Old/New Testament
God’s Word Against the Leaders
5 “·Listen [Hear this], you priests.
Pay attention, ·people [L house] of Israel.
Listen, ·royal family [L house of the king],
because you will all be judged.
You have been like a ·trap [snare] at Mizpah
and like a net spread out at Mount Tabor [C hunting places in Israel].
2 ·You have done many evil things [L The rebels are deep into slaughter; or You have dug a deep pit at Shittim/Acacia],
so I will ·punish [discipline] you all.
3 I know all about Ephraim [C Israel; 4:17];
what Israel has done is not hidden from me.
Now Ephraim acts like a prostitute,
and Israel has ·made itself unclean [L defiled himself].
4 “·They will not give up their deeds
and [or Their deeds won’t let them] return to their God.
·They are determined to be unfaithful to me [L For a spirit of prostitution is within them];
they do not know the Lord.
5 Israel’s ·pride [arrogance] testifies against them.
·The people of Israel [L Israel and Ephraim; 4:17] will stumble because of their ·sin [iniquity],
and ·the people of Judah [L Judah] will stumble with them.
6 They will come to ·worship [L seek] the Lord,
bringing their flocks and herds,
but they will not be able to find him,
because he has ·left [withdrawn from] them.
7 They have ·not been true to [been unfaithful to; dealt treacherously with] the Lord;
they ·are children who do not belong to him [or bear illegitimate/alien children].
So ·their false worship [L a new moon; C a festival]
will ·destroy [L devour] them and their ·land [wealth; portion].
8 “Blow the ·horn [trumpet; ram’s horn] in Gibeah
and the trumpet in Ramah [C used to sound a warning or call to battle].
·Give the warning [Sound the alarm; Raise the battle cry] at Beth Aven [4:15],
·and be first into battle [or lead on; or we are with you], ·people of Benjamin [L Benjamin].
9 ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] will be ·ruined [laid waste; desolate]
on the day of ·punishment [rebuke; reckoning].
To the tribes of Israel
I ·tell the truth [L make known what is certain].
10 The ·leaders [princes] of Judah are like those
who ·steal other people’s land [L move boundary markers; C a serious crime in the ancient world; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Prov. 15:25].
I will pour my ·punishment over [wrath on] them
like ·a flood of water [L water].
11 ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] is ·beaten down [oppressed] and crushed by the ·punishment [judgment],
because it ·decided [was determined] to follow ·idols [or worthless things; or human precepts].
12 I am like a moth to ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17],
like ·a rot [wood rot; decay] to the ·people [L house] of Judah.
13 “When ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] saw its illness
and Judah saw its ·wounds [or sores],
·Israel [L Ephraim] went to Assyria for help
and sent to the great ·king of Assyria [L king].
But he cannot heal you
or cure your wounds.
14 I will be like a lion to ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17],
like a young lion to ·Judah [L the house of Judah].
·I will attack them
and tear them to pieces [L I, even I, will tear them and go away].
I will drag them off,
and no one will be able to ·save [rescue] them.
15 Then I will go back to my ·place [lair; dwelling place]
until they ·suffer for [or admit] their guilt and ·turn back to me [L seek my face].
In their ·trouble [distress; affliction] they will look for me.”
The People Are Not Faithful
6 “Come, let’s ·go back [return] to the Lord.
He has ·hurt us [torn us to pieces], but he will heal us.
He has wounded us, but he will ·bandage [bind up] our wounds.
2 ·In [After] two days he will ·put new life in [revive; restore] us;
on the third day he will raise us up [C in a short time]
so that we may live in his presence 3 and know him.
Let’s ·try [press on] to ·learn about [know] the Lord;
he will come to us as surely as the dawn comes.
He will come to us ·like rain [or as sure as the winter rains come],
like the ·spring [latter] rain that waters the ·ground [earth].”
4 The Lord says, “·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17], what should I do with you?
Judah, what should I do with you?
Your faithfulness is like a morning mist,
like the dew that goes away early in the day.
5 I have ·warned you [L cut you into pieces; hewn you] by my prophets
that I will kill you with ·my words [L the words of my mouth].
My ·justice [judgment] comes out like ·bright light [or the morning dawn].
6 I ·want [desire; delight in] ·faithful love [mercy; lovingkindness]
·more than I want animal sacrifices [L and not sacrifice].
I want ·people to know me [the knowledge of God]
more than I want burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17].
7 But they ·have broken [transgressed] the ·agreement [covenant] as ·Adam did [or human beings did; or they did at Adamah; Josh. 3:16];
they have ·been unfaithful to [dealt treacherously with] me.
