(A)Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
(B)But such as keep the law contend with them.

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Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
    but those who heed it resist them.

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32 who, (A)knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things (B)are deserving of death, not only do the same but also (C)approve of those who practice them.

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32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,(A) they not only continue to do these very things but also approve(B) of those who practice them.

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11 And have (A)no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather [a]expose them.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:11 reprove

11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,(A) but rather expose them.

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Because John had said to him, (A)“It is not lawful for you to have her.”

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for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”(A)

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But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, (A)“Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from (B)the wrath to come?

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But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!(A) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(B)

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18 Though while he lives (A)he blesses himself
(For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),

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18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(A)
    and people praise you when you prosper—

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18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, (A)in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.

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18 “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you(A) and your father’s family have. You have abandoned(B) the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals.

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Contend for the Faith

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you (A)concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting (B)you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

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The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People

Dear friends,(A) although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,(B) I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend(C) for the faith(D) that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.(E)

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(A)They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and (B)the world hears them.

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They are from the world(A) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

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Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that (A)Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

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This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem(A) to see the apostles and elders(B) about this question.

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For the wicked (A)boasts of his heart’s desire;
[a]He (B)blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 10:3 Or The greedy man curses and spurns the Lord

He boasts(A) about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.(B)

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17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? 18 (A)Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19 So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it (B)began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. (C)Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of [a]wares [b]lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 13:20 merchandise
  2. Nehemiah 13:20 spent the night

17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city?(A) Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”(B)

19 When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath,(C) I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem.

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After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, (A)“Each of you is [a]exacting usury from his brother.” So I [b]called a great assembly against them. And I said to them, “According to our ability we have (B)redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?”

Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk (C)in the fear of our God (D)because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this [c]usury! 11 Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.”

12 So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.”

Then I called the priests, (E)and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. 13 Then (F)I shook out [d]the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.”

And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. (G)Then the people did according to this promise.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 5:7 charging interest
  2. Nehemiah 5:7 Lit. held
  3. Nehemiah 5:10 interest
  4. Nehemiah 5:13 Lit. my lap

I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!”(A) So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have bought(B) back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.(C)

So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach(D) of our Gentile enemies? 10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!(E) 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest(F) you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”

12 “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”

Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath(G) to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook(H) out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”

At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,”(I) and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

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