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28 They are a nation void of sense;
    there is no understanding in them.
29 If they were wise, they would understand this;
    they would discern what their end would be.(A)
30 How could one have routed a thousand
    and two put a myriad to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
    the Lord had given them up?(B)
31 Indeed, their rock is not like our Rock;
    our enemies are fools.[a](C)
32 Their vine comes from the vinestock of Sodom,
    from the vineyards of Gomorrah;
their grapes are grapes of poison;
    their clusters are bitter;
33 their wine is the poison of serpents,
    the cruel venom of asps.(D)

34 Is not this laid up in store with me,
    sealed up in my treasuries,(E)
35 for the day of vengeance[b] and recompense,
    for the time when their foot shall slip?
Because the day of their calamity is at hand;
    their doom comes swiftly.(F)

36 Indeed, the Lord will vindicate his people,
    have compassion on his servants,
when he sees that their power is gone,
    neither bond nor free remaining.(G)
37 Then he will say, ‘Where are their gods,
    the rock in which they took refuge,(H)
38 who ate the fat of their sacrifices
    and drank the wine of their libations?
Let them rise up and help you;
    let them be your protection!

39 See now that I, even I, am he;
    there is no god besides me.
I kill, and I make alive;
    I wound, and I heal;
    and no one can deliver from my hand.(I)
40 For I lift up my hand to heaven
    and swear, As I live forever,
41 when I whet my flashing sword
    and my hand takes hold on judgment,
I will take vengeance on my adversaries
    and will repay those who hate me.(J)
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
    and my sword shall devour flesh—
with the blood of the slain and the captives,
    from the long-haired enemy.’(K)

43 Praise, O heavens,[c] his people;
    worship him, all you gods![d]
For he will avenge the blood of his children[e]
    and take vengeance on his adversaries;
he will repay those who hate him[f]
    and cleanse the land for his people.”[g](L)

44 Moses came and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and Joshua[h] son of Nun. 45 When Moses had finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words that I am giving in witness against you today; give them as a command to your children, so that they may diligently observe all the words of this law.(M) 47 This is no trifling matter for you but rather your very life; through it you may live long in the land that you are crossing over the Jordan to possess.”(N)

Moses’s Death Foretold

48 On that very day the Lord addressed Moses as follows: 49 “Ascend this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab across from Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites for a possession;(O) 50 you shall die there on the mountain that you ascend and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his kin, 51 because both of you broke faith with me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, by failing to maintain my holiness among the Israelites.(P) 52 Although you may view the land from a distance, you shall not enter it, the land that I am giving to the Israelites.”(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. 32.31 Gk: Heb judges
  2. 32.35 Sam Gk: MT vengeance is mine
  3. 32.43 Q ms Gk: MT nations
  4. 32.43 Q ms Gk: MT lacks this line
  5. 32.43 Q ms Gk: MT his servants
  6. 32.43 Q ms Gk: MT lacks this line
  7. 32.43 Q ms Sam Gk Vg: MT his land his people
  8. 32.44 Sam Gk Syr Vg: MT Hoshea

28 They are a nation without sense,
    there is no discernment(A) in them.
29 If only they were wise and would understand this(B)
    and discern what their end will be!(C)
30 How could one man chase a thousand,
    or two put ten thousand to flight,(D)
unless their Rock had sold them,(E)
    unless the Lord had given them up?(F)
31 For their rock is not like our Rock,(G)
    as even our enemies concede.(H)
32 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom(I)
    and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison,(J)
    and their clusters with bitterness.(K)
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
    the deadly poison of cobras.(L)

34 “Have I not kept this in reserve
    and sealed it in my vaults?(M)
35 It is mine to avenge;(N) I will repay.(O)
    In due time their foot will slip;(P)
their day of disaster is near
    and their doom rushes upon them.(Q)

36 The Lord will vindicate his people(R)
    and relent(S) concerning his servants(T)
when he sees their strength is gone
    and no one is left, slave(U) or free.[a]
37 He will say: “Now where are their gods,
    the rock they took refuge in,(V)
38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices
    and drank the wine of their drink offerings?(W)
Let them rise up to help you!
    Let them give you shelter!

39 “See now that I myself am he!(X)
    There is no god besides me.(Y)
I put to death(Z) and I bring to life,(AA)
    I have wounded and I will heal,(AB)
    and no one can deliver out of my hand.(AC)
40 I lift my hand(AD) to heaven and solemnly swear:
    As surely as I live forever,(AE)
41 when I sharpen my flashing sword(AF)
    and my hand grasps it in judgment,
I will take vengeance(AG) on my adversaries
    and repay those who hate me.(AH)
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,(AI)
    while my sword devours flesh:(AJ)
the blood of the slain and the captives,
    the heads of the enemy leaders.”

43 Rejoice,(AK) you nations, with his people,[b][c]
    for he will avenge the blood of his servants;(AL)
he will take vengeance on his enemies(AM)
    and make atonement for his land and people.(AN)

44 Moses came with Joshua[d](AO) son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. 45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day,(AP) so that you may command(AQ) your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47 They are not just idle words for you—they are your life.(AR) By them you will live long(AS) in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Moses to Die on Mount Nebo

48 On that same day the Lord told Moses,(AT) 49 “Go up into the Abarim(AU) Range to Mount Nebo(AV) in Moab, across from Jericho,(AW) and view Canaan,(AX) the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. 50 There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die(AY) and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died(AZ) on Mount Hor(BA) and was gathered to his people. 51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh(BB) in the Desert of Zin(BC) and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.(BD) 52 Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance;(BE) you will not enter(BF) the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 32:36 Or and they are without a ruler or leader
  2. Deuteronomy 32:43 Or Make his people rejoice, you nations
  3. Deuteronomy 32:43 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint) people, / and let all the angels worship him, /
  4. Deuteronomy 32:44 Hebrew Hoshea, a variant of Joshua

Watchful Slaves

35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit;(A) 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them.(B) 38 If he comes during the middle of the night or near dawn and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he[a] would not have let his house be broken into.(C) 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”(D)

The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave

41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?(E) 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know and will cut him in pieces[b] and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master wanted but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating.(F) 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.(G)

Jesus the Cause of Division

49 “I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!(H) 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!(I) 52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided:

father against son
    and son against father,
mother against daughter
    and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
    and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”(J)

Interpreting the Time

54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,’ and so it happens.(K) 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens.(L) 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?(M)

Settling with Your Opponent

57 “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Thus when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to reach a settlement,[c] or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison.(N) 59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”(O)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.39 Other ancient authorities add would have watched and
  2. 12.46 Or cut him off
  3. 12.58 Gk settle with him

Watchfulness(A)(B)

35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.(C) Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.(D) 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief(E) was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready,(F) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

42 The Lord(G) answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.(H) He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.(I) 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.(J) From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Not Peace but Division(K)

49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism(L) to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!(M) 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”(N)

Interpreting the Times

54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.(O) 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?(P)

57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.(Q) 59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”(R)

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56 Yet they tested the Most High God
    and rebelled against him.
    They did not observe his decrees(A)
57 but turned away and were faithless like their ancestors;
    they twisted like a treacherous bow.(B)
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places;
    they moved him to jealousy with their idols.(C)
59 When God heard, he was full of wrath,
    and he utterly rejected Israel.
60 He abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh,
    the tent where he dwelt among mortals,(D)
61 and delivered his power to captivity,
    his glory to the hand of the foe.(E)
62 He gave his people to the sword
    and vented his wrath on his heritage.(F)
63 Fire devoured their young men,
    and their young women had no marriage song.(G)
64 Their priests fell by the sword,
    and their widows made no lamentation.(H)

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56 But they put God to the test
    and rebelled against the Most High;
    they did not keep his statutes.
57 Like their ancestors(A) they were disloyal and faithless,
    as unreliable as a faulty bow.(B)
58 They angered him(C) with their high places;(D)
    they aroused his jealousy with their idols.(E)
59 When God heard(F) them, he was furious;(G)
    he rejected Israel(H) completely.
60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,(I)
    the tent he had set up among humans.(J)
61 He sent the ark of his might(K) into captivity,(L)
    his splendor into the hands of the enemy.
62 He gave his people over to the sword;(M)
    he was furious with his inheritance.(N)
63 Fire consumed(O) their young men,
    and their young women had no wedding songs;(P)
64 their priests were put to the sword,(Q)
    and their widows could not weep.

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24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while the lazy will be put to forced labor.

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24 Diligent hands will rule,
    but laziness ends in forced labor.(A)

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