Leading God's Way: Wisdom for Nonprofit Board Governance

Serving Others

FCA Outdoors: Devotions

I Choose Gratitude: A 5-Day Plan on Being Grateful When Life Is Tough

Scripture Memory Verse (S M V)

BEMA Liturgy I — Part B

Advent Audio Bible

5 Truths for Every Woman's Heart

Christmas Is in the Heart - 14 Days Video Plan

When It's Hard to Love Your Neighbor

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="chapter ch54" data-usfm="PSA.54">
 <div class="label">54</div><div class="cl">Psalm 54#In Hebrew texts 54:1-7 is numbered 54:3-9.</div><div class="d">For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil#Title: Probably a literary or musical term of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, &#8220;Is not David hiding among us?&#8221;</div><div class="q1"> 1Save me, O God, by your name;</div><div class="q2">vindicate me by your might.</div><div class="q1"> 2Hear my prayer, O God;</div><div class="q2">listen to the words of my mouth.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 3Arrogant foes are attacking me;</div><div class="q2">ruthless people are trying to kill me&#8212;</div><div class="q2">people without regard for God.#54:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 4Surely God is my help;</div><div class="q2">the Lord is the one who sustains me.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 5Let evil recoil on those who slander me;</div><div class="q2">in your faithfulness destroy them.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 6I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;</div><div class="q2">I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.</div><div class="q1"> 7You have delivered me from all my troubles,</div><div class="q2">and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="chapter ch55" data-usfm="PSA.55">
 <div class="label">55</div><div class="cl">Psalm 55#In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.</div><div class="d">For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil#Title: Probably a literary or musical term of David.</div><div class="q1"> 1Listen to my prayer, O God,</div><div class="q2">do not ignore my plea;</div><div class="q2"> 2hear me and answer me.</div><div class="q1">My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught</div><div class="q2"> 3because of what my enemy is saying,</div><div class="q2">because of the threats of the wicked;</div><div class="q1">for they bring down suffering on me</div><div class="q2">and assail me in their anger.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 4My heart is in anguish within me;</div><div class="q2">the terrors of death have fallen on me.</div><div class="q1"> 5Fear and trembling have beset me;</div><div class="q2">horror has overwhelmed me.</div><div class="q1"> 6I said, &#8220;Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!</div><div class="q2">I would fly away and be at rest.</div><div class="q1"> 7I would flee far away</div><div class="q2">and stay in the desert;#55:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.</div><div class="q1"> 8I would hurry to my place of shelter,</div><div class="q2">far from the tempest and storm.&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 9Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,</div><div class="q2">for I see violence and strife in the city.</div><div class="q1"> 10Day and night they prowl about on its walls;</div><div class="q2">malice and abuse are within it.</div><div class="q1"> 11Destructive forces are at work in the city;</div><div class="q2">threats and lies never leave its streets.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 12If an enemy were insulting me,</div><div class="q2">I could endure it;</div><div class="q1">if a foe were rising against me,</div><div class="q2">I could hide.</div><div class="q1"> 13But it is you, a man like myself,</div><div class="q2">my companion, my close friend,</div><div class="q1"> 14with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship</div><div class="q2">at the house of God,</div><div class="q1">as we walked about</div><div class="q2">among the worshipers.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 15Let death take my enemies by surprise;</div><div class="q2">let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,</div><div class="q2">for evil finds lodging among them.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 16As for me, I call to God,</div><div class="q2">and the Lord saves me.</div><div class="q1"> 17Evening, morning and noon</div><div class="q2">I cry out in distress,</div><div class="q2">and he hears my voice.</div><div class="q1"> 18He rescues me unharmed</div><div class="q2">from the battle waged against me,</div><div class="q2">even though many oppose me.</div><div class="q1"> 19God, who is enthroned from of old,</div><div class="q2">who does not change&#8212;</div><div class="q1">he will hear them and humble them,</div><div class="q2">because they have no fear of God.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 20My companion attacks his friends;</div><div class="q2">he violates his covenant.</div><div class="q1"> 21His talk is smooth as butter,</div><div class="q2">yet war is in his heart;</div><div class="q1">his words are more soothing than oil,</div><div class="q2">yet they are drawn swords.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 22Cast your cares on the Lord</div><div class="q2">and he will sustain you;</div><div class="q1">he will never let</div><div class="q2">the righteous be shaken.</div><div class="q1"> 23But you, God, will bring down the wicked</div><div class="q2">into the pit of decay;</div><div class="q1">the bloodthirsty and deceitful</div><div class="q2">will not live out half their days.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">But as for me, I trust in you.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="label">56</div><div class="cl">Psalm 56#In Hebrew texts 56:1-13 is numbered 56:2-14.</div><div class="d">For the director of music. To the tune of &#8220;A Dove on Distant Oaks.&#8221; Of David. A miktam.#Title: Probably a literary or musical term When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.</div><div class="q1"> 1Be merciful to me, my God,</div><div class="q2">for my enemies are in hot pursuit;</div><div class="q2">all day long they press their attack.</div><div class="q1"> 2My adversaries pursue me all day long;</div><div class="q2">in their pride many are attacking me.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 3When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.</div><div class="q2"> 4In God, whose word I praise&#8212;</div><div class="q1">in God I trust and am not afraid.</div><div class="q2">What can mere mortals do to me?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 5All day long they twist my words;</div><div class="q2">all their schemes are for my ruin.</div><div class="q1"> 6They conspire, they lurk,</div><div class="q2">they watch my steps,</div><div class="q2">hoping to take my life.</div><div class="q1"> 7Because of their wickedness do not#56:7 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have do not. let them escape;</div><div class="q2">in your anger, God, bring the nations down.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 8Record my misery;</div><div class="q2">list my tears on your scroll#56:8 Or misery; / put my tears in your wineskin&#8212;</div><div class="q2">are they not in your record?</div><div class="q1"> 9Then my enemies will turn back</div><div class="q2">when I call for help.</div><div class="q2">By this I will know that God is for me.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 10In God, whose word I praise,</div><div class="q2">in the Lord, whose word I praise&#8212;</div><div class="q1"> 11in God I trust and am not afraid.</div><div class="q2">What can man do to me?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 12I am under vows to you, my God;</div><div class="q2">I will present my thank offerings to you.</div><div class="q1"> 13For you have delivered me from death</div><div class="q2">and my feet from stumbling,</div><div class="q1">that I may walk before God</div><div class="q2">in the light of life.</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch6" data-usfm="2CO.6">
