13 When Ephraim spoke,(A) there was trembling;
he was exalted in Israel.(B)
But he incurred guilt through Baal(C) and died.

Now they continue to sin
and make themselves a cast image,(D)
idols skillfully made from their silver,(E)
all of them the work of craftsmen.(F)
People say about them,
“Let the men who sacrifice[a] kiss the calves.”(G)
Therefore, they will be like the morning mist,(H)
like the early dew that vanishes,
like chaff blown from a threshing floor,(I)
or like smoke from a window.(J)

Death and Resurrection

I have been the Lord your God(K)
ever since[b] the land of Egypt;
you know no God but me,(L)
and no Savior exists besides me.(M)
I knew[c] you in the wilderness,(N)
in the land of drought.
When they had pasture,
they became satisfied;(O)
they were satisfied,
and their hearts became proud.(P)
Therefore they forgot me.(Q)
So I will be like a lion(R) to them;
I will lurk like a leopard(S) on the path.
I will attack them
like a bear robbed of her cubs
and tear open the rib cage over their hearts.
I will devour them there like a lioness,(T)
like a wild beast that would rip them open.
I will destroy you, Israel;
you have no help but me.[d](U)

10 Where now is your king,[e](V)
that he may save you in all your cities,
and the[f] rulers[g](W) you demanded, saying,
“Give me a king and leaders”?
11 I give you a king in my anger(X)
and take away a king in my wrath.(Y)
12 Ephraim’s guilt is preserved;
his sin is stored up.(Z)
13 Labor pains come on him.(AA)
He is not a wise son;(AB)
when the time comes,
he will not be born.[h](AC)

14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol.
I will redeem[i] them from death.(AD)
Death, where are your barbs?
Sheol, where is your sting?(AE)
Compassion is hidden from my eyes.(AF)

The Coming Judgment

15 Although he flourishes among his brothers,[j](AG)
an east wind will come,(AH)
a wind from the Lord rising up from the desert.
His water source will fail,
and his spring will run dry.(AI)
The wind[k] will plunder the treasury(AJ)
of every precious item.

16 Samaria(AK) will bear her guilt(AL)
because she has rebelled against her God.(AM)
They will fall by the sword;(AN)
their children will be dashed to pieces,(AO)
and their pregnant women ripped open.(AP)

A Plea to Repent

14 Israel, return to the Lord your God,(AQ)
for you have stumbled in your iniquity.(AR)
Take words of repentance with you(AS)
and return to the Lord.
Say to him, “Forgive all our iniquity
and accept what is good,
so that we may repay you
with praise[l] from our[m] lips.(AT)
Assyria will not save us,(AU)
we will not ride on horses,(AV)
and we will no longer proclaim, ‘Our gods!’ (AW)
to the work of our hands.(AX)
For the fatherless receives compassion in you.”(AY)

A Promise of Restoration

I will heal their apostasy;(AZ)
I will freely love them,(BA)
for my anger will have turned from him.(BB)
I will be like the dew to Israel;(BC)
he will blossom like the lily(BD)
and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.(BE)
His new branches will spread,
and his splendor will be like the olive tree,(BF)
his fragrance, like the forest of Lebanon.(BG)
The people will return and live beneath his shade.(BH)
They will grow grain(BI)
and blossom like the vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

Ephraim, why should I[n] have anything more
to do with idols?(BJ)
It is I who answer and watch over him.
I am like a flourishing pine tree;(BK)
your fruit comes from me.(BL)

Let whoever is wise(BM) understand these things,
and whoever is insightful recognize them.
For the ways of the Lord are right,(BN)
and the righteous walk in them,(BO)
but the rebellious stumble in them.(BP)

Footnotes

  1. 13:2 Or “Those who make human sacrifices
  2. 13:4 DSS, LXX read God who brought you out of
  3. 13:5 LXX, Syr read fed
  4. 13:9 LXX reads At your destruction, Israel, who will help you?
  5. 13:10 LXX, Syr, Vg; MT reads I will be your king
  6. 13:10 Lit your
  7. 13:10 Or judges
  8. 13:13 Lit he will not present himself at the opening of the womb for sons
  9. 13:14 Or Should I ransom...? Should I redeem...?
  10. 13:15 Or among reeds
  11. 13:15 Probably the Assyrian king
  12. 14:2 LXX reads with the fruit
  13. 14:2 Lit repay the bulls of our
  14. 14:8 LXX reads he

Greeting

Simeon[a] Peter,(A) a servant and an apostle(B) of Jesus Christ:

To those who have received a faith equal to ours through the righteousness(C) of our God and Savior(D) Jesus Christ.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God(E) and of Jesus our Lord.

Growth in the Faith

His[b] divine power(F) has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge(G) of him who called(H) us by[c] his own glory and goodness. By these he has given us very great and precious promises,(I) so that through them you may share in the divine nature,(J) escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control,(K) self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection,(L) and brotherly affection with love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless(M) or unfruitful(N) in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election,(O) because if you do these things you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom(P) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

12 Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth(Q) you now have. 13 I think it is right, as long as I am in this bodily tent,(R) to wake you up with a reminder, 14 since I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me.(S) 15 And I will also make every effort so that you are able to recall these things at any time after my departure.[d]

The Trustworthy Prophetic Word

16 For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;(T) instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.(U) 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying “This is my beloved Son,[e] with whom I am well-pleased!” (V) 18 We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.(W) 19 We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place,(X) until the day dawns(Y) and the morning star(Z) rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man;(AA) instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Other mss read Simon
  2. 1:3 Lit As his
  3. 1:3 Or to
  4. 1:15 Or death
  5. 1:17 Or my Son, my beloved

the sun to rule by day,
His faithful love endures forever.
the moon and stars to rule by night.(A)
His faithful love endures forever.
10 He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians(B)
His faithful love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
His faithful love endures forever.
12 with a strong hand and outstretched arm.(C)
His faithful love endures forever.
13 He divided the Red Sea(D)
His faithful love endures forever.
14 and led Israel through,(E)
His faithful love endures forever.

Read full chapter

19 A servant cannot be disciplined by words;
though he understands, he doesn’t respond.(A)

20 Do you see someone who speaks too soon?(B)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.(C)

21 A servant pampered from his youth
will become arrogant[a] later on.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 29:21 Hb obscure

Bible Gateway Recommends

CSB Military Bible, Burgundy LeatherTouch for Marines
CSB Military Bible, Burgundy LeatherTouch for Marines
Retail: $24.99
Our Price: $14.29
Save: $10.70 (43%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars
CSB Thinline Bible--LeatherTouch, charcoal
CSB Thinline Bible--LeatherTouch, charcoal
Retail: $24.99
Our Price: $11.43
Save: $13.56 (54%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
CSB Apologetics Study Bible, Hardcover
CSB Apologetics Study Bible, Hardcover
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $22.86
Save: $17.13 (43%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars
CSB Church Bible (Value Pew Bible) Black
CSB Church Bible (Value Pew Bible) Black
Retail: $12.99
Our Price: $5.15
Save: $7.84 (60%)
CSB Essential Teen Study Bible, Weathered Gray Cork LeatherTouch
CSB Essential Teen Study Bible, Weathered Gray Cork LeatherTouch
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $22.86
Save: $17.13 (43%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars
CSB Pocket New Testament with Psalms, Black Paperback
CSB Pocket New Testament with Psalms, Black Paperback
Retail: $2.99
Our Price: $1.72
Save: $1.27 (42%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars