# verses

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 And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.


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 And it was said to them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only such men as do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.


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 And they were told that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented for five months; their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.


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 And in those days men shall seek death and shall in no way find it, and they shall desire to die and death will flee from them.


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 And the shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war, and upon their heads as if crowns of gold, and their faces were as men's faces.


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 And they had breastplates, like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war.


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 And they have tails like scorpions and stings, and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.


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 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he has the name Apollyon.


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 And the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God,


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 one saying to the sixth angel that had one trumpet: Release the four angels that are chained at the great river Euphrates.


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 And the four angels were released, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill a third of all mankind.


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 And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard the number of them.


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 And thus I saw the horses in the vision and those that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of sulphur, and heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceeded fire, smoke and sulphur.


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 By these three illnesses was one third of all mankind killed, by the fire and the smoke and the sulphur, which proceeded out of their mouths.


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 For the power of the horses is in their mouth and in their tails. For their tails are like those of serpents and have heads, and by means of them they wound.


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 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these illnesses, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons and the idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood- which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk.


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 And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.


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 And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, arrayed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, his face was as the sun and his feet as pillars of fire.


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 And he had in his hand a little scroll that was opened, and he set his right foot upon the sea and his left upon the earth.


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 And he cried with a great voice, as a lion roars; and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.


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 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying: Keep secret the things which the seven thunders uttered and do not write them down.


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 And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven,


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 and swore by Him that lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be no more delay.


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 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good news which He declared to His servants the prophets.


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 And the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard it again speaking with me, and saying: Go, take the book which is opened in the hand of the angel that stands upon the sea and upon the earth.


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 And I went to the angel, saying to him that he should give me the little book. And he said to me: Take it and eat it up; it shall make your belly bitter but in your mouth it shall be as sweet as honey.


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 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey. But when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter.


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 And there was given to me a reed like a measuring rod, and I was told: Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those that worship therein.


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 But the court which is outside the temple, do not measure it. For it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty two months


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 And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.


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 And if anyone desires to hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies, and if anyone shall desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed.


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 These have the power to shut the heaven so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire.


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 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss shall make war with them and overcome them and kill them.


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 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.


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 And from among the peoples, tribes, tongues and nations do men look upon their dead bodies for three and a half days, and they will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.


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 And they that dwell on the earth rejoice over them and make merry, and they shall send gifts to each other, because these two prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth.


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 And after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon those that saw them.


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 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying to them: Come up here! And they went into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them.


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 And in that hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the city fell; and there were killed in the earthquake seven thousand persons, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.


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 And the seventh angel blew his trumpet and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said: The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.


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 And the twenty four elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshiped God, saying:


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 We give You thanks O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was; because You have taken Your great power and have reigned.


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 And the nations were angry, and Your anger came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and the time to give reward to Your servants the prophets and to the saints, and to those that fear Your Name, the small and the great, and to destroy those that destroy the earth.


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 And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His covenant, and there followed lightnings, voices, thunders, an earthquake and great hail.


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 And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.


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 And there was seen another sign in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns and upon his heads seven diadems.


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 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and he did throw them to the earth; and the dragon stands before the woman that is about to give birth, so that when she gives birth he may devour her child.


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 And she gave birth to a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.


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 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred and sixty days.


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 And there was a war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels retaliated.


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 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.


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 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying: Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers is cast down, who accuses them before our God day and night.


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 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they did not love their life even to death.


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 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea! Because the Devil has gone down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has but a short time.


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 And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that had brought forth the man child.


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 And there was given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent.


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 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood.


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 And the earth helped the woman; the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.


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 And the dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed that keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus.


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 And I stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads; and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads were names of blasphemy.


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 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were as the feet of a bear, his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.


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 And I saw one of his heads as though it had a mortal wound; but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marvelled as they followed the beast.


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 And they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast? And who is able to war with him?


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 And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and there was given to him authority to continue for forty two months.


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 And he opened his mouth to blaspheme against God, to blaspheme His Name and His tabernacle, even those that dwell in the heaven.


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 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.


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 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name has not been written in the book of life of the Lamb that has been slain from the foundation of the world.


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 If anyone is for captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 


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 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.


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 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his sight. He makes the earth and those who dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose wound had been healed.


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 And he does great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men.


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 And he deceives those that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which were given to him to do in the sight of the beast, saying to those that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image of the beast who was wounded by the sword but lived.


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 And he was permitted to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast should speak, and cause to have killed as many as would not worship the image of the beast.


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 And he causes all, the small and the great and the rich and the poor and the free and the bondservant, to be given a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead;


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 so that no one should be able to buy or to sell, unless he has the mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.


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 Here is wisdom. He that has understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty six.


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 And I looked, and beheld the Lamb standing on mount Zion, and with him one hundred and forty four thousand, each having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.


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 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers playing their harps.


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 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song save the hundred and forty four thousand, they that had been purchased out of the earth.


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 These are they that were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they that follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were purchased from among men to be the firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.


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 And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good news to proclaim to those that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.


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 He said with a great voice: Fear God and give Him glory! For the hour of His judgment comes, and worship Him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.


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 And another, a second angel, followed, saying: Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the great, that has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the anger of her fornication.


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 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice: If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives the mark on his forehead, or upon his hand,


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 he also shall drink of the wine of the anger of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.


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 And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image and whoever receives the mark of his name.


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 And I heard the voice from heaven saying: Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from this time forward. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours. For their works follow them. 


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 And I looked and beheld a white cloud, and on the cloud I saw one sitting like a Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle.


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 And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a great voice to him that sat on the cloud: Send forth your sickle and reap. For the hour to reap comes. For the harvest of the earth is ripe.


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 And another angel came out from the altar, he that has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying: Send forth your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth. For her grapes are fully ripe.


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 And the angel cast his sickle into the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth, and cast it into the winepress, the great winepress of the anger of God.


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 And the winepress was trodden outside of the city; and there came out blood from the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as a sixteen hundred stadia.


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 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous. Seven angels having seven illnesses which are the last woe, for in them is finished the anger of God.


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 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those that had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God.


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 And they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, singing: Great and marvellous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Righteous and true are Your ways, You King of the ages.


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 Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your Name? For You only are holy. For all the nations shall come and worship before You. For Your righteous acts have been revealed.


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 And there came out from the temple the seven angels that had the seven illnesses, dressed with precious linen, pure and bright and golden sashes around their chests.