 <div class="label">6</div><div class="p"> 1As God&#8217;s co-workers we urge you not to receive God&#8217;s grace in vain. 2For he says,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;In the time of my favor I heard you,</div><div class="q2">and in the day of salvation I helped you.&#8221;#6:2 Isaiah 49:8</div><div class="m">I tell you, now is the time of God&#8217;s favor, now is the day of salvation.</div><div class="s1">Paul&#8217;s Hardships</div><div class="p"> 3We put no stumbling block in anyone&#8217;s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.</div><div class="p"> 11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13As a fair exchange&#8212;I speak as to my children&#8212;open wide your hearts also.</div><div class="s1">Warning Against Idolatry</div><div class="p"> 14Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial#6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;I will live with them</div><div class="q2">and walk among them,</div><div class="q1">and I will be their God,</div><div class="q2">and they will be my people.&#8221;#6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27</div><div class="m"> 17Therefore,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Come out from them</div><div class="q2">and be separate,</div><div class="q4">says the Lord.</div><div class="q1">Touch no unclean thing,</div><div class="q2">and I will receive you.&#8221;#6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezek. 20:34,41</div><div class="m"> 18And,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;I will be a Father to you,</div><div class="q2">and you will be my sons and daughters,</div><div class="q4">says the Lord Almighty.&#8221;#6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch7" data-usfm="2CO.7">
 <div class="label">7</div><div class="p"> 1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.</div><div class="s1">Paul&#8217;s Joy Over the Church&#8217;s Repentance</div><div class="p"> 2Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. 3I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. 4I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.</div><div class="p"> 5For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn&#8212;conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.</div><div class="p"> 8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it&#8212;I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while&#8212; 9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. 13By all this we are encouraged.</div><div class="p">In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. 15And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. 16I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="2CO.8">
 <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1">The Collection for the Lord&#8217;s People</div><div class="p"> 1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord&#8217;s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But since you excel in everything&#8212;in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you#8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us&#8212;see that you also excel in this grace of giving.</div><div class="p"> 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.</div><div class="p"> 10And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.</div><div class="p"> 13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15as it is written: &#8220;The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.&#8221;#8:15 Exodus 16:18</div><div class="s1">Titus Sent to Receive the Collection</div><div class="p"> 16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.</div><div class="p"> 22In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch21" data-usfm="EXO.21">
 <div class="label">21</div><div class="p"> 1&#8220;These are the laws you are to set before them:</div><div class="s1">Hebrew Servants</div><div class="p"> 2&#8220;If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. 3If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. 4If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.</div><div class="p"> 5&#8220;But if the servant declares, &#8216;I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,&#8217; 6then his master must take him before the judges.#21:6 Or before God He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.</div><div class="p"> 7&#8220;If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. 8If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself,#21:8 Or master so that he does not choose her he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. 9If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 10If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. 11If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.</div><div class="s1">Personal Injuries</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death. 13However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate. 14But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.</div><div class="p"> 15&#8220;Anyone who attacks#21:15 Or kills their father or mother is to be put to death.</div><div class="p"> 16&#8220;Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper&#8217;s possession.</div><div class="p"> 17&#8220;Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.</div><div class="p"> 18&#8220;If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist#21:18 Or with a tool and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, 19the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.</div><div class="p"> 20&#8220;Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.</div><div class="p"> 22&#8220;If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely#21:22 Or she has a miscarriage but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman&#8217;s husband demands and the court allows. 23But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.</div><div class="p"> 26&#8220;An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. 27And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.</div><div class="p"> 28&#8220;If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. 29If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. 30However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded. 31This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. 32If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels#21:32 That is, about 12 ounces or about 345 grams of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.</div><div class="p"> 33&#8220;If anyone uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.</div><div class="p"> 35&#8220;If anyone&#8217;s bull injures someone else&#8217;s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. 36However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.</div>
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 <div class="label">22</div><div class="s1">Protection of Property</div><div class="p"> # In Hebrew texts 22:1 is numbered 21:37, and 22:2-31 is numbered 22:1-30. 1&#8220;Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.</div><div class="p"> 2&#8220;If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; 3but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.</div><div class="p">&#8220;Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. 4If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession&#8212;whether ox or donkey or sheep&#8212;they must pay back double.</div><div class="p"> 5&#8220;If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else&#8217;s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.</div><div class="p"> 6&#8220;If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.</div><div class="p"> 7&#8220;If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor&#8217;s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. 8But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must#22:8 Or before God, and he will determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person&#8217;s property. 9In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, &#8216;This is mine,&#8217; both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.#22:9 Or before God The one whom the judges declare#22:9 Or whom God declares guilty must pay back double to the other.</div><div class="p"> 10&#8220;If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, 11the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person&#8217;s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. 12But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner. 13If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.</div><div class="p"> 14&#8220;If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution. 15But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.</div><div class="s1">Social Responsibility</div><div class="p"> 16&#8220;If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. 17If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.</div><div class="p"> 18&#8220;Do not allow a sorceress to live.</div><div class="p"> 19&#8220;Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death.</div><div class="p"> 20&#8220;Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.#22:20 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.</div><div class="p"> 21&#8220;Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.</div><div class="p"> 22&#8220;Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. 23If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. 24My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.</div><div class="p"> 25&#8220;If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest. 26If you take your neighbor&#8217;s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, 27because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.</div><div class="p"> 28&#8220;Do not blaspheme God#22:28 Or Do not revile the judges or curse the ruler of your people.</div><div class="p"> 29&#8220;Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats.#22:29 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.</div><div class="p">&#8220;You must give me the firstborn of your sons. 30Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.</div><div class="p"> 31&#8220;You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="chapter ch23" data-usfm="EXO.23">
