Zechariah 9

New International Version

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

9 A prophecy:^(A)

The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak
    and will come to rest on Damascus^(B)—
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
    are on the Lord—^[a]
²and on Hamath^(C) too, which borders on it,
    and on Tyre^(D) and Sidon,^(E) though they are very skillful.
³Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
    she has heaped up silver like dust,
    and gold like the dirt of the streets.^(F)
⁴But the Lord will take away her possessions
    and destroy^(G) her power on the sea,
    and she will be consumed by fire.^(H)
⁵Ashkelon^(I) will see it and fear;
    Gaza will writhe in agony,
    and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.
Gaza will lose her king
    and Ashkelon will be deserted.
⁶A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
    and I will put an end^(J) to the pride of the Philistines.
⁷I will take the blood from their mouths,
    the forbidden food from between their teeth.
Those who are left will belong to our God^(K)
    and become a clan in Judah,
    and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.^(L)
⁸But I will encamp^(M) at my temple
    to guard it against marauding forces.^(N)
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
    for now I am keeping watch.^(O)

The Coming of Zion’s King

⁹Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!^(P)
    Shout,^(Q) Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,^(R)
    righteous and victorious,^(S)
lowly and riding on a donkey,^(T)
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.^(U)
¹⁰I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
    and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
    and the battle bow will be broken.^(V)
He will proclaim peace^(W) to the nations.
    His rule will extend from sea to sea
    and from the River^[b] to the ends of the earth.^(X)
¹¹As for you, because of the blood of my covenant^(Y) with you,
    I will free your prisoners^(Z) from the waterless pit.^(AA)
¹²Return to your fortress,^(AB) you prisoners of hope;
    even now I announce that I will restore twice^(AC) as much to you.
¹³I will bend Judah as I bend my bow^(AD)
    and fill it with Ephraim.^(AE)
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
    against your sons, Greece,^(AF)
    and make you like a warrior’s sword.^(AG)

The Lord Will Appear

¹⁴Then the Lord will appear over them;^(AH)
    his arrow will flash like lightning.^(AI)
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;^(AJ)
    he will march in the storms^(AK) of the south,
¹⁵    and the Lord Almighty will shield^(AL) them.
They will destroy
    and overcome with slingstones.^(AM)
They will drink and roar as with wine;^(AN)
    they will be full like a bowl^(AO)
    used for sprinkling^[c] the corners^(AP) of the altar.
¹⁶The Lord their God will save his people on that day^(AQ)
    as a shepherd saves his flock.
They will sparkle in his land
    like jewels in a crown.^(AR)
¹⁷How attractive and beautiful they will be!
    Grain will make the young men thrive,
    and new wine the young women.

Footnotes

Zechariah 9:1 Or Damascus. / For the eye of the Lord is on all people, / as well as on the tribes of Israel,
Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
Zechariah 9:15 Or bowl, / like

Proverbs 30:7-14

New International Version

⁷“Two things I ask of you, Lord;
    do not refuse me before I die:
⁸Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.^(A)
⁹Otherwise, I may have too much and disown^(B) you
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’^(C)
Or I may become poor and steal,
    and so dishonor the name of my God.^(D)

¹⁰“Do not slander a servant to their master,
or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.

¹¹“There are those who curse their fathers
    and do not bless their mothers;^(E)
¹²those who are pure in their own eyes^(F)
    and yet are not cleansed of their filth;^(G)
¹³those whose eyes are ever so haughty,^(H)
    whose glances are so disdainful;
¹⁴those whose teeth^(I) are swords
    and whose jaws are set with knives^(J)
to devour^(K) the poor^(L) from the earth
    and the needy from among mankind.^(M)

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2 Timothy 2

New International Version

The Appeal Renewed

2 You then, my son,^(A) be strong^(B) in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things you have heard me say^(C) in the presence of many witnesses^(D) entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. ³Join with me in suffering,^(E) like a good soldier^(F) of Christ Jesus. ⁴No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. ⁵Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown^(G) except by competing according to the rules. ⁶The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.^(H) ⁷Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

⁸Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,^(I) descended from David.^(J) This is my gospel,^(K) ⁹for which I am suffering^(L) even to the point of being chained^(M) like a criminal. But God’s word^(N) is not chained. ¹⁰Therefore I endure everything^(O) for the sake of the elect,^(P) that they too may obtain the salvation^(Q) that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.^(R)

¹¹Here is a trustworthy saying:^(S)

If we died with him,
    we will also live with him;^(T)
¹²if we endure,
    we will also reign with him.^(U)
If we disown him,
    he will also disown us;^(V)
¹³if we are faithless,
    he remains faithful,^(W)
    for he cannot disown himself.

Dealing With False Teachers

¹⁴Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words;^(X) it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵Do 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.^(Y) ¹⁶Avoid godless chatter,^(Z) because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus^(AA) and Philetus, ¹⁸who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place,^(AB) and they destroy the faith of some.^(AC) ¹⁹Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm,^(AD) sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”^(AE) and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord^(AF) must turn away from wickedness.”

²⁰In 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.^(AG) ²¹Those 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.^(AH)

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