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 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the anger of God, who lives for ever and ever.


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 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished.


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 And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels: Go and pour out the seven bowls of the anger of God into the earth.


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 Harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.


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 And the second poured out his bowl into the sea; and it became like the blood of a dead man, and every living thing died, even the things that were in the sea.


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 And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters, and they became blood.


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 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: Righteous are You, who is and who was, You Holy One, because You did thus judge.


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 For they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, and blood have You given them to drink. They are worthy.


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 And I heard another angel out of the altar saying: Yes, O Lord God the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.


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 And men were scorched with great heat, and they cursed the Name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent and give Him glory.


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 And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened; and they gnawed their tongues for pain because of the pain.


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 They cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and they did not repent of their deeds.


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 And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river, the Euphrates, and the water of it dried up, so that the way might be made ready for the kings that come from the east.


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 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, that looked like frogs.


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 For they are spirits of demons, who work signs. These go to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.


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 (Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!)


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 And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air; and there came forth a great voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying: It is done!


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 And there were lightnings and voices and thunders, and there was a great earthquake, such as has never occurred since men came upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty.


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 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His anger.


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 And great hailstones, each about the weight of a talent, came down out of heaven upon men, and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail. For the plague was so severe.


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 And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls and spoke with me, saying: Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute that sits upon many waters,


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 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.


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 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.


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 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication,


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 and upon her forehead a name written of a mystery: Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.


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 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.


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 But the angel said to me: Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.


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 The beast you saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into destruction. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was and is not, and shall come.


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 And they are seven kings. The five are fallen, the one is, the other is yet to come; and when he comes, he must continue a little while.


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 And the beast that was and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes into destruction.


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 And the ten horns you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings with the beast, for one hour.


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 These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and they that are with him, called and chosen and faithful, these also shall overcome.


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 And he said to me: The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.


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 And the ten horns which you saw: they and the beast, these shall hate the prostitute and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and shall burn her completely with fire.


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 For God did put it in their hearts to do his mind and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.


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 After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lit with his glory.


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 And he cried with a mighty voice, saying: Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the great, and has become a habitation of demons, a refuge of every unclean spirit, and a refuge of every unclean and hateful bird.


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 For by the wine of the anger of her fornication all the nations are fallen; for the kings of the earth had committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich by the power of her greed.


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 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Come out of her My people, lest you take part in her sins, and partake of her plagues.


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 Give to her even as she gave, and repay her double according to her deeds. In the cup in which she mixed, mix for her a double portion.


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 As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says: I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.


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 Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death and mourning and famine; and she shall be completely burned with fire. For strong is the Lord God who judges her.


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 And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived wantonly with her, shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her burning,


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 standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying: Woe, woe, the great city! Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour does your judgment come.


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 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more.


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 Merchandise of gold and silver and precious stone and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet and all kinds of scented wood, and every vessel of ivory and every vessel made of most precious wood and of brass and iron and marble,


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 and cinnamon and spice and incense and ointment and frankincense and wine and oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep and horses and chariots and slaves and the souls of men.


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 And the fruits which your soul lusted after are gone from you, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous are lost to you, never to be found again!


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 The merchants of these things who were made rich by her shall stand far away, for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,


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 saying: Woe, woe, the great city! She that was dressed in fine linen and purple and scarlet and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl!


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 For in an hour so many great riches are laid waste. And every shipmaster and everyone that sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living at sea, stood far away,


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 and cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying: What city is like the great city?


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 And they cast dust on their heads and cried, weeping and mourning, saying: Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her expense! For in one hour she is made desolate.


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 Rejoice over her, you heaven, and you saints, and you apostles, and you prophets. For God has judged your judgment on her.


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 And a strong angel took up a stone, as it were a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying: Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall never be found again.


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 And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute players and trumpeters shall never be heard again in you, and no craftsman of whatever craft shall ever be found again in you, and the voice of a mill shall never be heard again in you.


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 The light of a lamp shall never shine again in you, and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall never be heard again in you. For your merchants were the princes of the earth; and with your sorcery were all the nations deceived.


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 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.


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 Praise to God! After these things I heard what seemed to be a great voice of a great crowd in heaven, saying: Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power, belong to our God.


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 For true and righteous are His judgments. For He has judged the great prostitute, she that corrupted the earth with her fornication, and He has avenged the blood of His servants shed by her.


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 And the twenty four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God that sits on the throne, saying: Amen. Hallelujah!


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 And a voice came from the throne, saying: Give praise to our God all you His servants, you that fear Him, the small and the great.


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 And I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great crowd, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying: Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.


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 Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to Him. For the marriage of the Lamb comes, and his wife has made herself ready.


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 And it was given to her that she should dress herself in fine linen, bright and pure. For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.


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 And he said to me: Write, Blessed are they that are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me: These are the true words of God.


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 And I fell down before his feet to worship him, and he said to me: You must not do that! I am a fellow-servant with you, and with your brothers that hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.


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 And I saw the heaven open; and beheld a white horse, and he that sat thereon was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.


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 And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems, and he has a name written which no one knows but him.


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 And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure.


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 And out of his mouth proceeds a sharp sword, that with it he should strike down the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he treads the winepress of the fierceness of the anger of God the Almighty.


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 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying: To all the birds that fly in mid heaven, come, be gathered together to the great supper of God.


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 Eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bondservant and small and great.


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 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army.


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 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet, who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur.


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 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse; and all the birds were filled with their flesh.


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 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain in his hand.


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 And he laid hold of the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;


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 and threw him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished. After this he must be released for a little time.


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 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.


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 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.


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 Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.


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 and shall come to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war. The number of them is as the sand of the sea.


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 And they went over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city, and fire came down out of heaven and devoured them.


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 And the Devil that deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, where are also the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.


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 And I saw a great white throne and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them.


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 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.


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 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and every man was judged according to their works.


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 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.


text:
 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride, adorned for her husband.


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 And I heard a great voice out of the throne, saying: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people; and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.


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 And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things are passed away.


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 And he that sits on the throne said: Behold! I make all things new. And he said: Write! For these words are faithful and true.


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 And he said to me: They have come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life.


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 But for the fearful and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their share shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur; which is the second death.


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 And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues; and he spoke with me, saying: Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.


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 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,


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 having the glory of God. Her light was like a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal.


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 She had a wall great and high, having twelve gates; and at the gates were twelve angels, and the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel written thereon.