 <div class="label">23</div><div class="s1">Laws of Justice and Mercy</div><div class="p"> 1&#8220;Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.</div><div class="p"> 2&#8220;Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, 3and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.</div><div class="p"> 4&#8220;If you come across your enemy&#8217;s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. 5If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.</div><div class="p"> 6&#8220;Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. 7Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.</div><div class="p"> 9&#8220;Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.</div><div class="s1">Sabbath Laws</div><div class="p"> 10&#8220;For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, 11but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.</div><div class="p"> 13&#8220;Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.</div><div class="s1">The Three Annual Festivals</div><div class="p"> 14&#8220;Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.</div><div class="p"> 15&#8220;Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.</div><div class="p">&#8220;No one is to appear before me empty-handed.</div><div class="p"> 16&#8220;Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field.</div><div class="p">&#8220;Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.</div><div class="p"> 17&#8220;Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.</div><div class="p"> 18&#8220;Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast.</div><div class="p">&#8220;The fat of my festival offerings must not be kept until morning.</div><div class="p"> 19&#8220;Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.</div><div class="p">&#8220;Do not cook a young goat in its mother&#8217;s milk.</div><div class="s1">God&#8217;s Angel to Prepare the Way</div><div class="p"> 20&#8220;See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 21Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. 22If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. 24Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. 25Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, 26and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.</div><div class="p"> 27&#8220;I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. 28I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. 29But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. 30Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.</div><div class="p"> 31&#8220;I will establish your borders from the Red Sea#23:31 Or the Sea of Reeds to the Mediterranean Sea,#23:31 Hebrew to the Sea of the Philistines and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you. 32Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. 33Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkEXO">
 <div class="chapter ch24" data-usfm="EXO.24">
 <div class="label">24</div><div class="s1">The Covenant Confirmed</div><div class="p"> 1Then the Lord said to Moses, &#8220;Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, 2but Moses alone is to approach the Lord; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3When Moses went and told the people all the Lord&#8217;s words and laws, they responded with one voice, &#8220;Everything the Lord has said we will do.&#8221; 4Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.</div><div class="p">He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 5Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. 6Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. 7Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, &#8220;We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, &#8220;This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. 11But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.</div><div class="p"> 12The Lord said to Moses, &#8220;Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. 14He said to the elders, &#8220;Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. 17To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="2SA.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="s1">David Defeats the Ammonites</div><div class="p"> 1In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. 2David thought, &#8220;I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.&#8221; So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.</div><div class="p">When David&#8217;s men came to the land of the Ammonites, 3the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, &#8220;Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn&#8217;t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?&#8221; 4So Hanun seized David&#8217;s envoys, shaved off half of each man&#8217;s beard, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.</div><div class="p"> 5When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, &#8220;Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maakah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.</div><div class="p"> 7On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. 8The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.</div><div class="p"> 9Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 10He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites. 11Joab said, &#8220;If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. 12Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.</div><div class="p"> 15After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped. 16Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River; they went to Helam, with Shobak the commander of Hadadezer&#8217;s army leading them.</div><div class="p"> 17When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him. 18But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers.#10:18 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 19:18); Hebrew horsemen He also struck down Shobak the commander of their army, and he died there. 19When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject to them.</div><div class="p">So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2SA">
 <div class="chapter ch11" data-usfm="2SA.11">
 <div class="label">11</div><div class="s1">David and Bathsheba</div><div class="p"> 1In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king&#8217;s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.</div><div class="p"> 2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, &#8220;She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.&#8221; 4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, &#8220;I am pregnant.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6So David sent this word to Joab: &#8220;Send me Uriah the Hittite.&#8221; And Joab sent him to David. 7When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. 8Then David said to Uriah, &#8220;Go down to your house and wash your feet.&#8221; So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master&#8217;s servants and did not go down to his house.</div><div class="p"> 10David was told, &#8220;Uriah did not go home.&#8221; So he asked Uriah, &#8220;Haven&#8217;t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn&#8217;t you go home?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Uriah said to David, &#8220;The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents,#11:11 Or staying at Sukkoth and my commander Joab and my lord&#8217;s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12Then David said to him, &#8220;Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.&#8221; So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13At David&#8217;s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master&#8217;s servants; he did not go home.</div><div class="p"> 14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15In it he wrote, &#8220;Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. 17When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David&#8217;s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.</div><div class="p"> 18Joab sent David a full account of the battle. 19He instructed the messenger: &#8220;When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, 20the king&#8217;s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, &#8216;Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn&#8217;t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? 21Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth#11:21 Also known as Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon)? Didn&#8217;t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?