8 Gilead is a city of ·people who do evil [sinners; evildoers];
·their footprints are bloody [tracked with bloody footprints].
9 The ·priests [L company of priests] are like robbers ·waiting [lying in ambush] to attack people;
they murder people on the road to Shechem [C a city of refuge for someone who committed involuntary manslaughter; Josh. 20:7; 21:21; 1 Chr. 6:67]
and do wicked things.
10 I have seen horrible things in ·Israel [or the temple of Israel; L the house of Israel].
Look at ·Israel’s [L Ephraim’s; 4:17] prostitution;
Israel has become ·unclean [defiled].
11 “Judah, I have ·set [appointed] a harvest time for you
when I will ·make the lives of my people good again [restore the fortunes of my people; or return my people from captivity].
7 When I heal Israel,
Israel’s sin will ·go away [or be revealed/exposed],
and so will Samaria’s evil.
“They ·cheat a lot [practice deceit; commit fraud]!
Thieves ·break into houses [L come in],
and ·robbers [gangs] ·are in the streets [raid/pillage outside].
2 ·It never enters their minds [L They never say in their hearts]
that I remember all their evil deeds.
The bad things they do ·are all around [engulf; surround] them;
they are ·right in front of me [always before my face].
Israel’s Evil Kings
3 “They make the king happy with their wickedness;
their ·rulers [princes] are glad with their lies.
4 But all of them are ·traitors [L adulterers].
They are like an oven heated by a baker.
·While he mixes the dough [L From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened],
he does not need to stir up the fire.
5 The kings get so drunk they get sick ·every day [or on the festival day; L on the day].
The ·rulers [princes] become ·crazy [inflamed] with wine;
they ·make agreements [conspire; L stretch out their hands] with ·those who do not know the true God [mockers; scoffers].
6 Their hearts burn like an oven;
as they plot [C an assassination] against him.
All night long their anger ·is low [smolders],
but when morning comes, it becomes a roaring fire.
7 All ·these people [L of them] are as hot as an oven;
they ·burn up [consume; devour] their rulers.
All their kings fall,
and no one calls on me.
Israel and the Other Nations
8 “·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] mixes with other nations;
he is like a ·pancake [cake; flat loaf] ·cooked only on one side [or burned on one side; L not turned].
9 ·Foreign nations [Strangers; Foreigners] have ·eaten up [devoured; sapped] his strength,
but he doesn’t know it.
·Israel is weak and feeble, like an old man [L Grey hair is scattered on him],
but he doesn’t know it.
10 Israel’s ·pride [arrogance] ·will cause their defeat [or testifies against him; L answers in his face];
they will not ·turn back [return] to the Lord their God
or ·look to him for help [L seek him] in all this.
11 Israel has become like a ·pigeon [dove]—
·easy to fool [silly] and ·stupid [senseless].
First they call to Egypt for help.
Then they ·run [turn; go] to Assyria.
12 When they go, I will ·catch them in a net [throw my net over them],
I will bring them down like birds from the sky;
I will ·punish [discipline] them ·countless times for their evil [or when I hear them flocking together; or according to the report given to the congregation].
13 ·How terrible for [L Woe to] them because they ·left [fled/strayed from] me!
They will be destroyed, because they ·turned [rebelled] against me.
I want to ·save [redeem] them,
but they have spoken lies against me.
14 They do not ·call [cry out] to me from their hearts.
They just lie on their beds and ·cry [wail].
They ·come together [assemble themselves; or gash/slash themselves; C a ritual practiced by pagan Canaanite priests (Deut. 14:1; 1 Kin. 18:28; Jer. 16:6)] to ask for grain and new wine,
but they really ·turn away from [rebel against] me.
15 Though I trained them and ·gave them strength [L strengthened their arms],
they have ·made evil plans [plotted evil] against me.
16 They ·did not turn to [or turn, but not to] the Most High God.
They are like a ·loose bow that can’t shoot [faulty bow].
Because ·their leaders brag about their strength [of their indignant/insolent tongue],
they will ·be killed with swords [fall by the sword],
and the people in Egypt
will ·laugh at [ridicule; deride] them.
Israel Has Trusted Wrong Things
8 “Put the trumpet to your lips [C to warn of danger or call to battle]!
The enemy ·swoops down on [or circles over] the Lord’s ·people [or temple; L house] like an eagle.
The Israelites have broken my ·agreement [covenant; treaty]
and have ·turned [rebelled] against my ·teachings [law; L Torah].
