Chapter 80 of 257

Isaiah 5:1–7 Let me sing for my beloved

Let me sing for my beloved

a song of my love concerning his vineyard:

My beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.

2 And he dug it and cleared it of stones,

and he planted it with choice vines,

and he built a watchtower in the middle of it,

and he even hewed out a wine vat in it,

and he waited for it to yield grapes—

but it yielded wild grapes.

3 And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem

and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard.

4 What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it?

Why did I hope for it to yield grapes, and it yielded wild grapes?

5 And now let me tell you what I myself am about to do to my vineyard.

I will remove its hedge, and it shall become a devastation.

I will break down its wall, and it shall become a trampling.

6 And I will make it a wasteland;

it shall not be pruned and hoed,

and it shall be overgrown with briers and thornbushes.

And concerning the clouds, I will command them not to send rain down upon it.

7 For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts is the house of Israel,

and the man of Judah is the plantation of his delight.

And he waited for justice,

but look! Bloodshed!

For righteousness,

but look! A cry of distress!

“ ‘And when you have come into the land and you plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as unharvestable; for three years it shall be forbidden for you; it shall not be eaten. 24 But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, offerings of praise for Yahweh. 25 And in the fifth year you shall eat its fruit to increase its yield for you; I am Yahweh your God.

And he sent a slave to the tenant farmers at the proper time, so that he could collect some of the fruit of the vineyard from the tenant farmers. 3 And they seized him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 And again he sent to them another slave, and that one they struck on the head and dishonored. 5 And he sent another, and that one they killed. And he sent many others, some of whom they beat and some of whom they killed.

But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, offerings of praise for Yahweh.

Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, in order that he might sanctify the people by his own blood. 13 So we must go out to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.

So the chief priests and the Pharisees called together the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs! 48 If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

49 But a certain one of them, Caiaphas (who was high priest in that year), said to them, “You do not know anything at all! 50 Nor do you consider that it is profitable for you that one man should die for the people, and the whole nation not perish.” 51 (Now he did not say this from himself, but being high priest in that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also that the children of God who are scattered would be gathered into one.) 53 So from that day they resolved that they should kill him.

They said to him, “He will destroy those evil men completely and lease the vineyard to other tenant farmers who will give him the fruits in their season.”

The stone the builders rejected

has become the chief cornerstone.

23 This is from Yahweh;

it is wonderful in our eyes.

And those who went ahead and those who were following were shouting,

“Hosanna!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Look, I will be standing before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you will strike the rock, and water will come out from it, and the people will drink.”

And Moses did so before the eyes of the elders of Israel.

You were looking on until a stone was chiseled out—that not by hands—and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it broke them in pieces.

‘Who are you O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground, and he will bring out the top stone amid the shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ”

Why that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if by works. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble, 33 just as it is written,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble,

and a rock that causes them to fall,

and the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.

For it stands in scripture,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone,

and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

7 Therefore the honor is for you who believe, but for those who refuse to believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected,

this one has become the cornerstone,”

8 and

“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,”

who stumble because they disobey the word to which also they were consigned.

And continuing, Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man—a king—who gave a wedding celebration for his son. 3 And he sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the wedding celebration, and they did not want to come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding celebration!” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went away—this one to his own field, that one to his business. 6 And the others, seizing his slaves, mistreated them and killed them. 7 And the king was angry and sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding celebration is ready, but those who had been invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore, go out to the places where the roads exit the city and invite to the wedding celebration as many people as you find.’ 10 And those slaves went out into the roads and gathered everyone whom they found, both evil and good, and the wedding celebration was filled with dinner guests. 11 But when the king came in to see the dinner guests, he saw a man there not dressed in wedding clothes. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here, not having wedding clothes?’ But he could say nothing. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ 14 For many are called but few are chosen.”

And they sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him so that they could catch him unawares in a statement. 14 And when they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and you do not care what anyone thinks, because you do not regard the opinion of people but teach the way of God in truth. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” 15 But because he knew their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius so that I can look at it!” 16 So they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” And they said to him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!” And they were utterly amazed at him.

And Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!” And they were utterly amazed at him.

Therefore, I urge first of all that petitions, prayers, requests, and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all people, 2 on behalf of kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable before God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and human beings, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all, the testimony at the proper time,

Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king as having supreme authority, 14 or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good. 15 For the will of God is as follows: by doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as free persons, and not using your freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.

And Sadducees—who say there is no resurrection—came up to him and began to ask him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if someone’s brother dies and he leaves behind a wife and does not leave a child, that his brother should take the wife and father descendants for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers, and the first took a wife. And when he died, he did not leave descendants. 21 And the second took her, and he died without leaving descendants. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven did not leave descendants. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife. 24 Jesus said to them, “Are you not deceived because of this, because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 Now concerning the dead, that they are raised, have you not read in the book of Moses in the passage about the bush how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken!”

(For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)

But if the man does not want to take his sister-in-law, then his sister-in-law shall go up to the gate, to the elders, and she shall say, ‘My brother-in-law refused to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel, for he is not willing to marry me.’ 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and speak to him, and if he persists and says, ‘I do not desire to marry her’ 9 then his sister-in-law shall go near him before the eyes of the elders, and she shall pull off his sandal from his foot, and she shall spit in his face, and she shall declare and she shall say, ‘This is how it is done to the man who does not build the house of his brother.’ 10 And his family shall be called in Israel, ‘The house where the sandal was pulled off.’

But God gives to it a body just as he wishes, and to each one of the seeds its own body. 39 Not all flesh is the same, but there is one flesh of human beings, and another flesh of animals, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish, 40 and heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the glory of the heavenly bodies is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly bodies is of another kind. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars, for star differs from star in glory.

42 Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruptibility. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, made of earth; the second man is from heaven. 48 As the one who is made of earth, so also are those who are made of earth, and as the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the one who is made of earth, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

50 But I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood is not able to inherit the kingdom of God, nor can corruption inherit incorruptibility. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For it is necessary for this perishable body to put on incorruptibility, and this mortal body to put on immortality. 54 But whenever this perishable body puts on incorruptibility and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will take place:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?

56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 58 So then, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

And the glory that you have given to me, I have given to them, in order that they may be one, just as we are one—23 I in them, and you in me, in order that they may be completed in one, so that the world may know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.

24 “Father, those whom you have given to me—I want that those also may be with me where I am, in order that they may see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called children of God, and we are! Because of this the world does not know us: because it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.

And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he had need and he and those who were with him were hungry—

You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ”

Have you not read this scripture:

‘The stone which the builders rejected,

this has become the cornerstone.

And one of the scribes came up and heard them debating. When he saw that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “That is true, Teacher. You have said correctly that he is one and there is no other except him. 33 And to love him from your whole heart and from your whole understanding and from your whole strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And Jesus, when he saw that he had answered thoughtfully, said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to put a question to him any longer.

Now when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled at the same place. 35 And one of them, a legal expert, put a question to him to test him:

“Hear, Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is unique. 5 And you shall love Yahweh your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your might.

You shall not seek vengeance, and you shall not harbor a grudge against your fellow citizens; and you shall love your neighbor like yourself; I am Yahweh.

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another, for the one who loves someone else has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are summed up in this statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does not commit evil against a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

And one of them, a legal expert, put a question to him to test him:

Then Samuel said,

“Is there as much delight for Yahweh in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as there is in obeying Yahweh?

Look! To obey is better than sacrifice;

to give heed than the fat of rams.

For you do not delight in sacrifice or I would give it.

With a burnt offering you are not pleased.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.

I call on you, O Yahweh; hasten to me.

Listen to my voice when I call to you.

2 Let my prayer be set before you as incense,

the lifting up of my palms as the evening offering.

For I did not speak with your ancestors, nor did I command them in the day of bringing them out from the land of Egypt, concerning the matter of burnt offering and sacrifice. 23 But I only commanded them this word, saying, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be to you God, and you will be to me people, and you must walk in all of the way that I command you, so that it goes well with you.’