&#8217; If he asks you this, then say to him, &#8216;Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. 23The messenger said to David, &#8220;The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate. 24Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king&#8217;s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25David told the messenger, &#8220;Say this to Joab: &#8216;Don&#8217;t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.&#8217; Say this to encourage Joab.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26When Uriah&#8217;s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2SA">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="2SA.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">Nathan Rebukes David</div><div class="p"> 1The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, &#8220;There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.</div><div class="p"> 4&#8220;Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, &#8220;As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! 6He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7Then Nathan said to David, &#8220;You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: &#8216;I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8I gave your master&#8217;s house to you, and your master&#8217;s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 11&#8220;This is what the Lord says: &#8216;Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Then David said to Nathan, &#8220;I have sinned against the Lord.&#8221;</div><div class="p">Nathan replied, &#8220;The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for#12:14 An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition; Masoretic Text for the enemies of the Lord, the son born to you will die.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah&#8217;s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth#12:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text does not have in sackcloth. on the ground. 17The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.</div><div class="p"> 18On the seventh day the child died. David&#8217;s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, &#8220;While the child was still living, he wouldn&#8217;t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. &#8220;Is the child dead?&#8221; he asked.</div><div class="p">&#8220;Yes,&#8221; they replied, &#8220;he is dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.</div><div class="p"> 21His attendants asked him, &#8220;Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22He answered, &#8220;While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, &#8216;Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.&#8217; 23But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him; 25and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.#12:25 Jedidiah means loved by the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 26Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. 27Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, &#8220;I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply. 28Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 29So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it. 30David took the crown from their king&#8217;s#12:30 Or from Milkom&#8217;s (that is, Molek&#8217;s) head, and it was placed on his own head. It weighed a talent#12:30 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms of gold, and it was set with precious stones. David took a great quantity of plunder from the city 31and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking.#12:31 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2SA">
 <div class="chapter ch13" data-usfm="2SA.13">
 <div class="label">13</div><div class="s1">Amnon and Tamar</div><div class="p"> 1In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.</div><div class="p"> 2Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.</div><div class="p"> 3Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David&#8217;s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4He asked Amnon, &#8220;Why do you, the king&#8217;s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won&#8217;t you tell me?&#8221;</div><div class="p">Amnon said to him, &#8220;I&#8217;m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom&#8217;s sister.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5&#8220;Go to bed and pretend to be ill,&#8221; Jonadab said. &#8220;When your father comes to see you, say to him, &#8216;I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, &#8220;I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so I may eat from her hand.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7David sent word to Tamar at the palace: &#8220;Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him.&#8221; 8So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. 9Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat.</div><div class="p">&#8220;Send everyone out of here,&#8221; Amnon said. So everyone left him. 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, &#8220;Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand.&#8221; And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. 11But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, &#8220;Come to bed with me, my sister.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;No, my brother!&#8221; she said to him. &#8220;Don&#8217;t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don&#8217;t do this wicked thing. 13What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.&#8221; 14But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.</div><div class="p"> 15Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, &#8220;Get up and get out!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16&#8220;No!&#8221; she said to him. &#8220;Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.&#8221;</div><div class="p">But he refused to listen to her. 17He called his personal servant and said, &#8220;Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.&#8221; 18So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing an ornate#13:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verse 19. robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore. 19Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornate robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.</div><div class="p"> 20Her brother Absalom said to her, &#8220;Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother. Don&#8217;t take this thing to heart.&#8221; And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom&#8217;s house, a desolate woman.</div><div class="p"> 21When King David heard all this, he was furious. 22And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.</div><div class="s1">Absalom Kills Amnon</div><div class="p"> 23Two years later, when Absalom&#8217;s sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king&#8217;s sons to come there. 24Absalom went to the king and said, &#8220;Your servant has had shearers come. Will the king and his attendants please join me?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25&#8220;No, my son,&#8221; the king replied. &#8220;All of us should not go; we would only be a burden to you.&#8221; Although Absalom urged him, he still refused to go but gave him his blessing.</div><div class="p"> 26Then Absalom said, &#8220;If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us.&#8221;</div><div class="p">The king asked him, &#8220;Why should he go with you?&#8221; 27But Absalom urged him, so he sent with him Amnon and the rest of the king&#8217;s sons.</div><div class="p"> 28Absalom ordered his men, &#8220;Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, &#8216;Strike Amnon down,&#8217; then kill him. Don&#8217;t be afraid. Haven&#8217;t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.&#8221; 29So Absalom&#8217;s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king&#8217;s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.</div><div class="p"> 30While they were on their way, the report came to David: &#8220;Absalom has struck down all the king&#8217;s sons; not one of them is left.&#8221; 31The king stood up, tore his clothes and lay down on the ground; and all his attendants stood by with their clothes torn.</div><div class="p"> 32But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David&#8217;s brother, said, &#8220;My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom&#8217;s express intention ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33My lord the king should not be concerned about the report that all the king&#8217;s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34Meanwhile, Absalom had fled.</div><div class="p">Now the man standing watch looked up and saw many people on the road west of him, coming down the side of the hill. The watchman went and told the king, &#8220;I see men in the direction of Horonaim, on the side of the hill.&#8221;#13:34 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have this sentence.</div><div class="p"> 35Jonadab said to the king, &#8220;See, the king&#8217;s sons have come; it has happened just as your servant said.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 36As he finished speaking, the king&#8217;s sons came in, wailing loudly. The king, too, and all his attendants wept very bitterly.</div><div class="p"> 37Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But King David mourned many days for his son.</div><div class="p"> 38After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he stayed there three years. 39And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he was consoled concerning Amnon&#8217;s death.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2SA">
