^6 (A)Utterly^[a] slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but ^(B)do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and ^(C)begin at My sanctuary.” ^(D)So they began with the elders who were before the ^[b]temple.

⁴ They were commanded ^(A)not to harm ^(B)the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have ^(C)the seal of God on their foreheads.

^23 (A)For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the ^(B)blood on the ^[a]lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and ^(C)not allow ^(D)the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.

¹⁹ Nevertheless ^(A)the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord ^(B)knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of ^[a]Christ depart from iniquity.”

³ saying, ^(A)“Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God ^(B)on their foreheads.”

²⁹ For behold, ^(A)I begin to bring calamity on the city ^(B)which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for ^(C)I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,” says the Lord of hosts.’

⁴⁷ And ^(A)that servant who ^(B)knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

^17 (A)Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who ^(B)killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand.

¹⁷ For the time has come ^(A)for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, ^(B)what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ Now