Because I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,

and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

With what shall I approach Yahweh,

and bow down to God on high?

Shall I approach him with burnt offerings,

with bull calves a year old?

7 Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams,

with myriads of rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good,

and what does Yahweh ask from you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?

And continuing, Jesus said while teaching in the temple courts, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is David’s son? 36 David himself said by the Holy Spirit,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand,

until I put your enemies

under your feet.” ’

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ and how is he his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him gladly.

saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “David’s.”

For in this way God loved the world, so that he gave his one and only Son, in order that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world in order that he should judge the world, but in order that the world should be saved through him. 18 The one who believes in him is not judged, but the one who does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: that the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who practices evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be exposed. 21 But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, in order that his deeds may be revealed, that they are done in God.

Thus I said to you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

Children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But they went out, in order that it might be shown that all of them are not of us.

20 And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because every lie is not of the truth. 22 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This person is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.

A declaration of Yahweh to my lord,

“Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies your footstool.”

Others were saying, “This man is the Christ!” But others were saying, “No, for the Christ does not come from Galilee, does he? 42 Has not the scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look! the virgin is with child and she is about to give birth to a son, and she shall call his name ‘God with us.’

Now the birth of Jesus Christ occurred in this way. His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 So Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to disgrace her, intended to divorce her secretly. 20 But as he was considering these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will give birth to a son, and you will call his name ‘Jesus,’ because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all this happened in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying,

23 “Behold, the virgin will become pregnant and will give birth to a son,

and they will call his name Emmanuel,”

which is translated, “God with us.” 24 And Joseph, when he woke up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and he took his wife 25 and did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin legally promised in marriage to a man named Joseph of the house of David. And the name of the virgin was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly perplexed at the statement, and was pondering what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31 And behold, you will conceive in the womb and will give birth to a son,

and you will call his name Jesus.

32 This one will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.

33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his kingdom there will be no end.

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore also the one to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth—she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 So Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s female slave! May it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like walking around in long robes and greetings in the marketplaces 39 and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets, 40 who devour the houses of widows and pray lengthy prayers for the sake of appearance. These will receive more severe condemnation!”

And he sat down opposite the contribution box and was observing how the crowd was putting coins into the contribution box. And many rich people were putting in many coins. 42 And one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins (that is, a penny). 43 And summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow put in more than all those who put offerings into the contribution box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in everything she had, her whole means of subsistence.”

“And take care not to practice your righteousness before people to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 Therefore whenever you practice charitable giving, do not sound a trumpet in front of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, in order that they may be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full! 3 But you, when you practice charitable giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 in order that your charitable giving may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered into the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple courts, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves. 16 And he did not permit anyone to carry objects through the temple courts. 17 And he began to teach and was saying to them, “Is it not written,

‘My house will be called a house of prayer

for all the nations,’

but you have made it a cave of robbers!”

Behold, your house has been left to you desolate!

And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came up to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

And while some were speaking about the temple, that it was adorned with precious stones and votive offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see—days will come in which not one stone will be left on another stone that will not be thrown down!”

7 And they asked him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, Watch out that you are not deceived! For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them! 9 And when you hear about wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end will not be at once.” 10 Then he said to them, “nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes and famines and plagues in various places. There will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.

12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will turn out to you for a time of witness. 14 Therefore make up your minds not to prepare in advance to speak in your own defense, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom that all your opponents will not be able to resist or contradict. 16 And you will be handed over even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put to death some of you. 17 And you will be hated by all because of my name. 18 Even a hair of your head will never perish! 19 By your patient endurance you will gain your lives.

20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those inside it must depart, and those in the fields must not enter into it, 22 because these are days of vengeance, so that all the things that are written can be fulfilled. 23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people, 24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25 “And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity from the noise of the sea and its surging, 26 people fainting from fear and expectation of what is coming on the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man arriving in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!”