 <div class="chapter ch14" data-usfm="2SA.14">
 <div class="label">14</div><div class="s1">Absalom Returns to Jerusalem</div><div class="p"> 1Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king&#8217;s heart longed for Absalom. 2So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, &#8220;Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don&#8217;t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. 3Then go to the king and speak these words to him.&#8221; And Joab put the words in her mouth.</div><div class="p"> 4When the woman from Tekoa went#14:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts spoke to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, &#8220;Help me, Your Majesty!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5The king asked her, &#8220;What is troubling you?&#8221;</div><div class="p">She said, &#8220;I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. 7Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, &#8216;Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.&#8217; They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8The king said to the woman, &#8220;Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9But the woman from Tekoa said to him, &#8220;Let my lord the king pardon me and my family, and let the king and his throne be without guilt.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10The king replied, &#8220;If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11She said, &#8220;Then let the king invoke the Lord his God to prevent the avenger of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son will not be destroyed.&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;As surely as the Lord lives,&#8221; he said, &#8220;not one hair of your son&#8217;s head will fall to the ground.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12Then the woman said, &#8220;Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Speak,&#8221; he replied.</div><div class="p"> 13The woman said, &#8220;Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son? 14Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.</div><div class="p"> 15&#8220;And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, &#8216;I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant&#8217;s request. 16Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God&#8217;s inheritance.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 17&#8220;And now your servant says, &#8216;May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18Then the king said to the woman, &#8220;Don&#8217;t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Let my lord the king speak,&#8221; the woman said.</div><div class="p"> 19The king asked, &#8220;Isn&#8217;t the hand of Joab with you in all this?&#8221;</div><div class="p">The woman answered, &#8220;As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. 20Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God&#8212;he knows everything that happens in the land.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21The king said to Joab, &#8220;Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king. Joab said, &#8220;Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant&#8217;s request.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24But the king said, &#8220;He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.&#8221; So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.</div><div class="p"> 25In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. 26Whenever he cut the hair of his head&#8212;he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him&#8212;he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels#14:26 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms by the royal standard.</div><div class="p"> 27Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter&#8217;s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.</div><div class="p"> 28Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king&#8217;s face. 29Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. 30Then he said to his servants, &#8220;Look, Joab&#8217;s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.&#8221; So Absalom&#8217;s servants set the field on fire.</div><div class="p"> 31Then Joab did go to Absalom&#8217;s house, and he said to him, &#8220;Why have your servants set my field on fire?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 32Absalom said to Joab, &#8220;Look, I sent word to you and said, &#8216;Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, &#8220;Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!&#8221;&#8198;&#8217; Now then, I want to see the king&#8217;s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 33So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOB">
 <div class="chapter ch37" data-usfm="JOB.37">
 <div class="label">37</div><div class="q1"> 1&#8220;At this my heart pounds</div><div class="q2">and leaps from its place.</div><div class="q1"> 2Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,</div><div class="q2">to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.</div><div class="q1"> 3He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven</div><div class="q2">and sends it to the ends of the earth.</div><div class="q1"> 4After that comes the sound of his roar;</div><div class="q2">he thunders with his majestic voice.</div><div class="q1">When his voice resounds,</div><div class="q2">he holds nothing back.</div><div class="q1"> 5God&#8217;s voice thunders in marvelous ways;</div><div class="q2">he does great things beyond our understanding.</div><div class="q1"> 6He says to the snow, &#8216;Fall on the earth,&#8217;</div><div class="q2">and to the rain shower, &#8216;Be a mighty downpour.&#8217;</div><div class="q1"> 7So that everyone he has made may know his work,</div><div class="q2">he stops all people from their labor.#37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power</div><div class="q1"> 8The animals take cover;</div><div class="q2">they remain in their dens.</div><div class="q1"> 9The tempest comes out from its chamber,</div><div class="q2">the cold from the driving winds.</div><div class="q1"> 10The breath of God produces ice,</div><div class="q2">and the broad waters become frozen.</div><div class="q1"> 11He loads the clouds with moisture;</div><div class="q2">he scatters his lightning through them.</div><div class="q1"> 12At his direction they swirl around</div><div class="q2">over the face of the whole earth</div><div class="q2">to do whatever he commands them.</div><div class="q1"> 13He brings the clouds to punish people,</div><div class="q2">or to water his earth and show his love.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 14&#8220;Listen to this, Job;</div><div class="q2">stop and consider God&#8217;s wonders.</div><div class="q1"> 15Do you know how God controls the clouds</div><div class="q2">and makes his lightning flash?</div><div class="q1"> 16Do you know how the clouds hang poised,</div><div class="q2">those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?</div><div class="q1"> 17You who swelter in your clothes</div><div class="q2">when the land lies hushed under the south wind,</div><div class="q1"> 18can you join him in spreading out the skies,</div><div class="q2">hard as a mirror of cast bronze?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 19&#8220;Tell us what we should say to him;</div><div class="q2">we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.</div><div class="q1"> 20Should he be told that I want to speak?</div><div class="q2">Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?</div><div class="q1"> 21Now no one can look at the sun,</div><div class="q2">bright as it is in the skies</div><div class="q2">after the wind has swept them clean.</div><div class="q1"> 22Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;</div><div class="q2">God comes in awesome majesty.</div><div class="q1"> 23The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;</div><div class="q2">in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.</div><div class="q1"> 24Therefore, people revere him,</div><div class="q2">for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?#37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOB">
 <div class="chapter ch38" data-usfm="JOB.38">
