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Jeremiah 39-41

39 In the ninth year of Zedekiah(A) king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege(C) to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth(D) month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall(E) was broken through.(F) Then all the officials(G) of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls,(H) and headed toward the Arabah.[a](I)

But the Babylonian[b] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah(J) in the plains of Jericho. They captured(K) him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah(L) in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles(M) of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes(N) and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.(O)

The Babylonians[c] set fire(P) to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls(Q) of Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him,(R) and the rest of the people.(S) 10 But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: 12 “Take him and look after him; don’t harm(T) him but do for him whatever he asks.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers(U) of the king of Babylon 14 sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard.(V) They turned him over to Gedaliah(W) son of Ahikam,(X) the son of Shaphan,(Y) to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.(Z)

15 While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: 16 “Go and tell Ebed-Melek(AA) the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words(AB) against this city—words concerning disaster,(AC) not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. 17 But I will rescue(AD) you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. 18 I will save(AE) you; you will not fall by the sword(AF) but will escape with your life,(AG) because you trust(AH) in me, declares the Lord.’”

Jeremiah Freed

40 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah.(AI) He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives(AJ) from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. When the commander(AK) of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God decreed(AL) this disaster(AM) for this place.(AN) And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned(AO) against the Lord and did not obey(AP) him. But today I am freeing(AQ) you from the chains(AR) on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”(AS) However, before Jeremiah turned to go,[d] Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah(AT) son of Ahikam,(AU) the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed(AV) over the towns(AW) of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.”(AX)

Then the commander gave him provisions and a present(AY) and let him go. So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah(AZ) and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

Gedaliah Assassinated(BA)

When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor(BB) over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest(BC) in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah(BD)—Ishmael(BE) son of Nethaniah, Johanan(BF) and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,(BG) and Jaazaniah[e] the son of the Maakathite,(BH) and their men. Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve(BI) the Babylonians,[f](BJ)” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.(BK) 10 I myself will stay at Mizpah(BL) to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine,(BM) summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars,(BN) and live in the towns you have taken over.”(BO)

11 When all the Jews in Moab,(BP) Ammon, Edom(BQ) and all the other countries(BR) heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them, 12 they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered.(BS) And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

13 Johanan(BT) son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah(BU) 14 and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites(BV) has sent Ishmael(BW) son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

15 Then Johanan(BX) son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill(BY) Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered(BZ) and the remnant(CA) of Judah to perish?”

16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan(CB) son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”

41 In the seventh month Ishmael(CC) son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king’s officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there, Ishmael(CD) son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword,(CE) killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed(CF) as governor over the land.(CG) Ishmael also killed all the men of Judah who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian[g] soldiers who were there.

The day after Gedaliah’s assassination, before anyone knew about it, eighty men who had shaved off their beards,(CH) torn their clothes(CI) and cut(CJ) themselves came from Shechem,(CK) Shiloh(CL) and Samaria,(CM) bringing grain offerings and incense(CN) with them to the house of the Lord.(CO) Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping(CP) as he went. When he met them, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.”(CQ) When they went into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern.(CR) But ten of them said to Ishmael, “Don’t kill us! We have wheat and barley, olive oil and honey, hidden in a field.”(CS) So he let them alone and did not kill them with the others. Now the cistern where he threw all the bodies of the men he had killed along with Gedaliah was the one King Asa(CT) had made as part of his defense(CU) against Baasha(CV) king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the dead.

10 Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people(CW) who were in Mizpah—the king’s daughters(CX) along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.(CY)

11 When Johanan(CZ) son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, 12 they took all their men and went to fight(DA) Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the great pool(DB) in Gibeon. 13 When all the people(DC) Ishmael had with him saw Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were with him, they were glad. 14 All the people Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah(DD) turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped(DE) from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites.

Flight to Egypt

16 Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers(DF) who were with him led away all the people of Mizpah who had survived,(DG) whom Johanan had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah son of Ahikam—the soldiers, women, children and court officials he had recovered from Gibeon. 17 And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham(DH) near Bethlehem(DI) on their way to Egypt(DJ) 18 to escape the Babylonians.[h] They were afraid(DK) of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah(DL) son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.

2 Timothy 1

Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,(C)

To Timothy,(D) my dear son:(E)

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.(F)

Thanksgiving

I thank God,(G) whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience,(H) as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.(I) Recalling your tears,(J) I long to see you,(K) so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith,(L) which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice(M) and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.(N) For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,(O) but gives us power,(P) love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed(Q) of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner.(R) Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel,(S) by the power of God. He has saved(T) us and called(U) us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done(V) but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed(W) through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,(X) who has destroyed death(Y) and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel(Z) I was appointed(AA) a herald and an apostle and a teacher.(AB) 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame,(AC) because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard(AD) what I have entrusted to him until that day.(AE)

13 What you heard from me,(AF) keep(AG) as the pattern(AH) of sound teaching,(AI) with faith and love in Christ Jesus.(AJ) 14 Guard(AK) the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.(AL)

Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty

15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia(AM) has deserted me,(AN) including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus,(AO) because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed(AP) of my chains.(AQ) 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day!(AR) You know very well in how many ways he helped me(AS) in Ephesus.(AT)

Psalm 90-91

BOOK IV

Psalms 90–106

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place(A)
    throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born(B)
    or you brought forth the whole world,
    from everlasting to everlasting(C) you are God.(D)

You turn people back to dust,
    saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”(E)
A thousand years in your sight
    are like a day that has just gone by,
    or like a watch in the night.(F)
Yet you sweep people away(G) in the sleep of death—
    they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
    but by evening it is dry and withered.(H)

We are consumed by your anger
    and terrified by your indignation.
You have set our iniquities before you,
    our secret sins(I) in the light of your presence.(J)
All our days pass away under your wrath;
    we finish our years with a moan.(K)
10 Our days may come to seventy years,(L)
    or eighty,(M) if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,(N)
    for they quickly pass, and we fly away.(O)
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
    Your wrath(P) is as great as the fear that is your due.(Q)
12 Teach us to number our days,(R)
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.(S)

13 Relent, Lord! How long(T) will it be?
    Have compassion on your servants.(U)
14 Satisfy(V) us in the morning with your unfailing love,(W)
    that we may sing for joy(X) and be glad all our days.(Y)
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
    your splendor to their children.(Z)

17 May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
    establish the work of our hands for us—
    yes, establish the work of our hands.(AA)

Psalm 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter(AB) of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow(AC) of the Almighty.[b]
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge(AD) and my fortress,(AE)
    my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare(AF)
    and from the deadly pestilence.(AG)
He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;(AH)
    his faithfulness will be your shield(AI) and rampart.
You will not fear(AJ) the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.(AK)

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm(AL) will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels(AM) concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;(AN)
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.(AO)
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.(AP)

14 “Because he[c] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.(AQ)
16 With long life(AR) I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.(AS)

Proverbs 26:1-2

26 Like snow in summer or rain(A) in harvest,
    honor is not fitting for a fool.(B)
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse does not come to rest.(C)

New International Version (NIV)

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