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 On the east were three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates and on the west three gates.


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 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.


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 And he that spoke with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city and the gates of it, and the wall of it.


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 And the city is laid out as a square, its length is as great as its breadth, and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand stadia. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.


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 And he measured the wall of it, one hundred and forty four cubits according to the measurement of a man, which is also an angel's measurement.


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 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper. The second, sapphire. The third, chalcedony. The fourth, emerald.


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 The fifth, sardonyx. The sixth, sardius. The seventh, chrysolite. The eighth, beryl. The ninth, topaz. The tenth, chrysoprase. The eleventh, jacinth. The twelfth, amethyst.


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 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each of the separate gates was of one pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, as if it were transparent glass.


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 And the city has no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it. For the glory of God did light it, and the lamp of it is the Lamb.


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 And the nations shall walk by the light of it, and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.


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 There shall in no way enter into it anything unclean, or he that makes an abomination and a lie, but only they that are written in the Lamb's book of life.


text:
 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,


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 in the midst of the street thereof. And on both sides of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.


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 And there shall be no curse any more, and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein, and his servants shall serve him.


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 There shall be night no more, so they do not need the light of a lamp, nor the light of the sun; for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign for ever and ever. 


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 And he said to me: These words are faithful and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place.


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 And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that showed me these things.


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 And he said to me: You must not do that! I am a fellow-servant with you, and with your brothers the prophets, and with those that keep the words of this book. Worship God!


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 He that is unrighteous, let him continue to do unrighteousness, and he that is filthy, let him remain filthy, and he that is righteous, let him continue to do righteousness, and he that is holy, let him remain holy.


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 Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to eat of the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city.


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 Outside it are the dogs and the sorcerers and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and lovers and practisers of falsehood.


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 I Jesus have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.


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 And the Spirit and the bride say: Come! And he that hears, let him say: Come! And he that is thirsty, let him come. Let him that desires take the water of life freely.


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 I testify to every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, that if anyone shall add to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book.


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 And if anyone shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and out of the holy city, which are written of in this book.


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 " who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord, "


text:
 " through whom we received grace and apostleship, to obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake. "


text:
 " To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. "


text:
 " First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. "


text:
 " For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers "


text:
 " That is: that I with you may be comforted in you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine. "


text:
 " And I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that oftentimes I intended to come to you (but have so far been hindered), that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest of the Gentiles. "


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 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God to salvation to everyone that believes- to the Jew first and also to the Greek.


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 For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith to faith. As it is written: But the righteous shall live by faith.<br>


text:
 " For the anger of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness. "


text:
 " For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made- even His everlasting power and Divinity- that they may be without excuse. "


text:
 " For although they knew God, they did not honour Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. "


text:
 " and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and fourfooted animals, and creeping things. "


text:
 " Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonoured among themselves, "


text:
 " because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the created rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. "


text:
 For this cause God gave them up to vile passions. Their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature.


text:
 " And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness and receiving in themselves that reward of their error which was due. "


text:
 " And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not appropriate, "


text:
 " being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; "


text:
 " whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, proud, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, "


text:
 " Who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also give approval to them that practise them.<br> "


text:
 "<br>Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are that judge; for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself! For you that judge practise the same things. "


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 And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those that practise such things.


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 And do you think (O man who judges those that practise such things and yet you do the same) that you shall escape the judgment of God?


text:
 " Or do you despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? "


text:
 " But after your hardness and impenitent heart you treasure up for yourself anger in the day of anger and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, "


text:
 " But to them that are factious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, anger and indignation- "


text:
 " tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that works evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek. "


text:
 " But glory and honour and peace to every man that works good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. "


text:
 For as many as have sinned outside of law shall also perish without the law; and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law.


text:
 " For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. "


text:
 " For when Gentiles that do not have the law, do by nature the things of the law, these not having the law, are the law to themselves- "


text:
 " in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them "


text:
 " in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.<br>"


text:
 " and are confident you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those that are in darkness, "


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 " a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth- "


text:
 " you therefore that teach another, don't you teach yourself? You that preach a man should not steal, do you steal? "


text:
 " You that say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You that dread idols, do you rob temples? "


text:
 " For circumcision indeed profits, if you be a doer of the law; but if you be a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. "


text:
 " If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? "


text:
 " And shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge you- who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law? "


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 " For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. "


text:
 " But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men but of God.<br> "


text:
 For what if some were without faith? Shall their lack of faith make of no effect the faithfulness of God?


text:
 " God forbid. Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written: You must be justified in Your words and must prevail when You come before judgment. "


text:
 " But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visits with anger? (I speak after the manner of men). "


text:
 " But if the truth of God through my lie abounded to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? "


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 And why not do evil that good may come? (As some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just).


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 " What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin. "


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 " They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not so much as one. "


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 " Their throat is an open tomb, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips, "


text:
 " Now we know that whatever things the law said, it speaks to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God. "


text:
 Because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.<br>


text:
 " But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets- "


text:
 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all them that believe. For there is no distinction.


text:
 " Whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to show His righteousness in the passing over of the sins done previously, in the forbearance of God, "


text:
 " for the showing of His righteousness at this present time; that He might Himself be just, and the justifier of him that has faith in Jesus. "


text:
 " Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith! "


text:
 " What did the scripture say: And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness. "


text:
 " But to him that works not, but believes in Him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. "


text:
 " Even as David pronounces blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works, saying: "


text:
 " Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? For we say, to Abraham his faith was counted as righteousness. "


text:
 How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision but in uncircumcision.


text:
 " And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be counted to them also. "


text:
 " And the father of circumcision to those who are not only of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had whilst he was uncircumcised. "


text:
 " For the promise to Abraham and his seed, that he should be heir of the world, did not come through the law- but through the righteousness of faith. "


text:
 " For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no power. "


text:
 " Therefore it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed. Not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all "


text:
 " (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made you) before Him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead, and called things that are not, as though they were. "


text:
 " Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to what had been spoken: So shall your seed be. "


text:
 " And without being weakened in faith when he considered his own body, now as good as dead (he being about one hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; "


text:
 " but instead, looking to the promise of God, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, "


text:
 " but for our sake also, to whom it shall be counted, who believe in Him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. "


text:
 through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and in which we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.


text:
 " and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. "


text:
 For one will scarcely die for a righteous man! Perhaps for the good man some one would even dare to die.