2 Israel cries out to me,
‘Our God, we in Israel ·know [acknowledge] you!’
3 But Israel has rejected what is good,
so the enemy will ·chase [pursue] them.
4 They ·chose their own [appointed; enthroned] kings
·without asking my permission [L but not from me].
They chose their own ·leaders [princes],
people I did not ·know [acknowledge; approve].
They made their silver and gold into idols,
and for all this they will be destroyed.
5 I ·hate [have rejected] ·the calf-shaped idol of Israel [L your calf, Samaria; Ex. 32; 1 Kin. 12:26–30]!
·I am very angry with the people [L My anger burns against them].
How long will they remain ·unclean [impure; guilty]?
6 The idol is something a craftsman made;
it is not God.
·Israel’s calf-shaped idol [L The calf of Samaria; v. 5]
will surely be smashed to pieces.
7 “·Israel’s foolish plans are like planting the wind [L They sow the wind],
·but they will harvest a storm [L and reap the whirlwind].
Like a stalk with no head of grain,
it produces ·nothing [L no flour].
Even if it produced something,
·other nations [foreigners] would ·eat [devour] it.
8 Israel is ·eaten [swallowed] up;
the people are ·mixed among [L among] the other nations
and have become ·useless to me [a useless pot/utensil/vessel].
9 Israel is like a wild donkey ·all by itself [wandering alone].
They have ·run [L gone up] to Assyria;
·They have hired other nations to protect them [L Ephraim has hired lovers; or Ephraim has sold herself to lovers].
10 Although Israel ·is mixed [or hired; or hired herself out] among the nations,
I will gather them together.
They will ·become weaker and weaker [begin to waste away]
·as they suffer under [from the burden/oppression of] the ·great king of Assyria [L king of princes].
11 “Although ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] built more altars to remove sin,
they have become altars for sinning.
12 I have written many ·teachings [laws; instructions] for them,
but they think the teachings are ·strange and foreign [alien; irrelevant].
13 The Israelites offer sacrifices to me as gifts
and eat the meat,
but the Lord ·is not pleased with [does not accept] them.
He remembers ·the evil they have done [their wickedness/iniquity],
and he will punish them for their sins.
They will ·be slaves again as they were in [L return to] Egypt.
14 Israel has forgotten its Maker and has built palaces;
Judah has built many ·strong, walled [fortified] cities.
But I will send fire on their cities
and ·destroy [L it will devour/consume] their ·strong buildings [strongholds; citadels].”
To the Church in Ephesus
2 “Write this to the ·angel [or messenger; see 1:20] of the church in Ephesus [C an important city in western Asia Minor]:
“The One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands [C the resurrected Jesus; 1:16, 20] says ·this [L these things]: 2 I know ·what you do [L your works], ·how you work hard [L your toil] and ·never give up [L your perseverence/endurance]. I know you do not put up with ·the false teachings of evil people [L evildoers; or evil]. You have tested those who say they are apostles but really are not, and you found they are ·liars [or false]. 3 You have ·patience [perseverance; endurance] and have ·suffered troubles [endured much] for my name and have not ·given up [L grown weary].
4 “But I have this against you: You have ·left [abandoned] ·the love you had in the beginning [or your first love]. 5 So ·remember [consider] ·where you were before you fell [L how far you have fallen]. ·Change your hearts [Repent] and do ·what [L the works] you did at first. If you do not ·change [repent], I will come to you and will take away your lampstand from its place. 6 But ·there is something you do that is right [L this you have]: You hate what the Nicolaitans do [C we know little about this heresy, which possibly entailed false worship and immorality], as much as I.
7 “Every person who has ears should ·listen to [hear; obey] what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who ·win the victory [overcome; conquer] I will give the right to eat the fruit from the ·tree of life, which is in the ·garden [or paradise] of God [22:2; Gen. 2:9].
To the Church in Smyrna
8 “Write this to the ·angel [or messenger; see 1:20] of the church in Smyrna [C a major city in western Asia Minor, identified with present-day Izmir, Turkey]:
“The One who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again [C the resurrected Jesus; 1:17–18], says ·this [L these things]: 9 I know your ·troubles [persecution; affliction] and that you are poor, but really you are rich! I know the ·bad things [slander; blasphemy] some people say about you. They say they are Jews, but they are not true Jews. They are a synagogue ·that belongs to [L of] Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will ·suffer [be persecuted/afflicted] for ten days [C perhaps a symbolic number meaning a significant and definite time]. But be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the ·crown [C a wreath worn to indicate high status or as a reward] of life.
