The Plot to Kill Jesus

22 (A)Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called (B)the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes (C)were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.

Judas to Betray Jesus

(D)Then (E)Satan entered into (F)Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and (G)officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to (H)betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

The Passover with the Disciples

(I)Then came (J)the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus[a] sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11 and tell the master of the house, (K)‘The Teacher says to you, Where is (L)the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 And he will show you (M)a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 13 And they went and found it (N)just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

Institution of the Lord's Supper

14 (O)And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it[b] (P)until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and (Q)when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 (R)For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine (S)until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 (T)And he took bread, and (U)when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, (V)“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, (W)“This cup that is poured out for you is (X)the new (Y)covenant in my blood.[c] 21 (Z)But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is (AA)with me on the table. 22 For the Son of Man goes (AB)as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.

Who Is the Greatest?

24 (AC)A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 (AD)And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles (AE)exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 (AF)But not so with you. Rather, let (AG)the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For who is the greater, (AH)one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But (AI)I am among you as the one who serves.

28 “You are those who have stayed with me (AJ)in my trials, 29 and (AK)I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 (AL)that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and (AM)sit on thrones judging (AN)the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, (AO)Satan demanded to have you,[d] (AP)that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but (AQ)I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, (AR)strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter[e] said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both (AS)to prison and (AT)to death.” 34 (AU)Jesus[f] said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

Scripture Must Be Fulfilled in Jesus

35 And he said to them, (AV)“When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that (AW)this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: (AX)‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For (AY)what is written about me has its fulfillment.” 38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two (AZ)swords.” And he said to them, (BA)“It is enough.”

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

39 (BB)And he came out and went, (BC)as was his custom, to (BD)the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 (BE)And when he came to (BF)the place, he said to them, (BG)“Pray that you may not (BH)enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and (BI)knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, (BJ)“Father, if you are willing, remove (BK)this cup from me. (BL)Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him (BM)an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And (BN)being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.[g] 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and (BO)pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

47 (BP)While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called (BQ)Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike (BR)with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant[h] of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and (BS)officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53 When (BT)I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is (BU)your hour, and (BV)the power of darkness.”

Peter Denies Jesus

54 (BW)Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, (BX)and Peter was following at a distance. 55 (BY)And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of (BZ)the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another (CA)insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and (CB)looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, (CC)“Before the rooster crows today, you will (CD)deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

Jesus Is Mocked

63 (CE)Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. 64 (CF)They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, (CG)“Prophesy! (CH)Who is it that struck you?” 65 And they said many other things against him, (CI)blaspheming him.

Jesus Before the Council

66 (CJ)When day came, (CK)the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their (CL)council, and they (CM)said, 67 (CN)“If you are (CO)the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated (CP)at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you (CQ)the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, (CR)“You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 22:8 Greek he
  2. Luke 22:16 Some manuscripts never eat it again
  3. Luke 22:20 Some manuscripts omit, in whole or in part, verses 19b-20 (which is given… in my blood)
  4. Luke 22:31 The Greek word for you (twice in this verse) is plural; in verse 32, all four instances are singular
  5. Luke 22:33 Greek He
  6. Luke 22:34 Greek He
  7. Luke 22:44 Some manuscripts omit verses 43 and 44
  8. Luke 22:50 Or bondservant

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus(A)

22 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching,(B) and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus,(C) for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan(D) entered Judas, called Iscariot,(E) one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard(F) and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money.(G) He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

The Last Supper(H)(I)(J)(K)(L)

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.(M) Jesus sent Peter and John,(N) saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

“Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.

10 He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”

13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them.(O) So they prepared the Passover.

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles(P) reclined at the table.(Q) 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.(R) 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”(S)

17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it,(T) and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant(U) in my blood, which is poured out for you.[a] 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.(V) 22 The Son of Man(W) will go as it has been decreed.(X) But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.(Y) 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,(Z) and the one who rules like the one who serves.(AA) 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.(AB) 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom,(AC) just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom(AD) and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(AE)

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked(AF) to sift all of you as wheat.(AG) 32 But I have prayed for you,(AH) Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”(AI)

33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”(AJ)

34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals,(AK) did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they answered.

36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’[b];(AL) and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

38 The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”

“That’s enough!” he replied.