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 " But God commends His own love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. "


text:
 " Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the anger of God through him. "


text:
 " For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. "


text:
 " And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.<br>"


text:
 " So through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, for that all sinned. "


text:
 " Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come. "


text:
 " But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. "


text:
 This gift is unlike the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment came because of one man to condemnation; but the free gift came out of many trespasses to justification.


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 " For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned on account of the one man; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life on account of the one man, Jesus Christ. "


text:
 " So then. As through one act of sin the judgment came to all men to condemnation, even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came to all men to justification of life. "


text:
 " For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one man shall the many be made righteous. "


text:
 " Now the law was added to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace increased all the more, "


text:
 " so that as sin reigned with the result of death, even so might grace reign through righteousness with the result of eternal life-through Jesus Christ our Lord.<br> "


text:
 Or are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?


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 " We were buried therefore with him through a baptism into his death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. "


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 " For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection. "


text:
 " Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin. "


text:
 " Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him. "


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 " Even so count yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.<br>A Change of Masters- From Sin to Christ"


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 " Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead; and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. "


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 " Do you not know, that to whom you present yourselves as slaves to obedience, his slaves you are whom you obey? Whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? "


text:
 " But thanks be to God, that whereas you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching which was delivered to you. "


text:
 " I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your human nature; but as you presented your limbs as slaves of uncleanness and iniquity, now present your limbs as slaves of righteousness unto holiness. "


text:
 What fruit had you at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the result of those things is death.


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 " But now being made free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit unto holiness- and the result is eternal life. "


text:
 " For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br> "


text:
 "<br>Or are you ignorant brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives? "


text:
 " For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives; but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband. "


text:
 " So then if, while the husband lives, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man. "


text:
 " Therefore my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; so that you should be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God. "


text:
 " For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were through the law, worked in our limbs to bring forth fruit to death. "


text:
 " But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. "


text:
 " What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid! However, I had not known sin, except through the law. For I had not known coveting, except the law had said: You shall not covet. "


text:
 " But sin, grabbing an opportunity through the commandment, worked in me all manner of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead and powerless. "


text:
 " And I once was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. "


text:
 " For sin, grabbing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it- slew me. "


text:
 " Did then that which is good become death to me? God forbid! But sin was shown to be sin, by the way it worked death in me through that which is good; and thus through the commandment, sin became shown as indeed exceedingly sinful."


text:
 "Paul's Struggle with Sin<br> For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold unto sin. "


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 " For why I do what I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I intend, but instead I do what I hate. "


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 " For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For the will to do good is present with me; but to actually do what is good is not present. "


text:
 " For the good which I would like to do I do not do, but the evil which I would not do, that I practice. "


text:
 " but I see a different law in my limbs, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my limbs. "


text:
 " Thanks be to God- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.<br> "


text:
 " For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for a sin offering, condemned sin, in the flesh. "


text:
 " That the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. "


text:
 " For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. "


text:
 " Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. "


text:
 " But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. "


text:
 " And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. "


text:
 " But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies- through His Spirit that dwells in you. "


text:
 " For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live.<br>The Wonder of Being God's Children"


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 " For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. "


text:
 " And if children, then heirs- heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him. "


text:
 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.


text:
 " For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of Him who subjected it in hope; "


text:
 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.


text:
 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.


text:
 " And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as children and the redemption of our bodies. "


text:
 " And in like manner the Spirit also helps our infirmity. For we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. "


text:
 " And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. "


text:
 " And we know that to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose- all things work together for good. "


text:
 " For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many other children. "


text:
 " And whom He foreordained, those He also called, and whom He called, these He also justified, and who He justified, these He also glorified. "


text:
 " He that spared not His own Son but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not also with him freely give us all things? "


text:
 " Who is he that condemns? It is Christ Jesus that died, yes rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God; who also makes intercession for us. "


text:
 " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? "


text:
 " Even as it is written: For your sake we are killed all the day long, we were deemed sheep for the slaughter. "


text:
 " For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, "


text:
 " nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br> "


text:
 "God's Love for Israel<br>I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit, "


text:
 " For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh; "


text:
 " who are Israelites, whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God and the promises. "


text:
 " Whose are the fathers and of whom is Christ, as concerning the flesh, who is over all. God be praised forever! Amen. "


text:
 " But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel. "


text:
 " Neither, because they are Abraham's seed are they all children, but: In Isaac shall your seed be called. "


text:
 " That is: it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God, but the children of the promise who are counted as the seed. "


text:
 For this is the word of promise: According to this season will I come and Sarah shall have a son.<br>


text:
 " (for the children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him that calls), "


text:
 " For He said to Moses: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. "


text:
 " For the scripture says of Pharaoh: For this very purpose did I raise you up, that I might show in you My power, and that My Name might be published abroad in all the earth. "


text:
 " No, O man; who are you to answer back to God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it: Why did you make me thus? "


text:
 " Or has not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? "


text:
 " And so what if God is willing to show His anger and to make His power known, enduring with longsuffering vessels of anger prepared for destruction; "


text:
 " and that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He beforehand prepared for glory, "


text:
 " As He said also in Hosea: I will call them My people, who were not My people; and she that was not beloved shall be called beloved. "


text:
 " And it shall be, that in the place where it was said to them: You are not My people, there shall they be called children of the living God. "


text:
 " And Isaiah cried out concerning Israel: Even if the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is only the remnant that shall be saved. "


text:
 " And, as Isaiah has said before: Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had become as Sodom and had been made like Gomorrah. "


text:
 " What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. "


text:
 " Therefore because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works, they stumbled at the stone of stumbling. "


text:
 " Even as it is written: Look, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence; and he that believes in him shall not be put to shame.<br> "


text:
 "<br>Brothers, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. "


text:
 " For being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. "


text:
 " For Moses writes, that the man that does the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. "


text:
 " But the righteousness which is of faith says thus: Do not say in your heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down) "


text:
 " But what did it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. That is, the word of faith, which we preach. "


text:
 " Because if you shall confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and shall believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. "


text:
 " For with the heart man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. "


text:
 " For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile, for the same one who is Lord of all is rich to all that call upon him. "


text:
 How then shall they call on him in whom they do not have belief? And how shall they believe in him about whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?


