Add parallel Print Page Options

Social Evils Denounced

Woe to those who devise wickedness
    and evil deeds[a] on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
    because it is in their power.(A)
They covet fields and seize them,
    houses and take them away;
they oppress householder and house,
    people and their inheritance.(B)
Therefore thus says the Lord:
Now, I am devising against this family an evil
    from which you cannot remove your necks,
and you shall not walk arrogantly,
    for it will be an evil time.(C)
On that day they shall take up a taunt song against you
    and wail with bitter lamentation
and say, “We are utterly ruined;
    the Lord[b] alters the inheritance of my people;
how he removes it from me!
    Among our captors[c] he parcels out our fields.”(D)
Therefore you will have no one in the Lord’s assembly
    to allot you a piece of land.(E)

“Do not preach”—thus they preach—
    “one should not preach of such things;
    disgrace will not overtake us.”(F)
Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
    Is the Lord’s patience exhausted?
    Are these his doings?
Do not my words do good
    to one who walks uprightly?
But you rise up against my people[d] as an enemy;
    you strip the robe from the peaceful,[e]
from those who pass by trustingly
    with no thought of war.
The women of my people you drive out
    from their pleasant houses;
from their young children you take away
    my glory forever.
10 Arise and go,
    for this is no place to rest,
because of uncleanness that destroys
    with a violent destruction.(G)
11 If someone were to go about uttering empty falsehoods,
    saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”
    such a one would be the preacher for this people!(H)

A Promise for the Remnant of Israel

12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob;
    I will gather the survivors of Israel;
I will set them together
    like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in its pasture;
    it will resound with people.(I)
13 The one who breaks out will go up before them;
    they will break through and pass the gate,
    going out by it.
Their king will pass on before them,
    the Lord at their head.(J)

Footnotes

  1. 2.1 Cn: Heb work evil
  2. 2.4 Heb he
  3. 2.4 Cn: Heb the rebellious
  4. 2.8 Cn: Heb But yesterday my people rose
  5. 2.8 Cn: Heb from before a garment

Human Plans and God’s Plans

Woe to those who plan iniquity,
    to those who plot evil(A) on their beds!(B)
At morning’s light they carry it out
    because it is in their power to do it.
They covet fields(C) and seize them,(D)
    and houses, and take them.
They defraud(E) people of their homes,
    they rob them of their inheritance.(F)

Therefore, the Lord says:

“I am planning disaster(G) against this people,
    from which you cannot save yourselves.
You will no longer walk proudly,(H)
    for it will be a time of calamity.
In that day people will ridicule you;
    they will taunt you with this mournful song:
‘We are utterly ruined;(I)
    my people’s possession is divided up.(J)
He takes it from me!
    He assigns our fields to traitors.’”

Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord
    to divide the land(K) by lot.(L)

False Prophets

“Do not prophesy,” their prophets say.
    “Do not prophesy about these things;
    disgrace(M) will not overtake us.(N)
You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,
    “Does the Lord become[a] impatient?
    Does he do such things?”

“Do not my words do good(O)
    to the one whose ways are upright?(P)
Lately my people have risen up
    like an enemy.
You strip off the rich robe
    from those who pass by without a care,
    like men returning from battle.
You drive the women of my people
    from their pleasant homes.(Q)
You take away my blessing
    from their children forever.
10 Get up, go away!
    For this is not your resting place,(R)
because it is defiled,(S)
    it is ruined, beyond all remedy.
11 If a liar and deceiver(T) comes and says,
    ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’(U)
    that would be just the prophet for this people!(V)

Deliverance Promised

12 “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
    I will surely bring together the remnant(W) of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
    like a flock in its pasture;
    the place will throng with people.(X)
13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before(Y) them;
    they will break through the gate(Z) and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,
    the Lord at their head.”

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:7 Or Is the Spirit of the Lord

Would-Be Followers of Jesus

18 Now when Jesus saw great crowds[a] around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.(A) 19 A scribe then approached and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”(B)

Jesus Stills the Storm

23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 A windstorm suddenly arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves, but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a dead calm.(C) 27 They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

Jesus Heals Two Men

28 When he came to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes,[b] two men possessed by demons came out of the tombs and met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”(D) 30 Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. 31 The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And he said to them, “Go!” So they came out and entered the swine, and suddenly, the whole herd stampeded down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water. 33 The swineherds ran off, and, going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the men possessed by demons. 34 Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their region.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 8.18 Other ancient authorities read a crowd
  2. 8.28 Other ancient authorities read Gergesenes or Gerasenes

The Cost of Following Jesus(A)

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.(B) 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man(C) has no place to lay his head.”

21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me,(D) and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms the Storm(E)(F)

23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 He replied, “You of little faith,(G) why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.(H)

27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men(I)

28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,[a] two demon-possessed(J) men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 “What do you want with us,(K) Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”(L)

30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.(M)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 8:28 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; other manuscripts Gerasenes

Wicked Rulers and Prophets

And I said:
Listen, you heads of Jacob
    and rulers of the house of Israel!
Should you not know justice?—(A)
    you who hate the good and love the evil,
who tear the skin off my people[a]
    and the flesh off their bones,(B)
who eat the flesh of my people,
    flay their skin off them,
break their bones in pieces,
    and chop them up like meat[b] in a kettle,
    like flesh in a caldron.(C)

Then they will cry to the Lord,
    but he will not answer them;
he will hide his face from them at that time
    because they have acted wickedly.(D)

Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets
    who lead my people astray,
who cry “Peace”
    when they have something to eat
but declare war against those
    who put nothing into their mouths.(E)
Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision,
    and darkness to you, without revelation.
The sun shall go down upon the prophets,
    and the day shall be black over them;(F)
the seers shall be disgraced
    and the diviners put to shame;
they shall all cover their lips,
    for there is no answer from God.(G)
But as for me, I am filled with power,
    with the spirit of the Lord,
    and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression
    and to Israel his sin.(H)

Hear this, you rulers of the house of Jacob
    and chiefs of the house of Israel,
who abhor justice
    and pervert all equity,(I)
10 who build Zion with blood
    and Jerusalem with wrong!(J)
11 Its rulers give judgment for a bribe;
    its priests teach for a price;
    its prophets give oracles for money;
yet they lean upon the Lord and say,
    “Surely the Lord is with us!
    No harm shall come upon us.”(K)
12 Therefore because of you
    Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
    and the mountain of the temple a wooded height.(L)

Footnotes

  1. 3.2 Heb from them
  2. 3.3 Gk: Heb as

Leaders and Prophets Rebuked

Then I said,

“Listen, you leaders(A) of Jacob,
    you rulers of Israel.
Should you not embrace justice,
    you who hate good and love evil;
who tear the skin from my people
    and the flesh from their bones;(B)
who eat my people’s flesh,(C)
    strip off their skin
    and break their bones in pieces;(D)
who chop(E) them up like meat for the pan,
    like flesh for the pot?(F)

Then they will cry out to the Lord,
    but he will not answer them.(G)
At that time he will hide his face(H) from them
    because of the evil they have done.(I)

This is what the Lord says:

“As for the prophets
    who lead my people astray,(J)
they proclaim ‘peace’(K)
    if they have something to eat,
but prepare to wage war against anyone
    who refuses to feed them.
Therefore night will come over you, without visions,
    and darkness, without divination.(L)
The sun will set for the prophets,(M)
    and the day will go dark for them.(N)
The seers will be ashamed(O)
    and the diviners disgraced.(P)
They will all cover(Q) their faces(R)
    because there is no answer from God.(S)
But as for me, I am filled with power,
    with the Spirit of the Lord,
    and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression,
    to Israel his sin.(T)

Hear this, you leaders of Jacob,
    you rulers of Israel,
who despise justice
    and distort all that is right;(U)
10 who build(V) Zion with bloodshed,(W)
    and Jerusalem with wickedness.(X)
11 Her leaders judge for a bribe,(Y)
    her priests teach for a price,(Z)
    and her prophets tell fortunes for money.(AA)
Yet they look(AB) for the Lord’s support and say,
    “Is not the Lord among us?
    No disaster will come upon us.”(AC)
12 Therefore because of you,
    Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(AD)
    the temple(AE) hill a mound overgrown with thickets.(AF)

Request for Prayer

Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you,(A) and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.[a](B) And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command.(C) May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Warning against Idleness

Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother or sister living irresponsibly and not according to the tradition that they[b] received from us.(D) For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not irresponsible when we were with you,(E) and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you.(F) This was not because we do not have that right but in order to give you an example to imitate.(G) 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living irresponsibly, mere busybodies, not doing any work.(H) 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.(I) 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

14 Take note of those who do not obey what we say in this letter; have nothing to do with them, so that they may be ashamed.(J) 15 Do not regard them as enemies, but admonish them as brothers and sisters.

Final Greetings and Benediction

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you.

17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.[c]

Footnotes

  1. 3.3 Or from evil
  2. 3.6 Other ancient authorities read you
  3. 3.18 Other ancient authorities add Amen

Request for Prayer

As for other matters, brothers and sisters,(A) pray for us(B) that the message of the Lord(C) may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.(D) And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,(E) for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful,(F) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.(G) We have confidence(H) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts(I) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Warning Against Idleness

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,(J) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from(K) every believer who is idle and disruptive(L) and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us.(M) For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.(N) We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked(O) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,(P) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.(Q) 10 For even when we were with you,(R) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work(S) shall not eat.”

11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.(T) 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ(U) to settle down and earn the food they eat.(V) 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.(W)

14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them,(X) in order that they may feel ashamed.(Y) 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.(Z)

Final Greetings

16 Now may the Lord of peace(AA) himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.(AB)

17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand,(AC) which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or tradition