 <div class="label">38</div><div class="s1">The Lord Speaks</div><div class="p"> 1Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:</div><div class="q1"> 2&#8220;Who is this that obscures my plans</div><div class="q2">with words without knowledge?</div><div class="q1"> 3Brace yourself like a man;</div><div class="q2">I will question you,</div><div class="q2">and you shall answer me.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 4&#8220;Where were you when I laid the earth&#8217;s foundation?</div><div class="q2">Tell me, if you understand.</div><div class="q1"> 5Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!</div><div class="q2">Who stretched a measuring line across it?</div><div class="q1"> 6On what were its footings set,</div><div class="q2">or who laid its cornerstone&#8212;</div><div class="q1"> 7while the morning stars sang together</div><div class="q2">and all the angels#38:7 Hebrew the sons of God shouted for joy?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 8&#8220;Who shut up the sea behind doors</div><div class="q2">when it burst forth from the womb,</div><div class="q1"> 9when I made the clouds its garment</div><div class="q2">and wrapped it in thick darkness,</div><div class="q1"> 10when I fixed limits for it</div><div class="q2">and set its doors and bars in place,</div><div class="q1"> 11when I said, &#8216;This far you may come and no farther;</div><div class="q2">here is where your proud waves halt&#8217;?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 12&#8220;Have you ever given orders to the morning,</div><div class="q2">or shown the dawn its place,</div><div class="q1"> 13that it might take the earth by the edges</div><div class="q2">and shake the wicked out of it?</div><div class="q1"> 14The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;</div><div class="q2">its features stand out like those of a garment.</div><div class="q1"> 15The wicked are denied their light,</div><div class="q2">and their upraised arm is broken.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 16&#8220;Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea</div><div class="q2">or walked in the recesses of the deep?</div><div class="q1"> 17Have the gates of death been shown to you?</div><div class="q2">Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?</div><div class="q1"> 18Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?</div><div class="q2">Tell me, if you know all this.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 19&#8220;What is the way to the abode of light?</div><div class="q2">And where does darkness reside?</div><div class="q1"> 20Can you take them to their places?</div><div class="q2">Do you know the paths to their dwellings?</div><div class="q1"> 21Surely you know, for you were already born!</div><div class="q2">You have lived so many years!</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 22&#8220;Have you entered the storehouses of the snow</div><div class="q2">or seen the storehouses of the hail,</div><div class="q1"> 23which I reserve for times of trouble,</div><div class="q2">for days of war and battle?</div><div class="q1"> 24What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,</div><div class="q2">or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?</div><div class="q1"> 25Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,</div><div class="q2">and a path for the thunderstorm,</div><div class="q1"> 26to water a land where no one lives,</div><div class="q2">an uninhabited desert,</div><div class="q1"> 27to satisfy a desolate wasteland</div><div class="q2">and make it sprout with grass?</div><div class="q1"> 28Does the rain have a father?</div><div class="q2">Who fathers the drops of dew?</div><div class="q1"> 29From whose womb comes the ice?</div><div class="q2">Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens</div><div class="q1"> 30when the waters become hard as stone,</div><div class="q2">when the surface of the deep is frozen?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 31&#8220;Can you bind the chains#38:31 Septuagint; Hebrew beauty of the Pleiades?</div><div class="q2">Can you loosen Orion&#8217;s belt?</div><div class="q1"> 32Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons#38:32 Or the morning star in its season</div><div class="q2">or lead out the Bear#38:32 Or out Leo with its cubs?</div><div class="q1"> 33Do you know the laws of the heavens?</div><div class="q2">Can you set up God&#8217;s#38:33 Or their dominion over the earth?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 34&#8220;Can you raise your voice to the clouds</div><div class="q2">and cover yourself with a flood of water?</div><div class="q1"> 35Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?</div><div class="q2">Do they report to you, &#8216;Here we are&#8217;?</div><div class="q1"> 36Who gives the ibis wisdom#38:36 That is, wisdom about the flooding of the Nile</div><div class="q2">or gives the rooster understanding?#38:36 That is, understanding of when to crow; the meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.</div><div class="q1"> 37Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?</div><div class="q2">Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens</div><div class="q1"> 38when the dust becomes hard</div><div class="q2">and the clods of earth stick together?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 39&#8220;Do you hunt the prey for the lioness</div><div class="q2">and satisfy the hunger of the lions</div><div class="q1"> 40when they crouch in their dens</div><div class="q2">or lie in wait in a thicket?</div><div class="q1"> 41Who provides food for the raven</div><div class="q2">when its young cry out to God</div><div class="q2">and wander about for lack of food?</div><div class="b"></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJER">
 <div class="chapter ch32" data-usfm="JER.32">
 <div class="label">32</div><div class="s1">Jeremiah Buys a Field</div><div class="p"> 1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace of Judah.</div><div class="p"> 3Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, &#8220;Why do you prophesy as you do? You say, &#8216;This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 4Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape the Babylonians#32:4 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 5, 24, 25, 28, 29 and 43 but will certainly be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him with his own eyes. 5He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will remain until I deal with him, declares the Lord. If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not succeed.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6Jeremiah said, &#8220;The word of the Lord came to me: 7Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, &#8216;Buy my field at Anathoth, because as nearest relative it is your right and duty to buy it.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and said, &#8216;Buy my field at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Since it is your right to redeem it and possess it, buy it for yourself.&#8217;</div><div class="p">&#8220;I knew that this was the word of the Lord; 9so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels#32:9 That is, about 7 ounces or about 200 grams of silver. 10I signed and sealed the deed, had it witnessed, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11I took the deed of purchase&#8212;the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy&#8212; 12and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.</div><div class="p"> 13&#8220;In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: 14&#8216;This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. 15For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 16&#8220;After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:</div><div class="pmo"> 17&#8220;Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. 18You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents&#8217; sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, 19great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. 20You performed signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. 21You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror. 22You gave them this land you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law; they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster on them.</div><div class="pm"> 24&#8220;See how the siege ramps are built up to take the city. Because of the sword, famine and plague, the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. What you said has happened, as you now see. 25And though the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians, you, Sovereign Lord, say to me, &#8216;Buy the field with silver and have the transaction witnessed.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27&#8220;I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? 28Therefore this is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it. 29The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down, along with the houses where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.