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives(AM)

39 Jesus went out as usual(AN) to the Mount of Olives,(AO) and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”(AP) 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down(AQ) and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup(AR) from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”(AS) 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.(AT) 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.[c]

45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”(AU)

Jesus Arrested(AV)

47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”(AW) 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard,(AX) and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts,(AY) and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour(AZ)—when darkness reigns.”(BA)

Peter Disowns Jesus(BB)

54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest.(BC) Peter followed at a distance.(BD) 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”

57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”(BE)

60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord(BF) turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”(BG) 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The Guards Mock Jesus(BH)

63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65 And they said many other insulting things to him.(BI)

Jesus Before Pilate and Herod(BJ)(BK)(BL)

66 At daybreak the council(BM) of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together,(BN) and Jesus was led before them. 67 “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer.(BO) 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”(BP)

70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”(BQ)

He replied, “You say that I am.”(BR)

71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 22:20 Some manuscripts do not have given for you … poured out for you.
  2. Luke 22:37 Isaiah 53:12
  3. Luke 22:44 Many early manuscripts do not have verses 43 and 44.

Seek the Lord and Live

Hear this word that I (A)take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel:

“Fallen, no more to rise,
    is (B)the virgin Israel;
forsaken on her land,
    with none to raise her up.”

For thus says the Lord God:

“The city that went out a thousand
    shall have a hundred left,
and that which went out a hundred
    shall have ten left
    to the house of Israel.”

For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel:

(C)“Seek me and live;
    but do not seek (D)Bethel,
and do not enter into (E)Gilgal
    or cross over to (F)Beersheba;
for (G)Gilgal shall surely go into exile,
    and (H)Bethel shall come to nothing.”

(I)Seek the Lord and live,
    (J)lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph,
    and it devour, with none to quench it for (K)Bethel,
O (L)you who turn justice to wormwood[a]
    and cast down righteousness to the earth!

He who made the (M)Pleiades and Orion,
    and turns deep darkness into the morning
    and (N)darkens the day into night,
who (O)calls for the waters of the sea
    (P)and pours them out on the surface of the earth,
(Q)the Lord is his name;
(R)who makes destruction flash forth against the strong,
    so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

10 (S)They hate him who reproves (T)in the gate,
    and they (U)abhor him who speaks the truth.
11 Therefore because you (V)trample on[b] the poor
    and you exact taxes of grain from him,
(W)you have built houses of hewn stone,
    but you shall not dwell in them;
(X)you have planted pleasant vineyards,
    but you shall not drink their wine.
12 For I know how many are your transgressions
    and how great are your sins—
you who afflict the righteous, who (Y)take a bribe,
    and (Z)turn aside the needy (AA)in the gate.
13 Therefore he who is prudent will (AB)keep silent in such a time,
    (AC)for it is an evil time.

14 (AD)Seek good, and not evil,
    that you may live;
and so the Lord, (AE)the God of hosts, will be with you,
    as you have said.
15 (AF)Hate evil, and love good,
    and establish justice (AG)in the gate;
(AH)it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
    will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

16 Therefore thus says the Lord, (AI)the God of hosts, the Lord:

“In all the squares (AJ)there shall be wailing,
    and in all the streets they shall say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
They shall call the farmers to mourning
    and (AK)to wailing those who are skilled in lamentation,
17 and in all vineyards there shall be wailing,
    for (AL)I will pass through your midst,”
says the Lord.

Let Justice Roll Down

18 Woe to you who desire (AM)the day of the Lord!
    Why would you have the day of the Lord?
(AN)It is darkness, and not light,
19     (AO)as if a man fled from a lion,
    and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
    and a serpent bit him.
20 (AP)Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,
    and gloom with no brightness in it?

21 (AQ)“I hate, I despise your feasts,
    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 (AR)Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
    I will not look upon them.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
    to (AS)the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

25 (AT)“Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 (AU)You (AV)shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves, 27 (AW)and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is (AX)the God of hosts.

Woe to Those at Ease in Zion

(AY)“Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,
    and to those who feel secure on (AZ)the mountain of Samaria,
(BA)the notable men of (BB)the first of the nations,
    to whom the house of Israel comes!
Pass over to (BC)Calneh, and see,
    and from there go to (BD)Hamath the great;
    then go down to (BE)Gath of the Philistines.
(BF)Are you better than these kingdoms?
    Or is their territory greater than your territory,
(BG)O you who put far away the day of disaster
    (BH)and bring near the seat of violence?

