Old/New Testament
Judgment on Evil Counselors
11 Moreover, the (A)Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the house of Yahweh which faced eastward. And behold, at the entrance of the gate, there were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and (B)Pelatiah son of Benaiah, officials of the people. 2 He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise wickedness and (C)give evil counsel in this city, 3 who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. [a]This (D)city is the pot, and we are the flesh.’ 4 Therefore, (E)prophesy against them, son of man, prophesy!”
5 Then the Spirit of Yahweh fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “So you say, house of Israel, for (F)I know what comes up in your (G)spirit. 6 You have (H)multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with [b]them.” 7 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, “Your (I)slain whom you have laid in the midst of [c]the city are the flesh, and this city is the pot; but [d]I will (J)bring you out of it. 8 You have (K)feared a sword; so a sword I will (L)bring upon you,” Lord Yahweh declares. 9 “And I will bring you out of the midst of [e]the city and give you into the hands of (M)strangers and (N)execute judgments against you. 10 You will (O)fall by the sword. I will judge you to the (P)border of Israel; so you shall know that I am Yahweh. 11 This city will (Q)not be a pot for you, nor will you be flesh in the midst of it, but I will judge you to the border of Israel. 12 Thus you will know that I am Yahweh; for you have not walked in My statutes, nor have you (R)executed My judgments, but have executed according to the judgments of the (S)nations around you.”’”
13 Now it happened as I prophesied, that (T)Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, “(U)Alas, Lord Yahweh! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to complete destruction?”
Yahweh Will Gather the Exiles
14 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 15 “Son of man, your brothers, your [f]relatives, [g]your fellow exiles, and the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far from Yahweh; this land has been given to (V)us as a possession.’ 16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Though I had removed them far away among the nations, and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a (W)sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.”’ 17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “I will (X)gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ 18 When they come there, they will (Y)remove all its (Z)detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19 And I will (AA)give them one heart and give within [h]them a new spirit. And I will take the (AB)heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a (AC)heart of flesh, 20 that they may (AD)walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them. Then they will be (AE)My people, and I shall be their God. 21 [i]But as for those whose hearts walk after their (AF)detestable things and abominations, I will (AG)give what is due for their way on their heads,” declares Lord Yahweh.
The Glory of Yahweh Leaves Jerusalem
22 Then the cherubim (AH)lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and (AI)the glory of the God of Israel [j]hovered over them. 23 The (AJ)glory of Yahweh went up from the midst of the city and (AK)stood over the mountain which is east of the city. 24 Now the (AL)Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles in [k]Chaldea. So the vision that I had seen (AM)went up and away from me. 25 Then I (AN)told the exiles all the things that Yahweh had shown me.
The Vision of Captivity
12 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, you live in the (AO)midst of the (AP)rebellious house, who (AQ)have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house. 3 Now as for you, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight; even go into exile from your place to another place in their sight. (AR)Perhaps they will see, though they are a rebellious house. 4 Bring your baggage out by day in their sight, as baggage for exile. Then you will go out (AS)at evening in their sight, as those going into exile. 5 In their sight, dig a hole through the wall and [l]go out through it. 6 In their sight, carry the baggage on your shoulder and bring it out in the dark. You shall (AT)cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have set you as a (AU)wondrous sign to the house of Israel.”
7 I (AV)did so, as I had been commanded. By day I (AW)brought out my baggage like the baggage of an exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands; I went out in the dark and carried the baggage on my shoulder in their sight.
8 And in the morning the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the (AX)rebellious house, said to you, ‘(AY)What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “This [m](AZ)oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem as well as all the house of Israel who are [n]in it.”’ 11 Say, ‘I am [o]a (BA)wondrous sign to you. As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will (BB)go into exile, into captivity.’ 12 The (BC)prince who is among them will carry his baggage on his shoulder in the dark and go out. [p]They will dig a hole through the wall to bring it out. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. 13 I will also spread My (BD)net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. And I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will (BE)not see it, though he will die there. 14 And I will (BF)scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops; and I will draw out a sword after them. 15 So they will (BG)know that I am Yahweh when I scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries. 16 But I will [q]spare a few of them from (BH)sword, famine, and pestilence that they may recount all their abominations among the nations where they go, and [r]may (BI)know that I am Yahweh.”
17 Moreover, the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 18 “Son of man, (BJ)you shall eat your bread with trembling and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. 19 Then you will say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel, “They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with desolation because [s]their very soil will be (BK)made desolate of its fullness on account of the violence of all who inhabit it. 20 The inhabited (BL)cities will be laid waste, and the (BM)land will be a desolation. So you will know that I am Yahweh.”’”
21 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 22 “Son of man, what is this (BN)proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The (BO)days are long, and every (BP)vision fails’? 23 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “I will make this proverb cease so that they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel.” But speak to them, “(BQ)The days draw near as well as the [t]fulfillment of every vision. 24 For there will no longer be any (BR)worthless vision or flattering divination in the midst of the house of Israel. 25 For I, Yahweh, will speak, and whatever (BS)word I speak will be done. It will no longer be delayed, for in (BT)your days, O (BU)rebellious house, I will speak the word and do it,” declares Lord Yahweh.’”
