Old/New Testament
Downfall of Jerusalem and Judah
3 For behold! The Lord, Adonai-Tzva’ot,
takes from Jerusalem and from Judah
supply and support,
every supply of bread
and every supply of water,
2 mighty man and man of war,
judge, and prophet,
fortune-teller and elder,
3 captain of 50 and man of rank,
counselor, crafty magician and cunning charmer.
4 I will set children as their rulers.
Capricious ones will govern them.
5 The people will oppress one another—
each one by his fellow,
each one by his neighbor.
The child will be insolent to the aged,
and dishonarable to the honorable.
6 When a man takes hold of his brother
in the house of his father, saying:
“You have a cloak, you be our ruler!
This ruin is under your charge.”
7 In that day he will protest, saying:
“I’m no healer!
In my house is no bread or cloak.
Don’t make me a ruler of people!”
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled,
and Judah is fallen.
For their tongue and their actions
are against Adonai,
defying the eyes of His glory.
9 The expression of their faces
bears witness against them.
They display their sin like Sodom—
they do not hide it.
Oy, their souls!
For they brought evil on themselves.
The Judge Arises
10 Say to the righteous, he will be well,
eating the fruit of their deeds.
11 Oy, the wicked! It will be bad for him,
for the dealing of his hands will be done to him.
12 My people! Children are their oppressors
and women rule over them.
My people! Your guides mislead you
and destroy the way of your paths.
13 Adonai arises to contend a case,
and stands to judge the people.
14 Adonai will enter into judgment
with the elders of His people and with the princes:
“You have devoured the vineyard.
The plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing My people
and grinding the face of the poor?”
says Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot.
16 Moreover Adonai says:
“Since the Daughters of Zion are proud,
and walk with outstretched necks and seductive eyes,
walking and mincing as they go,
making a jingling with their feet,
17 therefore Adonai will smite with a scab the forehead of the Daughters of Zion.
Adonai will expose their secret parts.
18 In that day Adonai will strip the finery of anklets, headbands, crescents, 19 pendants and bracelets, veils, 20 headdresses, armlets, sashes, perfume vials, amulets, 21 rings and nose-jewels, 22 festal robes, capes, cloaks, purses, 23 lace scarves, fine linen, turbans and veils.
24 Now it will come to pass:
Instead of sweet spices there will be rottenness;
instead of a sash, rags;
instead of curled hair, baldness;
instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;
and branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men will fall by the sword,
and your warriors in battle.
26 Her gates will lament and mourn.
Desolate, she will sit on the ground.
4 Seven women will grab hold of one man in that day, saying:
“We will eat our own bread,
and wear our own apparel.
Only let us be called by your name—
take away our reproach!”
Zion’s End-Time Glory
2 In that day the Branch of Adonai will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land excellent and appealing for Israel’s survivors. 3 So it will come to pass that whoever is left in Zion and whoever remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.
4 After Adonai has washed away the filth of the Daughters of Zion and has purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, 5 then Adonai will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her convocations, a cloud by day, and smoke and shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all, glory will be a canopy[a]. 6 Then there will be a sukkah for shade by day from the heat, and for refuge and for shelter from storm and from rain.
Bearing Burdens
6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught doing something wrong, you who are directed by the Ruach, restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness—looking closely at yourself so you are not tempted also. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you fulfill the Torah of Messiah. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is fooling himself. 4 Rather let each one examine his own work. Then he will have pride in himself alone and not in comparison to anyone else. 5 For each one will carry his own load.
6 Now let the one who is taught the word share all good things with his teacher. 7 Do not be deceived—God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he also shall reap. 8 For the one who sows in the flesh will reap corruption from the flesh.[a] But the one who sows in the Ruach will reap from the Ruach eternal life. 9 So let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good toward all[b]—especially those who belong to the household of faith.
Living under God’s Favor
11 Notice the large letters—I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 Those wanting to look good outwardly[c] are trying to force you to be circumcised—only so they will not be persecuted for the cross of Messiah. 13 For not even the circumcised keep Torah themselves. Yet they want to have you circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. 14 But may I never boast—except in the cross of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Through Him the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means[d] anything—but only a new creation. 16 Now as many as live by this rule[e]—shalom and mercy on them and on the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one make trouble for me, for I bear on my body the scars[f] of Yeshua.
18 The grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.