“Woe to those (BI)who lie on (BJ)beds of ivory
    (BK)and stretch themselves out on their couches,
and eat lambs from the flock
    (BL)and calves from the midst of the stall,
(BM)who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp
    and like David (BN)invent for themselves instruments of music,
(BO)who drink wine in bowls
    and (BP)anoint themselves with the finest oils,
    but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
(BQ)Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile,
    and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away.”

(BR)The Lord God has sworn by himself, declares the Lord, the God of hosts:

“I abhor (BS)the pride of Jacob
    and hate his strongholds,
    (BT)and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.”

And (BU)if ten men remain in one house, they shall die. 10 And when one's relative, (BV)the one who anoints him for burial, shall take him up to bring the bones out of the house, and shall say to him who is in the innermost parts of the house, “Is there still anyone with you?” he shall say, “No”; and he shall say, (BW)“Silence! We must not mention the name of the Lord.”

11 For behold, the Lord commands,
    and (BX)the great house shall be struck down into fragments,
    and the little house into bits.
12 Do horses run on rocks?
    Does one plow there[c] with oxen?
(BY)But you have turned justice into (BZ)poison
    (CA)and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood[d]
13 you who rejoice in Lo-debar,[e]
    who say, (CB)“Have we not by our own strength
    captured Karnaim[f] for ourselves?”
14 “For behold, (CC)I will raise up against you a nation,
    O house of Israel,” declares the Lord, the God of hosts;
“and they shall oppress you from (CD)Lebo-hamath
    to the Brook of (CE)the Arabah.”

Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:7 Or to bitter fruit
  2. Amos 5:11 Or you tax
  3. Amos 6:12 Or the sea
  4. Amos 6:12 Or into bitter fruit
  5. Amos 6:13 Lo-debar means nothing
  6. Amos 6:13 Karnaim means horns (a symbol of strength)

A Lament and Call to Repentance

Hear this word, Israel, this lament(A) I take up concerning you:

“Fallen is Virgin(B) Israel,
    never to rise again,
deserted in her own land,
    with no one to lift her up.(C)

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel:

“Your city that marches out a thousand strong
    will have only a hundred left;
your town that marches out a hundred strong
    will have only ten left.(D)

This is what the Lord says to Israel:

“Seek(E) me and live;(F)
    do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,(G)
    do not journey to Beersheba.(H)
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
    and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.[a](I)
Seek(J) the Lord and live,(K)
    or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;(L)
it will devour them,
    and Bethel(M) will have no one to quench it.(N)

There are those who turn justice into bitterness(O)
    and cast righteousness(P) to the ground.(Q)

He who made the Pleiades and Orion,(R)
    who turns midnight into dawn(S)
    and darkens day into night,(T)
who calls for the waters of the sea
    and pours them out over the face of the land—
    the Lord is his name.(U)
With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold
    and brings the fortified city to ruin.(V)

10 There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court(W)
    and detest the one who tells the truth.(X)

11 You levy a straw tax on the poor(Y)
    and impose a tax on their grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,(Z)
    you will not live in them;(AA)
though you have planted lush vineyards,
    you will not drink their wine.(AB)
12 For I know how many are your offenses
    and how great your sins.(AC)

There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes(AD)
    and deprive the poor(AE) of justice in the courts.(AF)
13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet(AG) in such times,
    for the times are evil.(AH)

14 Seek good, not evil,
    that you may live.(AI)
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
    just as you say he is.
15 Hate evil,(AJ) love good;(AK)
    maintain justice in the courts.(AL)
Perhaps(AM) the Lord God Almighty will have mercy(AN)
    on the remnant(AO) of Joseph.

16 Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord God Almighty, says:

“There will be wailing(AP) in all the streets(AQ)
    and cries of anguish in every public square.
The farmers(AR) will be summoned to weep
    and the mourners to wail.
17 There will be wailing(AS) in all the vineyards,
    for I will pass through(AT) your midst,”
says the Lord.(AU)

The Day of the Lord

18 Woe to you who long
    for the day of the Lord!(AV)
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?(AW)
    That day will be darkness,(AX) not light.(AY)
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
    only to meet a bear,(AZ)
as though he entered his house
    and rested his hand on the wall
    only to have a snake bite him.(BA)
20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness,(BB) not light—
    pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?(BC)

