False Prophets Condemned

13 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets^(A) of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination:^(B) ‘Hear the word of the Lord!^{(C) 3} This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish^[a] prophets^(D) who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!^{(E) 4} Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. ⁵ You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair^(F) it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.^{(G) 6} Their visions are false^(H) and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent^(I) them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words.^{(J) 7} Have you not seen false visions^(K) and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken?

⁸ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you,^(L) declares the Sovereign Lord. ⁹ My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying^(M) divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records^(N) of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.^(O)

¹⁰ “‘Because they lead my people astray,^(P) saying, “Peace,”^(Q) when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,^{(R) 11} therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones^(S) hurtling down,^(T) and violent winds will burst forth.^{(U) 12} When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”

¹³ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones^(V) and torrents of rain^(W) will fall with destructive fury.^{(X) 14} I will tear down the wall^(Y) you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation^(Z) will be laid bare. When it^[b] falls,^(AA) you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. ¹⁵ So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, ¹⁶ those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AB)”’

¹ Paul, a prisoner^(A) of Christ Jesus, and Timothy^(B) our brother,^(C)

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker^(D)— ² also to Apphia our sister and Archippus^(E) our fellow soldier^(F)—and to the church that meets in your home:^(G)

³ Grace and peace to you^[a] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(H)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

⁴ I always thank my God^(I) as I remember you in my prayers,^{(J) 5} because I hear about your love for all his holy people^(K) and your faith in the Lord Jesus.^{(L) 6} I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. ⁷ Your love has given me great joy and encouragement,^(M) because you, brother, have refreshed^(N) the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

⁸ Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, ⁹ yet I prefer to appeal to you^(O) on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner^(P) of Christ Jesus— ¹⁰ that I appeal to you for my son^(Q) Onesimus,^[b](R) who became my son while I was in chains.^{(S) 11} Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

¹² I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. ¹³ I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains^(T) for the gospel. ¹⁴ But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced^(U) but would be voluntary. ¹⁵ Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— ¹⁶ no longer as a slave,^(V) but better than a slave, as a dear brother.^(W) He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

¹⁷ So if you consider me a partner,^(X) welcome him as you would welcome me. ¹⁸ If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.^{(Y) 19} I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand.^(Z) I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. ²⁰ I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh^(AA) my heart in Christ. ²¹ Confident^(AB) of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

²² And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be^(AC) restored to you in answer to your prayers.^(AD)

²³ Epaphras,^(AE) my fellow prisoner^(AF) in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. ²⁴ And so do Mark,^(AG) Aristarchus,^(AH) Demas^(AI) and Luke, my fellow workers.^(AJ)

²⁵ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.^(AK)

Idolaters Condemned

14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.^{(A) 2} Then the word of the Lord came to me: ³ “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts^(B) and put wicked stumbling blocks^(C) before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?^{(D) 4} Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. ⁵ I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted^(E) me for their idols.’^(F)

⁶ “Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent!^(G) Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!^(H)

⁷ “‘When any of the Israelites or any foreigner^(I) residing in Israel separate themselves from me and set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block^(J) before their faces and then go to a prophet to inquire^(K) of me, I the Lord will answer them myself. ⁸ I will set my face against^(L) them and make them an example^(M) and a byword.^(N) I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(O)

⁹ “‘And if the prophet^(P) is enticed^(Q) to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.^{(R) 10} They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. ¹¹ Then the people of Israel will no longer stray^(S) from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people,^(T) and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(U)’”

Jerusalem’s Judgment Inescapable

¹² The word of the Lord came to me: ¹³ “Son of man, if a country sins^(V) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply^(W) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,^{(X) 14} even if these three men—Noah,^(Y) Daniel^[a](Z) and Job^(AA)—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,^(AB) declares the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁵ “Or if I send wild beasts^(AC) through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,^{(AD) 16} as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.^(AE)

¹⁷ “Or if I bring a sword^(AF) against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,^{(AG) 18} as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

¹⁹ “Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath^(AH) on it through bloodshed,^(AI) killing its people and their animals,^{(AJ) 20} as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.^(AK)

²¹ “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments^(AL)—sword^(AM) and famine^(AN) and wild beasts and plague^(AO)—to kill its men and their animals!^{(AP) 22} Yet there will be some survivors^(AQ)—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it.^(AR) They will come to you, and when you see their conduct^(AS) and their actions, you will be consoled^(AT) regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. ²³ You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AU)”

Jesus Before Pilate^(A)

²⁸ Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor.^(B) By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace,^(C) because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.^{(D) 29} So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

³⁰ “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

³¹ Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. ³² This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.^(E)

³³ Pilate then went back inside the palace,^(F) summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”^(G)

³⁴ “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

³⁵ “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

³⁶ Jesus said, “My kingdom^(H) is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.^(I) But now my kingdom is from another place.”^(J)

³⁷ “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.^(K) Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”^(L)

³⁸ “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.^{(M) 39} But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

⁴⁰ They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.^(N)