text:
 " And how shall they preach, unless they are sent? Even as it is written: How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things! "


text:
 " But they did not all obey the glad tidings. For Isaiah said: Lord, who has believed our report? "


text:
 " But I say: Did they not hear? Yes, truly, their sound went out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the world. "


text:
 " But I say: Did Israel not know? First Moses said: I will provoke you to jealousy with those who are no nation, with a nation void of understanding will I anger you. "


text:
 " And Isaiah is very bold, and said: I was found by those that did not seek Me; I showed myself to those who were not asking for Me. "


text:
 But to Israel He said: All the day long did I spread out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.<br>


text:
 "God's Plan for Israel<br>I say then, has God cast off His people? God forbid! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. "


text:
 " God did not cast off His people, whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel: "


text:
 " Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have destroyed Your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. "


text:
 " But what was the answer of God to him? I have left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed their knee to Baal. "


text:
 " Even so then, at this present time also, there is a remnant, according to the calling of grace. "


text:
 " What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The chosen obtained it, but the rest were hardened. "


text:
 " According as it is written: God gave them a spirit of stupour, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day. "


text:
 And David said: Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumblingblock and a recompense unto them.


text:
 " I say then, did they stumble that they might fall? God forbid! But by their fall, salvation came to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. "


text:
 " Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness? "


text:
 " But I speak to you who are Gentiles- inasmuch as I am an apostle of the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry, "


text:
 " For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? "


text:
 " But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and did become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree- "


text:
 " do not boast over the broken branches, for you are but branches too. For if you boast, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root supports you. "


text:
 " Well. Because of their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Be not highminded, but fear. "


text:
 " Behold then the goodness and severity of God: Towards those that fell, severity; but toward you, God's goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also shall be cut off. "


text:
 " And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, shall be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again. "


text:
 " For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more appropriately shall these, who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?"


text:
 " <br>Brothers, I would not have you ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part has befallen Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles is made up. "


text:
 " And so all Israel shall be saved. Even as it is written: There shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. "


text:
 " As touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but as touching their calling, they are beloved for the fathers' sake. "


text:
 " For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, "


text:
 " even so have these also now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you, they may also now obtain mercy. "


text:
 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past tracing out!


text:
 "<br>Therefore I urge you brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your logical service. "


text:
 " And do not conform to the mould of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may experience what is the good and acceptable and the perfect will of God. "


text:
 " For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, accordingly as God has dealt to each man a measure of faith. "


text:
 " so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and although different, still members one of another. "


text:
 " And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophecy according to the proportion of our faith, "


text:
 " or he that exhorts, to his exhorting; he that gives, let him do it with generosity. He that rules, with diligence. He that shows mercy, with cheerfulness. "


text:
 " Be of the same mind one toward another. Do not be arrogant, but condescend to those who are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits. "


text:
 " Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written: Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. "


text:
 " But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you shall heap coals of fire upon his head. "


text:
 "<br>Let every one of you be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no power but by God, and the powers that be have been ordained by God. "


text:
 " Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. "


text:
 " For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. If you wish to live without fear of the authorities- then do that which is good! And you shall have praise from the same. "


text:
 " For he is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil- be afraid! For he carries not the sword in vain. For he is a minister of God, an avenger of God's anger to him that does evil. "


text:
 " Therefore you must be in subjection, not only because of God's anger against sin, but also for the sake of your conscience. "


text:
 " For this cause you pay tribute also. For they are ministers of God's service, attending continually upon this very thing. "


text:
 " Render to all their dues. Tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour. "


text:
 " Owe no one anything, apart from to love one another. For he that loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law. "


text:
 " For this, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet- and if there be any other commandment- it is summed up in this word, namely: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. "


text:
 " And consider this too: Knowing the time, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep. For now is our salvation nearer to us than when we first believed. "


text:
 " The night is far spent, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light. "


text:
 " Let us behave decently, as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy. "


text:
 " But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.<br> "


text:
 "<br>As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not so as to just quarrel with him over opinions. "


text:
 " Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats; for God has accepted him. "


text:
 " Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he shall be made to stand up. For the Lord has power to make him stand. "


text:
 One man esteems one day above another. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.


text:
 " He that regards the day, regards it to the Lord, and he that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives God thanks. "


text:
 " For whether we live, we live to the Lord. Or whether we die, we die to the Lord. Whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. "


text:
 " For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. "


text:
 " But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you set at nothing your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. "


text:
 " For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, to Me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to God. "


text:
 " Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. "


text:
 " I know, and I am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself. Save that to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. "


text:
 " For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you walk no longer in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died "


text:
 " For the kingdom of God is not about what we eat and drink, but about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. "


text:
 " So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. "


text:
 " Do not overthrow the work of God for the mere sake of food. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who makes another stumble by what he eats. "


text:
 " The faith which you have, keep between yourself and God. Happy is he that has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. "


text:
 " But he that doubts is condemned if he eats, because he eats not from faith. And whatever is not of faith is sin.<br> "


text:
 "<br>Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. "


text:
 " For Christ also did not please himself, but as it is written: The reproaches of them that reproached You fell upon me. "


text:
 " For whatever things were written previously were written for our education, that through patience and through the comfort of the scriptures we might have hope. "


text:
 " Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of the same mind one with another, according to Christ Jesus. "


text:
 " For I say that Christ has been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, "


text:
 " and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: Therefore will I give praise to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your Name. "


text:
 And again Isaiah said: There shall be the root of Jesse and he that arises to rule over the Gentiles. On him shall the Gentiles hope.


text:
 " Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. "


text:
 " And I myself also am persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to encourage one another. "


text:
 " But I write the more boldly to you in some way, as if putting you again in remembrance, because of the grace that was given me by God, "


text:
 " that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.<br>Paul's Plans for Rome"


text:
 " For I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, "


text:
 " in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit. So that from Jerusalem and round about even to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. "


text:
 " Yes, making it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation. "


text:
 " But, as it is written: They shall see, to whom no tidings of him came, and they who have not heard shall understand. "


text:
 " But now, there is no need for me in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you, "


text:
 " I hope to see you during my journey, and to be helped on my way by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. "


text:
 For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem.


text:
 " They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to minister to them in material things. "


text:
 " When therefore I have accomplished this, and have given to them this fruit, I will leave for Spain by way of Rome. "


text:
 " Now I beseech you brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, "


text:
 " that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints. "


text:
 " that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and I ask that you assist her in whatever matter she may have need of you. For she herself also has been a helper of many and of my own self. "


text:
 " who for my life laid down their own necks. To whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles, "


text:
 " and greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus my beloved, who is the firstfruits of Asia to Christ. "


text:
 " Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also have been in Christ before me. "


text:
 " Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who laboured much in the Lord. "


text:
 " Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister and Olympas, and all the saints that are with them. "


text:
 " Now I urge you brothers, mark those that are causing divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught. Turn away from these. "


text:
 " For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly, and by their smooth and fair speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent. "


text:
 " For your obedience is known to all. I rejoice therefore over you, but I would have you to be wise regarding that which is good and simple concerning evil. "


text:
 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.


