⁷ For I solemnly warned your fathers when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, ^(A)warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, ^(B)Obey my voice.

¹⁵ The Lord, the God of their fathers, ^(A)sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.

The New Life

¹⁷ Now this I say and ^(A)testify in the Lord, ^(B)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, ^(C)in the futility of their minds.

⁹ Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them ^(A)and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”

²¹ Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; ^(A)do not rebel against him, ^(B)for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

²² “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then ^(C)I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

²⁶ saying, ^(A)“If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the ^(B)diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, ^(C)your healer.”

¹² Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.^[a]

¹⁵ I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them ^(A)persistently, saying, ^(B)‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and ^(C)do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.’ ^(D)But you did not incline your ear or listen to me.

^4 (A)You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the Lord ^(B)persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets,

⁴ that I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, ^(A)from the iron furnace, saying, ^(B)Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. ^(C)So shall you be my people, and I will be your God,