21 “I hate,(BD) I despise your religious festivals;(BE)
    your assemblies(BF) are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings(BG) and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.(BH)
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.(BI)
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.(BJ)
24 But let justice(BK) roll on like a river,
    righteousness(BL) like a never-failing stream!(BM)

25 “Did you bring me sacrifices(BN) and offerings
    forty years(BO) in the wilderness, people of Israel?
26 You have lifted up the shrine of your king,
    the pedestal of your idols,(BP)
    the star of your god[b]
    which you made for yourselves.
27 Therefore I will send you into exile(BQ) beyond Damascus,”
    says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty.(BR)

Woe to the Complacent

Woe to you(BS) who are complacent(BT) in Zion,
    and to you who feel secure(BU) on Mount Samaria,(BV)
you notable men of the foremost nation,
    to whom the people of Israel come!(BW)
Go to Kalneh(BX) and look at it;
    go from there to great Hamath,(BY)
    and then go down to Gath(BZ) in Philistia.
Are they better off than(CA) your two kingdoms?
    Is their land larger than yours?
You put off the day of disaster
    and bring near a reign of terror.(CB)
You lie on beds adorned with ivory
    and lounge on your couches.(CC)
You dine on choice lambs
    and fattened calves.(CD)
You strum away on your harps(CE) like David
    and improvise on musical instruments.(CF)
You drink wine(CG) by the bowlful
    and use the finest lotions,
    but you do not grieve(CH) over the ruin of Joseph.(CI)
Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile;(CJ)
    your feasting and lounging will end.(CK)

The Lord Abhors the Pride of Israel

The Sovereign Lord has sworn by himself(CL)—the Lord God Almighty declares:

“I abhor(CM) the pride of Jacob(CN)
    and detest his fortresses;(CO)
I will deliver up(CP) the city
    and everything in it.(CQ)

If ten(CR) people are left in one house, they too will die. 10 And if the relative who comes to carry the bodies out of the house to burn them[c](CS) asks anyone who might be hiding there, “Is anyone else with you?” and he says, “No,” then he will go on to say, “Hush!(CT) We must not mention the name of the Lord.”

11 For the Lord has given the command,
    and he will smash(CU) the great house(CV) into pieces
    and the small house into bits.(CW)

12 Do horses run on the rocky crags?
    Does one plow the sea[d] with oxen?
But you have turned justice into poison(CX)
    and the fruit of righteousness(CY) into bitterness(CZ)
13 you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar[e]
    and say, “Did we not take Karnaim[f] by our own strength?(DA)

14 For the Lord God Almighty declares,
    “I will stir up a nation(DB) against you, Israel,
that will oppress you all the way
    from Lebo Hamath(DC) to the valley of the Arabah.(DD)

Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:5 Hebrew aven, a reference to Beth Aven (a derogatory name for Bethel); see Hosea 4:15.
  2. Amos 5:26 Or lifted up Sakkuth your king / and Kaiwan your idols, / your star-gods; Septuagint lifted up the shrine of Molek / and the star of your god Rephan, / their idols
  3. Amos 6:10 Or to make a funeral fire in honor of the dead
  4. Amos 6:12 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text plow there
  5. Amos 6:13 Lo Debar means nothing.
  6. Amos 6:13 Karnaim means horns; horn here symbolizes strength.

Evil Under the Sun

(A)Again I (B)saw all (C)the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had (D)no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. And I (E)thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. But (F)better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is (G)vanity[a] and a striving after wind.

The fool (H)folds his hands and (I)eats his own flesh.

(J)Better is a handful of (K)quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.

(L)Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his (M)eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, (N)“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy (O)business.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, (P)but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 Better was (Q)a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how (R)to take advice. 14 For he went (S)from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that[b] youth who was to stand in the king's[c] place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is (T)vanity and a striving after wind.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 4:4 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 7, 8, 16 (see note on 1:2)
  2. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew the second
  3. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew his

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

Again I looked and saw all the oppression(A) that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed—
    and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
    and they have no comforter.(B)
And I declared that the dead,(C)
    who had already died,
are happier than the living,
    who are still alive.(D)
But better than both
    is the one who has never been born,(E)
who has not seen the evil
    that is done under the sun.(F)

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(G)

Fools fold their hands(H)
    and ruin themselves.
Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil(I)
    and chasing after the wind.

Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content(J) with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Advancement Is Meaningless

13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.