text:
 Gaius my host (and of the whole church) greets you. Erastus the treasurer of the city greets you; and Quartus the brother.


text:
 " Now to him that is able to establish you according to the gospel I preach, which is the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept in silence through times eternal "


text:
 " but now is manifested, and in accordance with the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known to all the nations to obedience of faith: "


text:
 In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A man of Bethlehem Judah went with his wife and two sons to live in the country of Moab.


text:
 The name of the man was Elimelech; his wife's, Naomi; his two sons', Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab, and stayed there.


text:
 The sons took wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.


text:
 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, to return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how that Yahweh had visited His people in giving them bread.


text:
 She left the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law went with her. They began the journey to the land of Judah.


text:
 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to your mother's house, Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.


text:
 Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.


text:
 Naomi said, Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?


text:
 Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, "I have hope', if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons;


text:
 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me. 


text:
 They lifted up their voices, and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell, but Ruth stayed with her.


text:
 She said, Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.


text:
 Ruth said, Don't entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God;


text:
 where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried. Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part you and me.


text:
 So those two travelled to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, it happened that all the city was agitated about them, and they asked, Is this Naomi?


text:
 She said to them, Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.


text:
 I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?


text:
 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the barley harvest.


text:
 Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.


text:
 Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find grace. She said to her, Go, my daughter.


text:
 She went, and came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers: and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.


text:
 Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, Yahweh be with you! They answered him, Yahweh bless you!


text:
 The servant who was set over the reapers answered, It is the Moabite woman who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.


text:
 She said, "Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves'. So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, although she stayed a little in the house.


text:
 Then Boaz said to Ruth, Listen, my daughter: Don't go to glean in another field, and don't go away from here, but stay here close to my maidens.


text:
 Let your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them. Haven't I commanded the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink from that which the young men have drawn.


text:
 Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found grace in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, since I am a foreigner?


text:
 Boaz answered her, I have come to know all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband; and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn't know before.


text:
 May Yahweh repay your work, and a full reward be given you from Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.


text:
 Then she said, Let me find grace in your sight, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken to the heart of your handmaid, although I am not as one of your handmaids.


text:
 At meal time Boaz said to her, Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your morsel in the wine. She sat beside the reapers, and they reached her parched grain, and she ate, and was satisfied, and left some of it.


text:
 When she had risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and don't reproach her.


text:
 So she gleaned in the field until evening; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.


text:
 She carried it, and went into the city where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned and she brought out and gave to her that which she had left after she herself had enough to eat.


text:
 Her mother-in-law said to her, Where have you gleaned today? Where have you worked? Blessed be he who took notice of you! She showed her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.


text:
 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Yahweh, Who has not left off His grace to the living and to the dead. Naomi said to her, The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen.


text:
 Ruth the Moabitess said, Yes, he said to me, "You shall stay close to my young men, until they have ended all my harvest'.


text:
 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not meet you in any other field.


text:
 So she stayed close to the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law.


text:
 Naomi's Bold Plan for Ruth and Boaz Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?


text:
 Now isn't Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he winnows barley tonight in the threshing floor.


text:
 Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed up, and go down to the threshing floor, but don't make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.


text:
 It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall note the place where he shall lie, and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lay down; then he will tell you what you shall do.


text:
 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and laid herself down.


text:
 It happened at midnight, that the man was startled and turned himself; and noticed a woman lay at his feet.


text:
 He said, Who are you? She answered, I am Ruth your handmaid. Therefore spread your skirt over your handmaid; for you are a near kinsman.


text:
 He said, Blessed are you by Yahweh, my daughter. You have shown more grace in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you didn't go after young men, whether poor or rich.


text:
 Now, my daughter, don't be afraid; I will do to you all that you say; for all my people in this city know that you are a worthy woman.


text:
 Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, so be it; let him do the kinsman's part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for you, then will I do the part of a kinsman for you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning. 


text:
 She lay at his feet until the morning. She rose up in the dark; for he said, Let it not be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.


text:
 He said, Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it. She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; and he went into the city.


text:
 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, How did it go, my daughter? She told her all that the man had done to her.


text:
 She said, He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, "Don't go empty to your mother-in-law'.


text:
 Then she said, Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will end; for the man will not rest, until he has finished the thing this day.


text:
 Boaz Redeems Naomi's Land and Ruth Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. When the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by he said to him, Come over here, friend, and sit down! He turned aside, and sat down.


text:
 He said to the near kinsman: Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.


text:
 I thought to disclose it to you saying, "Buy it in the presence of those who sit here, and of the elders of my people'. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then let me know. You have first right to redeem it; and I am next in line. He said, I will redeem it.


text:
 Then Boaz said, On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.


text:
 The near kinsman said, I can't redeem it for myself, otherwise I will spoil my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can't redeem it.


text:
 Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour; and this was the way of affirmation in Israel.


text:
 Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi.


text:
 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses this day.


text:
 All the people who were in the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. May Yahweh make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, who built the house of Israel; and treat you worthily in Ephrathah, and bring you fame in Bethlehem.


text:
 Let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Yahweh shall give you of this young woman. 


text:
 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and Yahweh gave her conception, and she bore a son.


text:
 The women said to Naomi, Blessed be Yahweh, who has not left you this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel.


text:
 He shall be to you a restorer of life, and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.


text:
 The neighbouring women gave him a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi! And they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.


text:
 Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured forth, therefore the virgins love you.


text:
 Take me away with you. Let's hurry. The king has brought me into his rooms! We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine! They are right to love you.


text:
 Don't stare at me because I am dark, because the sun has scorched me. My mother's sons were angry with me. They made me keeper of the vineyards, but I haven't kept my own vineyard.


text:
 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you graze your flock, where you rest them at noon; for why should I be as one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions? 


text:
 If you don't know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.


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 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste.


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 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor stimulate love, until it so desires.


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 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind our wall! He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice.


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 The flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.


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 The fig tree ripens her green figs. The vines are in blossom. They give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away. 


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 My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountainside; let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.


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 Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young hart on the mountains of Bether.


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 I will get up now, and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn't find him.


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 I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, into the room of her who conceived me.


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 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor stimulate love, until he so desires.