29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they put out foliage, now you see for yourselves and know that by this time the summer is near. 31 So also you, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I say to you that this generation will never pass away until all things take place! 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

34 “But take care for yourselves, lest your hearts are weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of daily life, and that day come upon you suddenly 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who reside on the face of the whole earth. 36 But be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

So Jesus began to say to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you!

But you, watch out! I have told you everything ahead of time!

Watch out! Be alert, because you do not know when the time is!

“But concerning that day or hour no one knows—not even the angels in heaven nor the Son—except the Father.

So Jesus began to say to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you! 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and they will deceive many.

“And at that time if anyone should say to you, “Behold, here is the Christ,’ ‘Behold, there he is,’ do not believe him! 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce signs and wonders in order to mislead, if possible, the elect.

“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be” (let the one who reads understand), “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains!

For in those days there will be tribulation of such a kind as has not happened from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will happen.

“But in those days, after that tribulation,

‘the sun will be darkened

and the moon will not give its light,

For at that time there will be great tribulation, such as has not happened from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will happen.

“And immediately after the tribulation of those days,

‘the sun will be darkened

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will fall from heaven,

and the powers of heaven will be shaken.’

Alas! For that day is great,

there is none like it.

And it is a time of distress for Jacob,

yet from it he will be delivered.

That day will be a day of wrath,

a day of trouble and distress,

a day of disaster and ruination,

a day of darkness and deep gloom,

a day of clouds and thick clouds,

16 a day of trumpet and trumpet blast

against the fortified cities

and against the high corner towers.

17 And I will bring distress to all humankind,

and they shall walk about like the blind,

for they sinned against Yahweh;

their blood shall be poured out like dust

and their entrails like dung.

18 Moreover, their silver and their gold

will not be able to save them

on the day of the wrath of Yahweh.

And in the fire of his zeal,

the whole land shall be consumed,

for a terrifying end he shall make

for all the inhabitants of the land.

Go, my people, enter into your chambers

and shut your doors behind you;

hide for a very little while,

until the wrath has passed over.

21 For look! Yahweh is about to come out from his place

to punish the iniquity of the inhabitants of the earth against him,

and the earth will disclose her blood

and will no longer cover her slain.

So Jesus began to say to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you! 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and they will deceive many. 7 And when you hear about wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These things are the beginning of birth pains.

9 “But you, watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to councils and you will be beaten in the synagogues and will have to stand before governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations. 11 And when they arrest you and hand you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you should say, but whatever is given to you at that hour, say this. For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end—this one will be saved.

“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be” (let the one who reads understand), “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! 15 The one who is on his housetop must not come down or go inside to take anything out of his house, 16 and the one who is in the field must not turn back to pick up his cloak. 17 And woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! 18 But pray that it will not happen in winter.

For in those days there will be tribulation of such a kind as has not happened from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will happen. 20 And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has shortened the days.

21 “And at that time if anyone should say to you, “Behold, here is the Christ,’ ‘Behold, there he is,’ do not believe him! 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce signs and wonders in order to mislead, if possible, the elect. 23 But you, watch out! I have told you everything ahead of time!

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation,

‘the sun will be darkened

and the moon will not give its light,

25 and the stars will be falling from heaven,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.’

26 And then they will see the Son of Man arriving in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels, and will gather the elect together from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of heaven.

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also you, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the door. 30 Truly I say to you that this generation will never pass away until all these things take place! 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

32 “But concerning that day or hour no one knows—not even the angels in heaven nor the Son—except the Father. 33 Watch out! Be alert, because you do not know when the time is! 34 It is like a man away on a journey, who left his house and gave his slaves authority—to each one his work—and to the doorkeeper he gave orders that he should be on the alert. 35 Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or early in the morning—36 lest he arrive suddenly and find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be on the alert!”

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you! 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will deceive many. 6 And you are going to hear about wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.

