The Lord's Relentless Judgment on Israel

13 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;
    (A)he was exalted in Israel,
    but he incurred guilt (B)through Baal and died.
And now they sin more and more,
    and (C)make for themselves metal images,
idols skillfully made of their silver,
    (D)all of them the work of craftsmen.
It is said of them,
    “Those who offer human sacrifice (E)kiss calves!”
Therefore they shall be (F)like the morning mist
    or (G)like the dew that goes early away,
(H)like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor
    or (I)like smoke from a window.

But (J)I am the Lord your God
    from the land of Egypt;
(K)you know no God but me,
    and (L)besides me there is no savior.
(M)It was I who knew you in the wilderness,
    in the land of drought;
(N)but when they had grazed,[a] they became full,
    (O)they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;
    (P)therefore they forgot me.
So (Q)I am to them like a lion;
    (R)like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.
I will fall upon them (S)like a bear robbed of her cubs;
    I will tear open their breast,
and there I will devour them like a lion,
    (T)as a wild beast would rip them open.

He destroys[b] you, O Israel,
    for you are against me, against (U)your helper.
10 (V)Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?
    Where are all your rulers—
those of whom (W)you said,
    “Give me a king and princes”?
11 (X)I gave you a king in my anger,
    and (Y)I took him away in my wrath.

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is (Z)bound up;
    his sin is (AA)kept in store.
13 (AB)The pangs of childbirth come for him,
    but he is an unwise son,
for at the right time he does not present himself
    (AC)at the opening of the womb.

14 (AD)I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol;
    (AE)I shall redeem them from Death.[c]
(AF)O (AG)Death, where are your plagues?
    (AH)O (AI)Sheol, where is your sting?
    (AJ)Compassion is hidden from my eyes.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 13:6 Hebrew according to their pasture
  2. Hosea 13:9 Or I will destroy
  3. Hosea 13:14 Or Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death?

The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

13 When Ephraim spoke, people trembled;(A)
    he was exalted(B) in Israel.
    But he became guilty of Baal worship(C) and died.
Now they sin more and more;
    they make(D) idols for themselves from their silver,(E)
cleverly fashioned images,
    all of them the work of craftsmen.(F)
It is said of these people,
    “They offer human sacrifices!
    They kiss[a](G) calf-idols!(H)
Therefore they will be like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears,(I)
    like chaff(J) swirling from a threshing floor,(K)
    like smoke(L) escaping through a window.

“But I have been the Lord your God
    ever since you came out of Egypt.(M)
You shall acknowledge(N) no God but me,(O)
    no Savior(P) except me.
I cared for you in the wilderness,(Q)
    in the land of burning heat.
When I fed them, they were satisfied;
    when they were satisfied, they became proud;(R)
    then they forgot(S) me.(T)
So I will be like a lion(U) to them,
    like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
Like a bear robbed of her cubs,(V)
    I will attack them and rip them open;
like a lion(W) I will devour them—
    a wild animal will tear them apart.(X)

“You are destroyed, Israel,
    because you are against me,(Y) against your helper.(Z)
10 Where is your king,(AA) that he may save you?
    Where are your rulers in all your towns,
of whom you said,
    ‘Give me a king and princes’?(AB)
11 So in my anger I gave you a king,(AC)
    and in my wrath I took him away.(AD)
12 The guilt of Ephraim is stored up,
    his sins are kept on record.(AE)
13 Pains as of a woman in childbirth(AF) come to him,
    but he is a child without wisdom;
when the time(AG) arrives,
    he doesn’t have the sense to come out of the womb.(AH)

14 “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;(AI)
    I will redeem them from death.(AJ)
Where, O death, are your plagues?
    Where, O grave, is your destruction?(AK)

“I will have no compassion,

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 13:2 Or “Men who sacrifice / kiss

The Parable of the Sower

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house (A)and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, (B)so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And (C)he told them many things in parables, saying: (D)“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but (E)when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, (F)they withered away. Other seeds fell among (G)thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some (H)a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (I)He who has ears,[a] let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, (J)“To you it has been given to know (K)the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 (L)For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, (M)even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because (N)seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, (O)nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

(P)“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
    and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people's heart has grown dull,
    and with their ears (Q)they can barely hear,
    and (R)their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
and (S)understand with their heart
    and (T)turn, and I would heal them.’

16 But (U)blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 (V)For truly, I say to you, (W)many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

18 (X)“Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of (Y)the kingdom and (Z)does not understand it, (AA)the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately (AB)receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but (AC)endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately (AD)he falls away.[b] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but (AE)the cares of (AF)the world and (AG)the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and (AH)understands it. He indeed (AI)bears fruit and yields, in one case (AJ)a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:9 Some manuscripts add here and in verse 43 to hear
  2. Matthew 13:21 Or stumbles

The Parable of the Sower(A)(B)(C)

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house(D) and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat(E) and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred,(F) sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”(G)

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven(H) has been given to you,(I) but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.(J) 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.(K)

14 In them is fulfilled(L) the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a](M)

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.(N) 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see(O) but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom(P) and does not understand it, the evil one(Q) comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.(R) 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth(S) choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”(T)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)

A Plea to Return to the Lord

14 (A)Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
    for (B)you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
Take with you words
    and return to the Lord;
say to him,
    “Take away all iniquity;
accept (C)what is good,
    and we will pay with bulls
    (D)the vows[a] of our lips.
(E)Assyria shall not save us;
    (F)we will not ride on horses;
and (G)we will say no more, ‘Our God,’
    to the work of our hands.
(H)In you the orphan finds mercy.”

I (I)will heal their apostasy;
    (J)I will love them freely,
    for my anger has turned from them.
(K)I will be like the dew to Israel;
    (L)he shall blossom like the lily;
    he shall take root like the trees (M)of Lebanon;
his shoots shall spread out;
    his beauty shall be (N)like the olive,
    and his fragrance like Lebanon.
They shall return and (O)dwell beneath my[b] shadow;
    they shall flourish like the grain;
they shall blossom like the vine;
    their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

O (P)Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?
    It is I who answer and look after you.[c]
I am like an evergreen cypress;
    (Q)from me comes your fruit.

(R)Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
    whoever is discerning, let him know them;
for the ways of the Lord are right,
    and (S)the upright walk in them,
    (T)but transgressors stumble in them.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:2 Septuagint, Syriac pay the fruit
  2. Hosea 14:7 Hebrew his
  3. Hosea 14:8 Hebrew him

Repentance to Bring Blessing

14 [a]Return,(A) Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins(B) have been your downfall!(C)
Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    “Forgive(D) all our sins
and receive us graciously,(E)
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.[b](F)
Assyria cannot save us;(G)
    we will not mount warhorses.(H)
We will never again say ‘Our gods’(I)
    to what our own hands have made,(J)
    for in you the fatherless(K) find compassion.”

“I will heal(L) their waywardness(M)
    and love them freely,(N)
    for my anger has turned away(O) from them.
I will be like the dew(P) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.(Q)
Like a cedar of Lebanon(R)
    he will send down his roots;(S)
    his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,(T)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.(U)
People will dwell again in his shade;(V)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom(W) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine(X) of Lebanon.(Y)
Ephraim, what more have I[c] to do with idols?(Z)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;(AA)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

Who is wise?(AB) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.(AC)
The ways of the Lord are right;(AD)
    the righteous walk(AE) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.
  2. Hosea 14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
  3. Hosea 14:8 Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim

26 For consider your calling, brothers: (A)not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[a] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But (B)God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; (C)God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even (D)things that are not, to (E)bring to nothing things that are, 29 so (F)that no human being[b] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him[c] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us (G)wisdom from God, (H)righteousness and (I)sanctification and (J)redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, (K)“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Proclaiming Christ Crucified

And I, when I came to you, brothers,[d] (L)did not come proclaiming to you (M)the testimony[e] of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except (N)Jesus Christ and him crucified. And (O)I was with you (P)in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of (Q)the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men[f] but (R)in the power of God.

Wisdom from the Spirit

Yet among (S)the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not (T)a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, (U)who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, (V)which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of (W)the rulers of this age understood this, for (X)if they had, they would not have crucified (Y)the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

(Z)“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has (AA)prepared (AB)for those who love him”—

10 these things (AC)God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even (AD)the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts (AE)except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now (AF)we have received not (AG)the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this (AH)in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, (AI)interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.[g]

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are (AJ)folly to him, and (AK)he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The (AL)spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 (AM)“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But (AN)we have the mind of Christ.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Greek according to the flesh
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:29 Greek no flesh
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Greek And from him
  4. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Or brothers and sisters
  5. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts mystery (or secret)
  6. 1 Corinthians 2:5 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
  7. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or interpreting spiritual truths in spiritual language, or comparing spiritual things with spiritual

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.(A) Not many of you were wise(B) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose(C) the foolish(D) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not(E)—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.(F) 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,(G) who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,(H) holiness(I) and redemption.(J) 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[a](K)

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom(L) as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[b] For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.(M) I came to you(N) in weakness(O) with great fear and trembling.(P) My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,(Q) but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,(R) so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.(S)

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,(T) but not the wisdom of this age(U) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.(V) No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery(W) that has been hidden(X) and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age(Y) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.(Z) However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[c]
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—(AA)

10 these are the things God has revealed(AB) to us by his Spirit.(AC)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts(AD) except their own spirit(AE) within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit(AF) of the world,(AG) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom(AH) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[d] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God(AI) but considers them foolishness,(AJ) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit(AK) makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”[e](AL)

But we have the mind of Christ.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:31 Jer. 9:24
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts proclaimed to you God’s mystery
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isaiah 64:4
  4. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual
  5. 1 Corinthians 2:16 Isaiah 40:13