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 Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spices of the merchant?


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 They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.


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 He made its pillars of silver, its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, its midst being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.


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 Go forth, you daughters of Zion, and see king Solomon, with the crown with which his mother has crowned him in the day of his weddings, in the day of the gladness of his heart.


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 Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is as a flock of goats, that descend from Mount Gilead.


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 Your teeth are like a newly shorn flock, which have come up from the washing, where every one of them has twins. None is bereaved among them.


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 Your lips are like scarlet thread. Your mouth is lovely. Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind your veil.


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 Your neck is like David's tower built for an armoury, whereon a thousand shields hang, all the shields of the mighty men.


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 Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, I will go to the mountain of myrrh, to the hill of frankincense.


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 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, with me from Lebanon. Look from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.


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 You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride. You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one chain of your neck.


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 How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine! The fragrance of your perfumes than all kinds of spices!


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 Your lips, my bride, drip like the honeycomb. Honey and milk are under your tongue. The smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon.


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 spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree; myrrh and aloes, with all the best spices,


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 Awake, north wind; and come, you south! Blow on my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and taste his precious fruits.


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 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved.


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 I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my hair with the dampness of the night.


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 I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I defile them?


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 I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.


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 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had left; he had gone away. My heart went out when he spoke. I looked for him, but I didn't find him. I called him, but he didn't answer.


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 The watchmen who go about the city found me. They beat me. They bruised me. The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.


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 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am faint with love. 


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 How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you so adjure us? 


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 His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.


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 His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.


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 His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.


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 His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.


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 Where has your beloved gone, you fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you? 


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 My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.


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 Turn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats, that lie along the side of Gilead.


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 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, which have come up from the washing; of which each one has twins; none is bereaved among them.


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 My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother's only daughter. She is the favourite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.


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 Who is she who looks forth as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?


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 I went down into the nut tree grove, to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower.


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 Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?


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 How beautiful are your feet in sandals, prince's daughter! Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skilful workman.


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 Your body is like a round goblet, no mixed wine is wanting. Your waist is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies.


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 Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bathrabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon which looks toward Damascus.


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 Your head on you is like Carmel. The hair of your head is like purple. The king is held captive in its tresses.


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 I said, I will climb up into the palm tree. I will take hold of its fruit. Let your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the smell of your breath like apples,


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 your mouth like the best wine, that goes down smoothly for my beloved, gliding through the lips of those who are asleep. 


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 Let's go early up to the vineyards. Let's see whether the vine has budded, its blossom is open, and the pomegranates are in flower. There I will give you my love.


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 The mandrakes give forth fragrance. At our doors are all kinds of precious fruits, new and old, which I have stored up for you, my beloved.


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 Oh that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.


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 I would lead you, bringing you into my mother's house, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.


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 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor stimulate my love, until he so desires. 


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 Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I aroused you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labour and bore you. 


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 Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of Yahweh.


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 Many waters can't quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned. 


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 We have a little sister. She has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she is to be spoken for?


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 If she is a wall, we will build on her a turret of silver. If she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. 


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 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.


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 My own vineyard is mine alone. The thousand are for you, Solomon; two hundred for those who tend its fruit. 


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 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth- the truth which is ultimately all about reverence towards God.


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 but in His own time manifested His word in the message with which I was entrusted, according to the commandment of God our Saviour;


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 to Titus, my true child after a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. Paul's Advice About the Church in Crete 


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 The reason I left you in Crete was so you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I instructed you-


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 if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly.


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 For the bishop, as God's steward, must be blameless, not arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain;


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 holding to the faithful word which is according to the doctrine, that he may be able to minister comfort using the sound doctrine and also refute those who oppose it.


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 whose mouths must be stopped. Men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they should not, all for money's sake.


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 not giving heed to Jewish fables and the commandments of mere men who aim to turn away others from the truth.


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 To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; both their minds and their consciences are defiled.


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 They profess that they know God, but by their works they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.


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 That older women likewise be reverent in demeanour, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;


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 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands; that the preaching of the word of God may not be mocked.


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 sound speech, that cannot be condemned; so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.


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 Encourage servants to be submissive to their masters, and to be pleasing to them in all things. Not argumentative,


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 not petty thieves, but showing integrity in everything; that they in all things may make attractive the doctrine of God our Saviour.


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 It trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and Godly lives in this present age,


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 as we look for the blessed hope: The manifesting of the glory of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ,


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 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works.


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 The Way of Life Elicited by God's Grace Put them in mind to be in subjection to rulers, to authorities- to be obedient, to be eagerly ready to do every good work,


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 to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, but to be gentle, showing all meekness toward all men.


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 For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.


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 not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit


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 This was so that being justified by His grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.


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 This teaching is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.


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 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.


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 When I shall send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, give diligence to come to me at Nicopolis, for there I have decided to winter.


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 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, to help those in urgent need, and not to be unfruitful.


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 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,


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 Therefore tell them: Thus says Yahweh of Armies: "Return to me', says Yahweh of Armies, "and I will return to you', says Yahweh of Armies.


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 Don't you be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying: Thus says Yahweh of Armies, "Return now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings;' but they did not hear, nor listen to me, says Yahweh.


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 But My words and My decrees, which I commanded My servants the prophets, didn't they influence your fathers? Then they repented and said, "Just as Yahweh of Armies determined to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our practices, so He has done with us'. 


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 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,


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 I had a vision in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a ravine; and behind him there were red, brown, and white horses.


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 Then I asked, "My lord, what are these?'. The angel who talked with me said to me, I will show you what these are.


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 The man who stood among the myrtle trees answered, They are the ones Yahweh has sent to go back and forth through the earth.


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 They reported to the angel of Yahweh who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked back and forth through the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and in peace.


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 Then the angel of Yahweh replied, O Yahweh of Armies, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You have had indignation those seventy years?


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 So the angel who talked with me said to me, Proclaim, saying, "Thus says Yahweh of Armies: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.


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 I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, but they added to the calamity.


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 Therefore thus says Yahweh: I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My house shall be built in it, says Yahweh of Armies, and a builders' line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem'.


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 Proclaim further, saying, "Thus says Yahweh of Armies: My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and Yahweh will again comfort Zion, and will again choose Jerusalem'. 


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 I asked the angel who talked with me, What are these? He answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.


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 Then I asked, What are these coming to do? He said, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to saw them off, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.


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 Then I asked, Where are you going? He said to me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its breadth and what is its length.