9 “Then they will hand you over to persecution and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations because of my name. 10 And then many will be led into sin and will betray one another and will hate one another, 11 and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many, 12 and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end—this person will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken about by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place” (let the one who reads understand), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! 17 The one who is on his housetop must not come down to take things out of his house, 18 and the one who is in the field must not turn back to pick up his cloak. 19 And woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! 20 But pray that your flight may not happen in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great tribulation, such as has not happened from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will happen. 22 And unless those days had been shortened, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened.

23 “At that time if anyone should say to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘Here he is,’ do not believe him! 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you ahead of time! 26 Therefore if they say to you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it! 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

“And immediately after the tribulation of those days,

‘the sun will be darkened

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will fall from heaven,

and the powers of heaven will be shaken.’

30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect together from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other end of it.

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near, at the door. 34 Truly I say to you that this generation will never pass away until all these things take place! 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows—not even the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone. 37 For just as the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark. 39 And they did not know anything until the deluge came and swept them all away. So also the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know what day your Lord is coming! 43 But understand this: that if the master of the house had known what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think he will come.

Because you have kept the word of my patient endurance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole inhabited world, to put to the test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly! Hold fast to what you have, so that no one may take away your crown.

For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These things are the beginning of birth pains.

Wail, for the day of Yahweh is near;

it will come like destruction from Shaddai!

7 Therefore all hands will grow slack,

and every human heart will melt,

8 and they will be dismayed.

Pangs and labor pains will seize them;

they will tremble like a woman giving birth.

They will stare at one another,

their faces flushing.

For I heard a voice like an ill woman,

anxiety like a woman who bears her first child,

the voice of the daughter of Zion.

She is gasping for breath,

she is spreading out her hands:

“Woe is me, for I am becoming tired before killers.”

We have heard news of it,

our hands grow slack,

anxiety has grasped us,

pain as a woman who gives birth.

What will you say when he sets over you—

and you have taught them—allies as head over you?

Will not labor pains take hold of you,

like a woman giving birth?

Go up to Lebanon and cry out,

and in Bashan lift up your voice,

and cry out from Abarim,

for all your lovers are shattered.

21 I spoke to you in the times you were secure,

and you said, ‘I will not listen!’

This was your way from your youth,

for you have not obeyed my voice.

22 All your shepherds will shepherd the wind,

and your lovers will go into captivity.

Yes, then you will be ashamed and humiliated

because of all your wickedness.

23 Inhabitants of Lebanon,

nestled among the cedars,

how you will groan when labor pains come to you,

anguish as the woman who gives birth.

Whenever they say “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will overtake them like the birth pains of a pregnant woman, and they will not possibly escape.

So Jesus began to say to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you! 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and they will deceive many.

And when you hear about wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These things are the beginning of birth pains.

For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These things are the beginning of birth pains.

“But you, watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to councils and you will be beaten in the synagogues and will have to stand before governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations. 11 And when they arrest you and hand you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you should say, but whatever is given to you at that hour, say this. For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end—this one will be saved.

“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits: they do not gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles, do they? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree is not able to produce bad fruit, nor a bad tree to produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 As a result, you will recognize them by their fruits.

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own Son. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking perversions of the truth in order to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

4 You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. The one who knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

So the city came under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 In the ninth month, the famine became severe in the city, and there was no food for the people of the land.

Thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Clap your hand and stamp with your foot, and say, “Alas, for all of the detestable things of the evil of the house of Israel, because of which they will fall with the sword, with the famine, and with the plague.

Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe of Gilead said to Ahab, “As Yahweh lives, the God of Israel before whom I stand, there shall surely not be dew nor rain these years except by my command.”

And I watched when he opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake took place, and the sun became black like sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood,

And the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire from the altar and threw it to the earth, and there were thunders and sounds and lightnings and an earthquake.

And at that hour a great earthquake took place, and a tenth of the city collapsed, and seven thousand people were killed by the earthquake, and the rest became terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

And there were lightnings and sounds and thunders, and there was a great earthquake, as has not happened from the time humanity has been on the earth—so great in this way was the earthquake.

And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end—this one will be saved.

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