Amos 5:18-27
English Standard Version
Let Justice Roll Down
18 Woe to you who desire (A)the day of the Lord!
Why would you have the day of the Lord?
(B)It is darkness, and not light,
19 (C)as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
20 (D)Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 (E)“I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 (F)Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to (G)the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 (H)“Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 (I)You (J)shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves, 27 (K)and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is (L)the God of hosts.
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Amos 5:18-27
The Message
Time to Face Hard Reality, Not Fantasy
18-20 Woe to all of you who want God’s Judgment Day!
Why would you want to see God, want him to come?
When God comes, it will be bad news before it’s good news,
the worst of times, not the best of times.
Here’s what it’s like: A man runs from a lion
right into the jaws of a bear.
A woman goes home after a hard day’s work
and is raped by a neighbor.
At God’s coming we face hard reality, not fantasy—
a black cloud with no silver lining.
21-24 “I can’t stand your religious meetings.
I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
That’s what I want. That’s all I want.
25-27 “Didn’t you, dear family of Israel, worship me faithfully for forty years in the wilderness, bringing the sacrifices and offerings I commanded? How is it you’ve stooped to dragging gimcrack statues of your so-called rulers around, hauling the cheap images of all your star-gods here and there? Since you like them so much, you can take them with you when I drive you into exile beyond Damascus.” God’s Message, God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
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Psalm 85:1-3
The Message
85 1-3 God, you smiled on your good earth!
You brought good times back to Jacob!
You lifted the cloud of guilt from your people,
you put their sins far out of sight.
You took back your sin-provoked threats,
you cooled your hot, righteous anger.
Psalm 85:8-13
English Standard Version
8 (A)Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will (B)speak peace to his people, to his (C)saints;
but let them not (D)turn back to (E)folly.
9 Surely his (F)salvation is near to those who fear him,
that (G)glory may dwell in our land.
10 (H)Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
(I)righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, (J)the Lord will give what is good,
and our land (K)will yield its increase.
13 (L)Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way.
Psalm 85:8-13
The Message
8-9 I can’t wait to hear what he’ll say.
God’s about to pronounce his people well,
The holy people he loves so much,
so they’ll never again live like fools.
See how close his salvation is to those who fear him?
Our country is home base for Glory!
10-13 Love and Truth meet in the street,
Right Living and Whole Living embrace and kiss!
Truth sprouts green from the ground,
Right Living pours down from the skies!
Oh yes! God gives Goodness and Beauty;
our land responds with Bounty and Blessing.
Right Living strides out before him,
and clears a path for his passage.
Jude 17-25
English Standard Version
A Call to Persevere
17 But you must (A)remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They[a] said to you, (B)“In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, (C)devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, (D)building yourselves up in your most holy faith and (E)praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 (F)keep yourselves in the love of God, (G)waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by (H)snatching them out of (I)the fire; to others show mercy (J)with fear, hating even (K)the garment[b] stained by the flesh.
Doxology
24 (L)Now to him who is able (M)to keep you from stumbling and (N)to present you (O)blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to (P)the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, (Q)be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time[c] and now and forever. Amen.
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Jude 17-25
The Message
17-19 But remember, dear friends, that the apostles of our Master, Jesus Christ, told us this would happen: “In the last days there will be people who don’t take these things seriously anymore. They’ll treat them like a joke, and make a religion of their own whims and lusts.” These are the ones who split churches, thinking only of themselves. There’s nothing to them, no sign of the Spirit!
* * *
20-21 But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!
22-23 Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.
24-25 And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes.
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Matthew 22:15-22
English Standard Version
Paying Taxes to Caesar
15 (A)Then the Pharisees went and plotted how (B)to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent (C)their disciples to him, along with (D)the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, (E)we know that you are true and teach (F)the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for (G)you are not swayed by appearances.[a] 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay (H)taxes to (I)Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why (J)put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.[b] 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, (K)“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they (L)left him and went away.
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- Matthew 22:16 Greek for you do not look at people's faces
- Matthew 22:19 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
Matthew 22:15-22
The Message
Paying Taxes
15-17 That’s when the Pharisees plotted a way to trap him into saying something damaging. They sent their disciples, with a few of Herod’s followers mixed in, to ask, “Teacher, we know you have integrity, teach the way of God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion, and don’t pander to your students. So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
18-19 Jesus knew they were up to no good. He said, “Why are you playing these games with me? Why are you trying to trap me? Do you have a coin? Let me see it.” They handed him a silver piece.
20 “This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?”
21 They said, “Caesar.”
“Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his.”
22 The Pharisees were speechless. They went off shaking their heads.
Read full chapterThe Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson