² One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early;^(A) the other basket had very bad^(B) figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

Israel’s Misery

Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.^(A)

¹² “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table^(A) is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food^(B) is contemptible.’ ¹³ And you say, ‘What a burden!’^(C) and you sniff at it contemptuously,^(D)” says the Lord Almighty.

“When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices,^(E) should I accept them from your hands?”^(F) says the Lord. ¹⁴ “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal^(G) to the Lord. For I am a great king,^(H)” says the Lord Almighty,^(I) “and my name is to be feared^(J) among the nations.^(K)

² “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine^(A) different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? ³ Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful?^(B) Do they make pegs^(C) from it to hang things on? ⁴ And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything?^{(D) 5} If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?