Micah 3:5-12

English Standard Version

⁵Thus says the Lord concerning ^(A)the prophets
    who lead my people astray,
^(B)who cry “Peace”
    when they have something to eat,
but declare war against him
    who puts nothing into their mouths.
⁶Therefore ^(C)it shall be night to you, without vision,
    and darkness to you, without divination.
^(D)The sun shall go down on the prophets,
    and the day shall be black over them;
⁷^(E)the seers shall be disgraced,
    and the diviners put to shame;
^(F)they shall all cover their lips,
    for ^(G)there is no answer from God.
⁸But as for me, ^(H)I am filled with power,
    with the Spirit of the Lord,
    and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob ^(I)his transgression
    and to Israel his sin.

⁹^(J)Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob
    and rulers of the house of Israel,
^(K)who detest justice
    and make crooked all that is straight,
¹⁰^(L)who build Zion with blood
    and Jerusalem with iniquity.
¹¹^(M)Its heads give judgment for a bribe;
    ^(N)its priests teach for a price;
    ^(O)its prophets practice divination for money;
^(P)yet they lean on the Lord and ^(Q)say,
    “Is not the Lord in the midst of us?
    ^(R)No disaster shall come upon us.”
¹²Therefore because of you
    ^(S)Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem ^(T)shall become a heap of ruins,
    and ^(U)the mountain of the house ^(V)a wooded height.

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1 Thessalonians 2:9-20

English Standard Version

⁹For you remember, brothers, ^(A)our labor and toil: we ^(B)worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰You are witnesses, and ^(C)God also, ^(D)how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. ¹¹For you know how, ^(E)like a father with his children, ¹²we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and ^(F)charged ^(G)you to walk in a manner worthy of God, ^(H)who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

¹³And ^(I)we also thank God constantly^[a] for this, that when you received ^(J)the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it ^(K)not as the word of men^[b] but as what it really is, the word of God, ^(L)which is at work in you believers. ¹⁴For you, brothers, ^(M)became imitators of ^(N)the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For ^(O)you suffered the same things from your own countrymen ^(P)as they did from the Jews,^[c] ¹⁵^(Q)who killed both the Lord Jesus and ^(R)the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and ^(S)oppose all mankind ¹⁶^(T)by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always ^(U)to fill up the measure of their sins. But ^(V)wrath has come upon them at last!^[d]

Paul's Longing to See Them Again

¹⁷But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, ^(W)in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire ^(X)to see you face to face, ¹⁸because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan ^(Y)hindered us. ¹⁹For what is our hope or ^(Z)joy or crown of boasting ^(AA)before our Lord Jesus at his ^(AB)coming? Is it not you? ²⁰For you are our glory and joy.

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Footnotes

1 Thessalonians 2:13 Or without ceasing
1 Thessalonians 2:13 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
1 Thessalonians 2:14 The Greek word Ioudaioi can refer to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed the Christian faith in that time
1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or completely, or forever

Matthew 23:1-12

English Standard Version

Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees

23 Then Jesus ^(A)said to the crowds and to his disciples, ²^(B)“The scribes and the Pharisees ^(C)sit on Moses' seat, ³so do and observe whatever they tell you, ^(D)but not the works they do. ^(E)For they preach, but do not practice. ⁴^(F)They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,^[a] and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. ⁵^(G)They do all their deeds ^(H)to be seen by others. For they make ^(I)their phylacteries broad and ^(J)their fringes long, ⁶and they ^(K)love the place of honor at feasts and ^(L)the best seats in the synagogues ⁷and ^(M)greetings in ^(N)the marketplaces and being called ^(O)rabbi^[b] by others. ⁸^(P)But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are ^(Q)all brothers.^[c] ⁹^(R)And call no man your father on earth, for ^(S)you have one Father, who is in heaven. ¹⁰Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, ^(T)the Christ. ¹¹^(U)The greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹²^(V)Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.