Trusting in Lying Words^(A)

7 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, ^2 (B)“Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the Lord!’ ” ³ Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ^(C)“Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. ^4 (D)Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.’

⁵ “For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly ^(E)execute ^[a]judgment between a man and his neighbor, ⁶ if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, ^(F)or walk after other gods to your hurt, ^7 (G)then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in ^(H)the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.

⁸ “Behold, you trust in ^(I)lying words that cannot profit. ^9 (J)Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and ^(K)walk after other gods whom you do not know, ^10 (L)and then come and stand before Me in this house ^(M)which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? ¹¹ Has ^(N)this house, which is called by My name, become a ^(O)den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.

¹² “But go now to ^(P)My place which was in Shiloh, ^(Q)where I set My name at the first, and see ^(R)what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. ¹³ And now, because you have done all these works,” says the Lord, “and I spoke to you, ^(S)rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I ^(T)called you, but you did not answer, ¹⁴ therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to ^(U)Shiloh. ¹⁵ And I will cast you out of My sight, ^(V)as I have cast out all your brethren—^(W)the whole posterity of Ephraim.

¹⁶ “Therefore ^(X)do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; ^(Y)for I will not hear you.

Jerusalem, Holy City of the Future

8 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, ² “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

³ “Thus says the Lord:

⁴ “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

⁶ “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

⁷ “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

⁹ “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

^11 (R)But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts.

¹⁴ “For thus says the Lord of hosts:

Murder Begins in the Heart^(A)

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those ^[a]of old, ^(B)‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that ^(C)whoever is angry with his brother ^[b]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ^(D)‘Raca!’^[c] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ^[d]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of ^[e]hell fire. ²³ Therefore ^(E)if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ^24 (F)leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ^25 (G)Agree with your adversary quickly, ^(H)while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Adultery in the Heart

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said ^[f]to those of old, ^(I)‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that whoever ^(J)looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ^29 (K)If your right eye causes you to ^[g]sin, ^(L)pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to ^[h]sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Marriage Is Sacred and Binding^(M)

³¹ “Furthermore it has been said, ^(N)‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³² But I say to you that ^(O)whoever divorces his wife for any reason except ^[i]sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Jesus Forbids Oaths

³³ “Again you have heard that ^(P)it was said to those of ^[j]old, ^(Q)‘You shall not swear falsely, but ^(R)shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, ^(S)do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is ^(T)God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of ^(U)the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ^37 (V)But let ^[k]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Go the Second Mile^(W)

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ^(X)‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ^39 (Y)But I tell you not to resist an evil person. ^(Z)But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹ And whoever ^(AA)compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks you, and ^(AB)from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Love Your Enemies^(AC)

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ^(AD)‘You shall love your neighbor ^(AE)and hate your enemy.’ ^44 [l]But I say to you, ^(AF)love your enemies, bless those who curse you, ^(AG)do good to those who hate you, and pray ^(AH)for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for ^(AI)He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ^46 (AJ)For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your ^[m]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the ^[n]tax collectors do so? ^48 (AK)Therefore you shall be perfect, just ^(AL)as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Bear and Share Burdens

6 Brethren, if a man is ^[a]overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of ^(A)gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ^2 (B)Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill ^(C)the law of Christ. ³ For ^(D)if anyone thinks himself to be something, when ^(E)he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But ^(F)let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and ^(G)not in another. ⁵ For ^(H)each one shall bear his own load.

Be Generous and Do Good

^6 (I)Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for ^(J)whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap ^(K)everlasting life. ⁹ And ^(L)let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap ^(M)if we do not lose heart. ^10 (N)Therefore, as we have opportunity, ^(O)let us do good to all, ^(P)especially to those who are of the household of faith.