11 “Everyone who has ears should ·listen to [hear; obey] what the Spirit says to the churches. Those who ·win the victory [overcome; conquer] will not be hurt by the second death [C the spiritual death after physical death; 20:6, 14; 21:8].
To the Church in Pergamum
12 “Write this to the ·angel [messenger; see 1:20] of the church in Pergamum [C a rich city in western Asia Minor]:
“The One who has the sharp, double-edged sword [C the resurrected Jesus; 1:16] says this [L these things]: 13 I know where you live. It is where Satan has his throne [C a reference to false worship; Pergamum was a center of emperor worship]. But you ·are true to me [L hold fast to my name]. You did not ·refuse to tell about [deny] your faith in me even during the time of Antipas, my faithful witness who was killed ·in your city [L among you; C we know nothing further about Antipas], where Satan lives.
14 “But I have a few things against you: You have some there who follow the teaching of Balaam. He taught Balak how to ·cause the people of Israel to sin [L put a stumbling block before the children of Israel] by eating food offered to idols and by taking part in sexual sins [Num. 22—24; 31:8; Deut. 23:4–5; 2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11]. 15 You also have some who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans [see 2:6]. 16 So ·change your hearts and lives [repent]. If you do not, I will come to you quickly and ·fight [make war] against them with the sword that comes out of my mouth [C the judgment he enacts by merely speaking; 1:16].
17 “Everyone who has ears should ·listen to [hear; obey] what the Spirit says to the churches.
“I will give some of the hidden manna [C perhaps alluding to a Jewish tradition that the manna placed in the ark is hidden until the messianic age; ultimately referring to the spiritual life Christ provides; John 6:32–35] to everyone who ·wins the victory [overcomes; conquers]. I will also give to each one who ·wins the victory [overcomes; conquers] a white stone with a new name written on it [C an unknown cultural image, which, along with the manna, points to salvation in Christ]. No one knows this new name except the one who receives it [C the name could be God’s or Christ’s, but more likely refers to a new name given to the people of God].
To the Church in Thyatira
18 “Write this to the ·angel [messenger; see 1:20] of the church in ·Thyatira [C a small city in western Asia Minor]:
“The Son of God, who has eyes that blaze like fire [1:14] and feet like shining bronze [1:15; C the resurrected Jesus], says ·this [L these things]: 19 I know ·what you do [your works]. I know about your love, your faith, your service, and your ·patience [endurance; perseverance]. I know that ·you are doing more now than you did at first [L your last works are greater than the first].
20 “But I have this against you: You ·let that woman Jezebel spread false teachings [L tolerate the woman Jezebel; C probably the leader of the Nicolaitans, here given the name of the notorious Baal-worshiping queen; 1 Kin. 16:31–34; 21:25–26; 2 Kin. 9:22]. She ·says she is [calls herself] a prophetess, but ·by her teaching she leads [teaches and misleads/deceives] my ·people [L servants] to take part in sexual sins and to eat food that is offered to idols. 21 I have given her time to ·change her heart and turn away from her sin [repent of her sexual immorality], but she does not want to ·change [repent]. 22 ·So [L Look!] I will throw her on ·a bed of suffering [or a sickbed; C the bed used for sexual sin is now a bed of suffering]. And all those who take part in adultery with her will suffer greatly if they do not ·turn away from the wrongs she does [repent of her works/deeds]. 23 I will also kill her ·followers [L children]. Then all the churches will know I am the One who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you for ·what you have done [your works/deeds].
24 “But ·others [the rest] of you in Thyatira have not followed her teaching and have not learned what some call Satan’s deep secrets. I say to you that I will not put any other ·load [burden] on you. 25 Only ·continue in your loyalty [L hold fast to what you have] until I come.
26 “I will give ·power [authority] over the nations to everyone who ·wins the victory [overcomes; conquers] and ·continues to be obedient to me [or keeps working for me; L keeps/obeys my works] until the end.
27 ‘·You [L he; C the one who overcomes] will ·rule over [L shepherd] them with an iron ·rod [or scepter],
·as when pottery is broken into pieces [or and will break them into pieces like pottery; Ps. 2:9].’
28 This is the same ·power [authority] I received from my Father. I will also give him the morning star [C usually the planet Venus as seen before sunrise, but here symbolically Christ at his return; 22:16; Num. 24:17; 2 Pet. 1:19]. 29 Everyone who has ears should ·listen to [hear; obey] what the Spirit says to the churches.
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