6 Lit is it not you who eat and you who drink
  6. Zechariah 7:7 Or at ease
  7. Zechariah 7:7 I.e. South country
  8. Zechariah 7:7 Heb Shephelah
  9. Zechariah 7:10 Or fatherless
  10. Zechariah 7:10 Or resident alien
  11. Zechariah 7:11 Lit gave
  12. Zechariah 7:11 Lit made heavy
  13. Zechariah 7:12 Lit corundum
  14. Zechariah 7:12 Lit from hearing
  15. Zechariah 7:14 Lit stormed them away upon all
  16. Zechariah 7:14 Lit from passing and from returning

Justice and Mercy, Not Fasting

In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah(A) on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev.(B) The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat(C) the Lord(D) by asking the priests of the house of the Lord Almighty and the prophets, “Should I mourn(E) and fast in the fifth(F) month, as I have done for so many years?”

Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me: “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted(G) and mourned in the fifth and seventh(H) months for the past seventy years,(I) was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?(J) Are these not the words the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets(K) when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest(L) and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills(M) were settled?’”(N)

And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice;(O) show mercy and compassion to one another.(P) 10 Do not oppress the widow(Q) or the fatherless, the foreigner(R) or the poor.(S) Do not plot evil against each other.’(T)

11 “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly(U) they turned their backs(V) and covered their ears.(W) 12 They made their hearts as hard as flint(X) and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets.(Y) So the Lord Almighty was very angry.(Z)

13 “‘When I called, they did not listen;(AA) so when they called, I would not listen,’(AB) says the Lord Almighty.(AC) 14 ‘I scattered(AD) them with a whirlwind(AE) among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land they left behind them was so desolate that no one traveled through it.(AF) This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.(AG)’”

22 An (A)angry man stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
23 A man’s (B)pride will bring him low,
But a (C)humble spirit will obtain honor.
24 He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
He (D)hears the oath but tells nothing.
25 The (E)fear of man [a]brings a snare,
But he who (F)trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
26 (G)Many seek the ruler’s [b]favor,
But (H)justice for man comes from the Lord.
27 An (I)unjust man is abominable to the righteous,
And he who is (J)upright in the way is abominable to the wicked.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:25 Lit gives
  2. Proverbs 29:26 Lit face

22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
    and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.(A)

23 Pride brings a person low,(B)
    but the lowly in spirit gain honor.(C)

24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
    they are put under oath and dare not testify.(D)

25 Fear(E) of man will prove to be a snare,
    but whoever trusts in the Lord(F) is kept safe.(G)

26 Many seek an audience with a ruler,(H)
    but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.(I)

27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
    the wicked detest the upright.(J)

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The Changeless Christ

13 Let (A)love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to (B)show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have (C)entertained angels without knowing it. (D)Remember (E)the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body. (F)Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; (G)for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Make sure that your character is (H)free from the love of money, (I)being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “(J)I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say,

(K)The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”

Remember (L)those who led you, who spoke (M)the word of God to you; and considering the [a]result of their conduct, (N)imitate their faith. (O)Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (P)Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to (Q)be strengthened by grace, not by (R)foods, (S)through which those who [b]were so occupied were not benefited. 10 We have an altar (T)from which those (U)who serve the [c]tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For (V)the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, (W)that He might sanctify the people (X)through His own blood, suffered (Y)outside the gate. 13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, (Z)bearing His reproach. 14 For here (AA)we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking (AB)the city which is to come.

God-pleasing Sacrifices

15 (AC)Through Him then, let us continually offer up a (AD)sacrifice of praise to God, that is, (AE)the fruit of lips that [d]give thanks to His name. 16 And do not neglect doing good and (AF)sharing, for (AG)with such sacrifices God is pleased.

17 (AH)Obey your leaders and submit to them, for (AI)they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. [e]Let them do this with joy and not [f]with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

18 (AJ)Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a (AK)good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. 19 And I urge you all the more to do this, (AL)so that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Benediction

20 Now (AM)the God of peace, who (AN)brought up from the dead the (AO)great Shepherd of the sheep [g]through (AP)the blood of the (AQ)eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 (AR)equip you in every good thing to do His will, (AS)working in us that (AT)which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, (AU)to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

22 But (AV)I urge you, (AW)brethren, [h]bear with [i]this (AX)word of exhortation, for (AY)I have written to you briefly. 23 [j]Take notice that (AZ)our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. 24 Greet (BA)all of your leaders and all the [k](BB)saints. Those from (BC)Italy greet you.

25 (BD)Grace be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 13:7 Or end of their life
  2. Hebrews 13:9 Lit walked
  3. Hebrews 13:10 Or sacred tent
  4. Hebrews 13:15 Lit confess
  5. Hebrews 13:17 Lit in order that they may do this
  6. Hebrews 13:17 Lit groaning
  7. Hebrews 13:20 Lit in
  8. Hebrews 13:22 Or listen to
  9. Hebrews 13:22 Lit the
  10. Hebrews 13:23 Lit Know
  11. Hebrews 13:24 Or holy ones

Concluding Exhortations

13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.(A) Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers,(B) for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.(C) Continue to remember those in prison(D) as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Marriage should be honored by all,(E) and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.(F) Keep your lives free from the love of money(G) and be content with what you have,(H) because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.”[a](I)

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?”[b](J)

Remember your leaders,(K) who spoke the word of God(L) to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate(M) their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.(N)

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.(O) It is good for our hearts to be strengthened(P) by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods,(Q) which is of no benefit to those who do so.(R) 10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle(S) have no right to eat.(T)

11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering,(U) but the bodies are burned outside the camp.(V) 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate(W) to make the people holy(X) through his own blood.(Y) 13 Let us, then, go to him(Z) outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.(AA) 14 For here we do not have an enduring city,(AB) but we are looking for the city that is to come.(AC)

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice(AD) of praise—the fruit of lips(AE) that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others,(AF) for with such sacrifices(AG) God is pleased.

17 Have confidence in your leaders(AH) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you(AI) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

18 Pray for us.(AJ) We are sure that we have a clear conscience(AK) and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.(AL)

Benediction and Final Greetings

20 Now may the God of peace,(AM) who through the blood of the eternal covenant(AN) brought back from the dead(AO) our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,(AP) 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will,(AQ) and may he work in us(AR) what is pleasing to him,(AS) through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.(AT)

22 Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly.(AU)

23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy(AV) has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

24 Greet all your leaders(AW) and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy(AX) send you their greetings.

25 Grace be with you all.(AY)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 13:5 Deut. 31:6
  2. Hebrews 13:6 Psalm 118:6,7