26 Furthermore, the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 27 “Son of man, behold, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he beholds is for (BV)many [u]years from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be done,”’” declares Lord Yahweh.
Yahweh’s Wrath Against Lying Prophets
13 Then the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the (BW)prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own heart, ‘(BX)Hear the word of Yahweh! 3 Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Woe to the (BY)wickedly foolish prophets who are walking after their own spirit and have (BZ)seen nothing. 4 O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among waste places. 5 You have not (CA)gone up into the (CB)breaches, nor did you build the wall around the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the (CC)day of Yahweh. 6 They behold (CD)worthlessness and lying divination who are saying, ‘Yahweh declares,’ when Yahweh has not sent them; (CE)yet they wait for the establishing of their word. 7 (CF)Did you not see a worthless vision and speak a lying divination when you said, ‘Yahweh declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?”’”
8 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, “Because you have spoken worthlessness and beheld a lie, therefore behold, (CG)I am against you,” declares Lord Yahweh. 9 “So My hand will be against the (CH)prophets who see worthless visions and utter lying divinations. They will not be in the council of My people, (CI)nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, [v]that you may know that I am Lord Yahweh. 10 It is definitely because they have (CJ)misled My people by saying, ‘(CK)Peace!’ when there is (CL)no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash; 11 so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash that it will fall. A (CM)flooding rain will come, and you, O hailstones, will fall; and a stormy wind will break out. 12 Now behold, the wall will fall. Will it then not be said to you, ‘Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?’” 13 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, “I will make a stormy wind break out in My wrath. There will also be in My anger a flooding rain and (CN)hailstones to consume it in wrath. 14 So I will pull down the wall which you plastered over with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that its (CO)foundation is laid bare; and it will fall, and you will be (CP)consumed in its midst. And you will (CQ)know that I am Yahweh. 15 Thus I will spend My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it over with whitewash; and I will say to you, ‘The wall [w]is gone, and its plasterers are gone— 16 the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem and who (CR)see visions of peace for her when there is (CS)no peace,’ declares Lord Yahweh.
17 “Now as for you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are (CT)prophesying (CU)from their own heart. Prophesy against them 18 and say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Woe to the women who sew magic bands on [x]all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to (CV)hunt down [y]souls! Will you hunt down My people’s souls, but preserve your own souls? 19 (CW)For handfuls of barley and fragments of bread, you have profaned Me to My people to put to death souls who should not die and to (CX)keep other souls alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies.”’”
20 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you hunt souls there as [z]birds, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let their souls go, the very souls whom you hunt as [aa]birds. 21 I will also tear off your veils and (CY)deliver My people from your hands, and they will no longer be in your hands to be hunted; and you will know that I am Yahweh. 22 Because you (CZ)disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him grief, but have (DA)strengthened the hands of the wicked not to (DB)turn from his evil way and preserve his life, 23 therefore, you women will no longer see (DC)worthless visions or practice divination, and I will (DD)deliver My people out of your hand. Thus you will (DE)know that I am Yahweh.”
Testing Your Faith
1 [a](A)James, a (B)slave of God and (C)of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To (D)the twelve tribes who are in the (E)Dispersion: (F)Greetings.
2 (G)Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter (H)various [b]trials, 3 knowing that (I)the testing of your (J)faith brings about (K)perseverance. 4 And let (L)perseverance have its perfect work, so that you may be [c](M)perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you (N)lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and [d]without reproach, and (O)it will be given to him. 6 But he must (P)ask in faith, (Q)doubting nothing, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, (R)driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a [e](S)double-minded man, (T)unstable in all his ways.
9 (U)But the [f]brother of humble circumstances is to boast in his high position; 10 and the rich man is to boast in his humiliation, because (V)like [g]flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with [h](W)a scorching heat and (X)withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
12 (Y)Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has [i]been approved, he will receive (Z)the crown of life which the Lord (AA)has promised to those who (AB)love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “(AC)I am being tempted [j]by God”; for God cannot be tempted [k]by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then (AD)when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when (AE)sin is fully matured, it brings forth death. 16 (AF)Do not be [l]deceived, (AG)my beloved brothers. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is (AH)from above, coming down from (AI)the Father of lights, (AJ)with whom there is no variation or [m]shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of (AK)His will He (AL)brought us forth by (AM)the word of truth, so that we would be [n]a kind of (AN)first fruits [o]among His creatures.
Doers of the Word
19 [p](AO)Know this, (AP)my beloved brothers. But everyone must be quick to hear, (AQ)slow to speak and (AR)slow to anger; 20 for (AS)the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, (AT)laying aside all filthiness and all [q]that remains of wickedness, in gentleness receive (AU)the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 (AV)But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his [r]natural face (AW)in a mirror; 24 for once he looked at himself and has gone away, [s]he immediately forgot what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, (AX)the law of freedom, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be (AY)blessed in [t]what he does.
26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious while not [u](AZ)bridling his tongue but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion (BA)before our God and Father is this: to (BB)visit (BC)orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained [v]by (BD)the world.
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