Witnesses Summoned Against Israel

3 Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the Lord has spoken against you^(A)—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:^(B)

¹¹ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹² This is what the Lord says:

¹³ “Hear this and testify^(Y) against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.

Giving to the Needy

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.^(A) If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.^(B)

Prayer^(C)

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing^(D) in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,^(E) who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling^(F) like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.^{(G) 8} Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need^(H) before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.^{(P) 15} But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.^(Q)

Fasting

¹⁶ “When you fast,^(R) do not look somber^(S) as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.^(T)

Israel Has Not Returned to God

Believers Who Have Died

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed^(A) about those who sleep in death,^(B) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.^{(C) 14} For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,^(D) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.^{(E) 15} According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,^(F) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(G) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(H) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(I) and with the trumpet call of God,^(J) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(K) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(L) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(M) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(N) forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another^(O) with these words.

The Day of the Lord

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates^(P) we do not need to write to you,^{(Q) 2} for you know very well that the day of the Lord^(R) will come like a thief in the night.^{(S) 3} While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”^(T) destruction will come on them suddenly,^(U) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.^(V)

⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness^(W) so that this day should surprise you like a thief.^{(X) 5} You are all children of the light^(Y) and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶ So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep,^(Z) but let us be awake^(AA) and sober.^{(AB) 7} For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.^{(AC) 8} But since we belong to the day,^(AD) let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate,^(AE) and the hope of salvation^(AF) as a helmet.^{(AG) 9} For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath^(AH) but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(AI) 10} He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.^{(AJ) 11} Therefore encourage one another^(AK) and build each other up,^(AL) just as in fact you are doing.