Persecutions Are Coming^(A)

^16 (B)“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. ^(C)Therefore be wise as serpents and ^(D)harmless^[a] as doves.

³⁶ and ^(A)‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

⁶ “And you, son of man, ^(A)do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though ^(B)briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; ^(C)do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, ^(D)though they are a rebellious house.

³⁰ Then Saul’s anger was aroused against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? ³¹ For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he ^[a]shall surely die.”

³² And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, ^(A)“Why should he be killed? What has he done?” ³³ Then Saul ^(B)cast a spear at him to ^[b]kill him, ^(C)by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.

³ For ^(A)we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.