11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

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11 I am coming soon.(A) Hold on to what you have,(B) so that no one will take your crown.(C) 12 The one who is victorious(D) I will make a pillar(E) in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God(F) and the name of the city of my God,(G) the new Jerusalem,(H) which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear(I) what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Laodicea

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea(J) write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,(K) the ruler of God’s creation.(L) 15 I know your deeds,(M) that you are neither cold nor hot.(N) I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’(O) But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.(P) 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,(Q) so you can become rich; and white clothes(R) to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness;(S) and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.(T) So be earnest and repent.(U) 20 Here I am! I stand at the door(V) and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,(W) I will come in(X) and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious,(Y) I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,(Z) just as I was victorious(AA) and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear(AB) what the Spirit says to the churches.”

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11 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.

I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

He shall not return into the land of Egypt, and the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.

And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.

And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.

10 They shall walk after the Lord: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.

11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord.

12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

12 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:

Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;

Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial.

Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually.

He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.

10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.

11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.

12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

13 And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

14 Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.

God’s Love for Israel

11 “When Israel was a child,(A) I loved(B) him,
    and out of Egypt I called my son.(C)
But the more they were called,
    the more they went away from me.[a](D)
They sacrificed to the Baals(E)
    and they burned incense to images.(F)
It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
    taking them by the arms;(G)
but they did not realize
    it was I who healed(H) them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
    with ties of love.(I)
To them I was like one who lifts
    a little child to the cheek,
    and I bent down to feed(J) them.(K)

“Will they not return to Egypt(L)
    and will not Assyria(M) rule over them
    because they refuse to repent?(N)
A sword(O) will flash in their cities;
    it will devour(P) their false prophets
    and put an end to their plans.
My people are determined to turn(Q) from me.(R)
    Even though they call me God Most High,
    I will by no means exalt them.

“How can I give you up,(S) Ephraim?(T)
    How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
    How can I make you like Zeboyim?(U)
My heart is changed within me;
    all my compassion(V) is aroused.(W)
I will not carry out my fierce anger,(X)
    nor will I devastate(Y) Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man(Z)
    the Holy One(AA) among you.
    I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord;
    he will roar(AB) like a lion.(AC)
When he roars,
    his children will come trembling(AD) from the west.(AE)
11 They will come from Egypt,
    trembling like sparrows,
    from Assyria,(AF) fluttering like doves.(AG)
I will settle them in their homes,”(AH)
    declares the Lord.

Israel’s Sin

12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,(AI)
    Israel with deceit.
And Judah is unruly against God,
    even against the faithful(AJ) Holy One.[b](AK)

12 [c]Ephraim(AL) feeds on the wind;(AM)
    he pursues the east wind all day
    and multiplies lies and violence.(AN)
He makes a treaty with Assyria(AO)
    and sends olive oil to Egypt.(AP)
The Lord has a charge(AQ) to bring against Judah;(AR)
    he will punish(AS) Jacob[d] according to his ways
    and repay him according to his deeds.(AT)
In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel;(AU)
    as a man he struggled(AV) with God.
He struggled with the angel and overcame him;
    he wept and begged for his favor.
He found him at Bethel(AW)
    and talked with him there—
the Lord God Almighty,
    the Lord is his name!(AX)
But you must return(AY) to your God;
    maintain love and justice,(AZ)
    and wait for your God always.(BA)

The merchant uses dishonest scales(BB)
    and loves to defraud.
Ephraim boasts,(BC)
    “I am very rich; I have become wealthy.(BD)
With all my wealth they will not find in me
    any iniquity or sin.”

“I have been the Lord your God
    ever since you came out of Egypt;(BE)
I will make you live in tents(BF) again,
    as in the days of your appointed festivals.
10 I spoke to the prophets,
    gave them many visions
    and told parables(BG) through them.”(BH)

11 Is Gilead wicked?(BI)
    Its people are worthless!
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?(BJ)
    Their altars will be like piles of stones
    on a plowed field.(BK)
12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram[e];(BL)
    Israel served to get a wife,
    and to pay for her he tended sheep.(BM)
13 The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt,(BN)
    by a prophet he cared for him.(BO)
14 But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger;
    his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshed(BP)
    and will repay him for his contempt.(BQ)

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 11:2 Septuagint; Hebrew them
  2. Hosea 11:12 In Hebrew texts this verse (11:12) is numbered 12:1.
  3. Hosea 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-14 is numbered 12:2-15.
  4. Hosea 12:2 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he takes advantage of or he deceives.
  5. Hosea 12:12 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia