¹⁷ When the lookout^(A) standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, he called out, “I see some troops coming.”

“Get a horseman,” Joram ordered. “Send him to meet them and ask, ‘Do you come in peace?^(B)’”

⁴ Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,^(A) the elders of the town trembled^(B) when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?^(C)”

²⁶ Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.^{(A) 27} For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.^{(B) 28} Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock^(C) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.^(D) Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a](E) which he bought^(F) with his own blood.^{[b](G) 29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves^(H) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.^{(I) 30} Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(J) after them. ³¹ So be on your guard! Remember that for three years^(K) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.^(L)

⁵ “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ ⁶ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.

² “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword^(A) against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,^{(B) 3} and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet^(C) to warn the people, ⁴ then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning^(D) and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head.^{(E) 5} Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head.^(F) If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves.^{(G) 6} But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’^(H)

⁷ “Son of man, I have made you a watchman^(I) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.^{(J) 8} When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,^(K)’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for^[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.^{(L) 9} But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so,^(M) they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.^(N)