Book Two

Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?

To the choirmaster. A Maskil^[a] of ^(A)the Sons of Korah.

Send Out Your Light and Your Truth

The Coming Assyrian Invasion

8 Then the Lord said to me, “Take a large tablet ^(A)and write on it in common characters,^[a] ‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.’^{[b] 2} And ^(B)I will get reliable witnesses, ^(C)Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me.”

³ And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, ^(D)“Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz; ^4 (E)for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the ^(F)wealth of ^(G)Damascus and the spoil of ^(H)Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

⁵ The Lord spoke to me again: ⁶ “Because this people has refused the waters of ^(I)Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over ^(J)Rezin and the son of Remaliah, ⁷ therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them ^(K)the waters of ^(L)the River,^[c] mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it ^(M)will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, ⁸ and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, ^(N)reaching even to the neck, and its ^(O)outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, ^(P)O Immanuel.”

Fear God, Wait for the Lord

¹¹ For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and ^(T)warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: ¹² “Do not call ^(U)conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and ^(V)do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. ¹³ But the Lord of hosts, ^(W)him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. ¹⁴ And he will become a ^(X)sanctuary and ^(Y)a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁵ And many ^(Z)shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”

Warning Against Idleness

⁶ Now we command you, brothers, ^(A)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(B)that you keep away from any ^(C)brother ^(D)who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. ⁷ For you yourselves know ^(E)how you ought to imitate us, because ^(F)we were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but ^(G)with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ It was ^(H)not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves ^(I)an example to imitate. ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: ^(J)If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. ¹¹ For we hear that some among you ^(K)walk in idleness, not busy at work, but ^(L)busybodies. ¹² Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.^[a]

¹³ As for you, brothers, ^(M)do not grow weary in doing good. ¹⁴ If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and ^(N)have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. ^15 (O)Do not regard him as an enemy, but ^(P)warn him as a brother.

Benediction

¹⁶ Now may ^(Q)the Lord of peace himself ^(R)give you peace at all times in every way. ^(S)The Lord be with you all.

¹⁷ I, Paul, write ^(T)this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. ^18 (U)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, ^(A)Satan demanded to have you,^{[a] (B)}that he might sift you like wheat, ³² but ^(C)I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, ^(D)strengthen your brothers.” ³³ Peter^[b] said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both ^(E)to prison and ^(F)to death.” ^34 (G)Jesus^[c] 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, ^(H)“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 ^(I)this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ^(J)‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For ^(K)what is written about me has its fulfillment.” ³⁸ And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two ^(L)swords.” And he said to them, ^(M)“It is enough.”