</div><div class="p"> 30&#8220;The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth; indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger with what their hands have made, declares the Lord. 31From the day it was built until now, this city has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove it from my sight. 32The people of Israel and Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done&#8212;they, their kings and officials, their priests and prophets, the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. 33They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline. 34They set up their vile images in the house that bears my Name and defiled it. 35They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek, though I never commanded&#8212;nor did it enter my mind&#8212;that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin.</div><div class="p"> 36&#8220;You are saying about this city, &#8216;By the sword, famine and plague it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon&#8217;; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 37I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. 38They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. 40I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. 41I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.</div><div class="p"> 42&#8220;This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. 43Once more fields will be bought in this land of which you say, &#8216;It is a desolate waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.&#8217; 44Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, because I will restore their fortunes,#32:44 Or will bring them back from captivity declares the Lord.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJER">
 <div class="chapter ch33" data-usfm="JER.33">
 <div class="label">33</div><div class="s1">Promise of Restoration</div><div class="p"> 1While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time: 2&#8220;This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it&#8212;the Lord is his name: 3&#8216;Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.&#8217; 4For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword 5in the fight with the Babylonians#33:5 Or Chaldeans: &#8216;They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.</div><div class="p"> 6&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. 7I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity#33:7 Or will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and will rebuild them as they were before. 8I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. 9Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 10&#8220;This is what the Lord says: &#8216;You say about this place, &#8220;It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.&#8221; Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more 11the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,</div><div class="q2">for the Lord is good;</div><div class="q2">his love endures forever.&#8221;</div><div class="m">For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,&#8217; says the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;This is what the Lord Almighty says: &#8216;In this place, desolate and without people or animals&#8212;in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. 13In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,&#8217; says the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 14&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;The days are coming,&#8217; declares the Lord, &#8216;when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.</div><div class="q1"> 15&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;In those days and at that time</div><div class="q2">I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David&#8217;s line;</div><div class="q2">he will do what is just and right in the land.</div><div class="q1"> 16In those days Judah will be saved</div><div class="q2">and Jerusalem will live in safety.</div><div class="q1">This is the name by which it#33:16 Or he will be called:</div><div class="q2">The Lord Our Righteous Savior.&#8217;</div><div class="m"> 17For this is what the Lord says: &#8216;David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, 18nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20&#8220;This is what the Lord says: &#8216;If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, 21then my covenant with David my servant&#8212;and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me&#8212;can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. 22I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 24&#8220;Have you not noticed that these people are saying, &#8216;The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms#33:24 Or families he chose&#8217;? So they despise my people and no longer regard them as a nation. 25This is what the Lord says: &#8216;If I have not made my covenant with day and night and established the laws of heaven and earth, 26then I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes#33:26 Or will bring them back from captivity and have compassion on them.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJER">
 <div class="chapter ch34" data-usfm="JER.34">
 <div class="label">34</div><div class="s1">Warning to Zedekiah</div><div class="p"> 1While Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms and peoples in the empire he ruled were fighting against Jerusalem and all its surrounding towns, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2&#8220;This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him, &#8216;This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down. 3You will not escape from his grasp but will surely be captured and given into his hands. You will see the king of Babylon with your own eyes, and he will speak with you face to face. And you will go to Babylon.</div><div class="p"> 4&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Yet hear the Lord&#8217;s promise to you, Zedekiah king of Judah. This is what the Lord says concerning you: You will not die by the sword; 5you will die peacefully. As people made a funeral fire in honor of your predecessors, the kings who ruled before you, so they will make a fire in your honor and lament, &#8220;Alas, master!&#8221; I myself make this promise, declares the Lord.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6Then Jeremiah the prophet told all this to Zedekiah king of Judah, in Jerusalem, 7while the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah that were still holding out&#8212;Lachish and Azekah. These were the only fortified cities left in Judah.</div><div class="s1">Freedom for Slaves</div><div class="p"> 8The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom for the slaves. 9Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage. 10So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. 11But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.</div><div class="p"> 12Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13&#8220;This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I said, 14&#8216;Every seventh year each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you six years, you must let them go free.&#8217;#34:14 Deut. 15:12 Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay attention to me. 15Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people. You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name. 16But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.</div><div class="p"> 17&#8220;Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim &#8216;freedom&#8217; for you, declares the Lord&#8212;&#8216;freedom&#8217; to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth. 18Those who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces. 19The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, 20I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.</div><div class="p"> 21&#8220;I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon, which has withdrawn from you. 22I am going to give the order, declares the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, take it and burn it down. And I will lay waste the towns of Judah so no one can live there.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJER">
 <div class="chapter ch35" data-usfm="JER.35">
 <div class="label">35</div><div class="s1">The Rekabites</div><div class="p"> 1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: 2&#8220;Go to the Rekabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons&#8212;the whole family of the Rekabites. 4I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God. It was next to the room of the officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper. 5Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, &#8220;Drink some wine.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6But they replied, &#8220;We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab#35:6 Hebrew Jonadab, a variant of Jehonadab; here and often in this chapter son of Rekab gave us this command: &#8216;Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. 7Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.&#8217; 8We have obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine 9or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops. 10We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us. 11But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded this land, we said, &#8216;Come, we must go to Jerusalem to escape the Babylonian#35:11 Or Chaldean and Aramean armies.&#8217; So we have remained in Jerusalem.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 13&#8220;This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, &#8216;Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?&#8217; declares the Lord. 14&#8216;Jehonadab son of Rekab ordered his descendants not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather&#8217;s command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me. 15Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, &#8220;Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.&#8221; But you have not paid attention or listened to me. 16The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 17&#8220;Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: &#8216;Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, &#8220;This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: &#8216;You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.&#8217; 19Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: &#8216;Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJER">
 <div class="chapter ch36" data-usfm="JER.36">
 <div class="label">36</div><div class="s1">Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah&#8217;s Scroll</div><div class="p"> 1In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2&#8220;Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now. 3Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn from their wicked ways; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4So Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and while Jeremiah dictated all the words the Lord had spoken to him, Baruch wrote them on the scroll. 5Then Jeremiah told Baruch, &#8220;I am restricted; I am not allowed to go to the Lord&#8217;s temple. 6So you go to the house of the Lord on a day of fasting and read to the people from the scroll the words of the Lord that you wrote as I dictated. Read them to all the people of Judah who come in from their towns. 7Perhaps they will bring their petition before the Lord and will each turn from their wicked ways, for the anger and wrath pronounced against this people by the Lord are great.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Baruch son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet told him to do; at the Lord&#8217;s temple he read the words of the Lord from the scroll. 9In the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a time of fasting before the Lord was proclaimed for all the people in Jerusalem and those who had come from the towns of Judah. 10From the room of Gemariah son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate of the temple, Baruch read to all the people at the Lord&#8217;s temple the words of Jeremiah from the scroll.</div><div class="p"> 11When Micaiah son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12he went down to the secretary&#8217;s room in the royal palace, where all the officials were sitting: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Akbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. 13After Micaiah told them everything he had heard Baruch read to the people from the scroll, 14all the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, &#8220;Bring the scroll from which you have read to the people and come.&#8221; So Baruch son of Neriah went to them with the scroll in his hand. 15They said to him, &#8220;Sit down, please, and read it to us.&#8221;</div><div class="p">So Baruch read it to them. 16When they heard all these words, they looked at each other in fear and said to Baruch, &#8220;We must report all these words to the king.&#8221; 17Then they asked Baruch, &#8220;Tell us, how did you come to write all this? Did Jeremiah dictate it?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18&#8220;Yes,&#8221; Baruch replied, &#8220;he dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them in ink on the scroll.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19Then the officials said to Baruch, &#8220;You and Jeremiah, go and hide. Don&#8217;t let anyone know where you are.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20After they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him. 21The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king and all the officials standing beside him. 22It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. 23Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe&#8217;s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. 24The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes. 25Even though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the Lord had hidden them.</div><div class="p"> 27After the king burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch had written at Jeremiah&#8217;s dictation, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 28&#8220;Take another scroll and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up. 29Also tell Jehoiakim king of Judah, &#8216;This is what the Lord says: You burned that scroll and said, &#8220;Why did you write on it that the king of Babylon would certainly come and destroy this land and wipe from it both man and beast?&#8221; 30Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his body will be thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night. 31I will punish him and his children and his attendants for their wickedness; I will bring on them and those living in Jerusalem and the people of Judah every disaster I pronounced against them, because they have not listened.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 32So Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkLUK">
 <div class="chapter ch2" data-usfm="LUK.2">
 <div class="label">2</div><div class="s1">The Birth of Jesus</div><div class="p"> 1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while#2:2 Or This census took place before Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to their own town to register.</div><div class="p"> 4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.</div><div class="p"> 8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, &#8220;Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,</div><div class="q1"> 14&#8220;Glory to God in the highest heaven,</div><div class="q2">and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, &#8220;Let&#8217;s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.</div><div class="p"> 21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Presented in the Temple</div><div class="p"> 22When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, &#8220;Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord&#8221;#2:23 Exodus 13:2,12), 24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: &#8220;a pair of doves or two young pigeons.&#8221;#2:24 Lev. 12:8</div><div class="p"> 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord&#8217;s Messiah. 27Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:</div><div class="q1"> 29&#8220;Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,</div><div class="q2">you may now dismiss#2:29 Or promised, / now dismiss your servant in peace.</div><div class="q1"> 30For my eyes have seen your salvation,</div><div class="q2"> 31which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:</div><div class="q1"> 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles,</div><div class="q2">and the glory of your people Israel.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 33The child&#8217;s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: &#8220;This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 36There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.#2:37 Or then had been a widow for eighty-four years. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.</div><div class="p"> 39When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.</div><div class="s1">The Boy Jesus at the Temple</div><div class="p"> 41Every year Jesus&#8217; parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, &#8220;Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 49 &#8220;Why were you searching for me?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;Didn&#8217;t you know I had to be in my Father&#8217;s house?&#8221;#2:49 Or be about my Father&#8217;s business 50But they did not understand what he was saying to them.</div><div class="p"> 51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.</div>
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