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 and said to him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, "Jerusalem will be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it.


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 For I', says Yahweh, "will be to her a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory in the midst of her.


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 Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north', says Yahweh; "for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the sky', says Yahweh.


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 For thus says Yahweh of Armies: "For honour He has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.


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 For, behold, I will shake My hand over them, and they will be a spoil to those who served them; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me.


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 Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion; for, behold, I come, and I will dwell in the middle of you', says Yahweh.


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 Many nations shall join themselves to Yahweh in that day, and shall be My people; and I will dwell in the middle of you; and you shall know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you.


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 He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary.


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 Yahweh said to Satan, Yahweh rebuke you, Satan! Yes, Yahweh who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn't this a burning stick plucked out of the fire?


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 He answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from him. To him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich clothing.


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 I said, Let them set a clean turban on his head. So they set a clean turban on his head, and clothed him; and the angel of Yahweh was standing by.


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 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: "If you will walk in My ways, and if you will follow My instructions, then you also shall judge My house, and shall also keep My courts, and I will give you a place of access among these who stand by.


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 Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men who are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth My servant, the Branch.


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 For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes: behold, I will engrave its engraving', says Yahweh of Armies, "and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.


text:
 In that day', says Yahweh of Armies, "every man will invite his neighbour to come under his vine and under his fig tree'.


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 He said to me, What do you see? I said, I have seen, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it;


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 and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.


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 Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says Yahweh of Armies.


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 Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of "Grace, grace, to it!'.


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 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you.


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 Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the eyes of Yahweh, which run back and forth through the whole earth.


text:
 Then I asked him, What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lampstand and on the left side of it?


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 I asked him the second time, What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that pour the golden oil out of themselves?


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 He said to me, What do you see? I answered, I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its breadth ten cubits.


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 Then he said to me, This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land; for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side; and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side.


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 I will cause it to go out, says Yahweh of Armies, and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by My name; and it will remain in the midst of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones. 


text:
 Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and said to me, Lift up now your eyes, and see what is this that is appearing.


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 I said, What is it? He said, This is the ephah basket that is appearing. He said moreover, This is their appearance in all the land


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 (and behold, a talent of lead was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah basket.


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 He said, This is Wickedness!; and he threw her down into the midst of the ephah basket; and he put the weight of lead on its mouth.


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 Then lifted I up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there were two women, and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah basket between earth and the sky.


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 He said to me, To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will be set there in her own place.


text:
 Again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.


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 The angel answered me, These are the four spirits of the sky, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.


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 The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country; and the white went out after them; and the dappled went forth toward the south country.


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 The strong went out, and sought to go that they might walk back and forth through the earth: and he said, Go around and through the earth! So they walked back and forth through the earth.


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 Then he called to me, and spoke to me, saying, Behold, those who go toward the north country have quieted My spirit in the north country. 


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 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah; and come the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon.


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 Yes, take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest;


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 and speak to him, saying, "Thus says Yahweh of Armies, Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build Yahweh's temple;


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 even he shall build Yahweh's temple; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; and he shall be a priest on His throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.


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 The crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in Yahweh's temple.


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 Those who are far off shall come and build in Yahweh's temple; and you shall know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you. This will happen, if you will diligently obey the voice of Yahweh your God'.


text:
 It happened in the fourth year of king Darius that the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev.


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 and to speak to the priests of the house of Yahweh of Armies, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?


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 Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, "When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you actually fast to Me, really to Me?


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 Aren't these the words which Yahweh proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and its cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?'.


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 Thus has Yahweh of Armies spoken, saying, "Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.


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 Don't oppress the widow, nor the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart'.


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 But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.


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 Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, in case they might hear the law, and the words which Yahweh of Armies had sent by His Spirit in the previous prophets. Therefore great wrath came from Yahweh of Armies.


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 It has come to pass that, as He called, and they refused to listen, so they will call, and I will not listen, said Yahweh of Armies;


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 but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned: for they made the pleasant land desolate.


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 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.


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 Thus says Yahweh: I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called "The City of Truth;' and the mountain of Yahweh of Armies, "The Holy Mountain'.


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 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.


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 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: If it is too hard in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be too hard in My eyes? says Yahweh of Armies.


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 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: Behold, I will save My people from the east country, and from the west country;


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 and I will bring them, and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.


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 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of Yahweh of Armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.


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 For before those days there were no wages for man, nor any wages for an animal; neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbour.


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 For they will sow their seed in peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the skies will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.


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 It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don't be afraid. Let your hands be strong.


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 For thus says Yahweh of Armies: As I thought to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked Me to wrath, says Yahweh of Armies, and I didn't repent;


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 so again have I thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don't be afraid.


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 These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbour. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates,


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 and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbour, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, says Yahweh.


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 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.


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 and the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, "Let us go speedily to entreat the favour of Yahweh, and to seek Yahweh of Armies. I will go also'.


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 Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Yahweh of Armies in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favour of Yahweh.


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 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, "We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you'.


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 Condemnation on the Enemies of God's People An oracle. The word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach, and will rest upon Damascus; for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward Yahweh;


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 Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets.


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 Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, and He will strike her power in the sea; and she will be devoured with fire.


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 Ashkelon will see it, and fear; Gaza also, and will writhe in agony; as will Ekron, for her expectation will be disappointed; and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.


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 I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also will be a remnant for our God; and he will be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.


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 I will encamp around My house against the army, so that none pass through or return; and no oppressor will pass through them any more: for now I have seen with My eyes. 


text:
 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; humble, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.


text:
 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.


text:
 As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water.


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 Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.


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 For indeed I bend Judah as a bow for Myself. I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and will make you like the sword of a mighty man. 


text:
 Yahweh will be seen over them; and His arrow will go flashing like lightning; and the Lord Yahweh will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.


text:
 Yahweh of Armies will defend them; and they will destroy and overcome with sling stones; and they will drink, and roar as through wine; and they will be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar.


text:
 Yahweh their God will save them in that day as the flock of His people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over His land.


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 For how great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.


text:
 God's Care for Judah Ask of Yahweh rain in the time of the spring rains; Yahweh will make storm clouds, He will give rain showers to everyone for the plants in the field.


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 For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are oppressed, because there is no shepherd.


text:
 My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the male goats; because Yahweh of Armies has visited His flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as His majestic horse in the battle.


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 From Him will come forth the cornerstone, from Him the nail, from Him the battle bow, from Him every ruler together.


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 They shall be as mighty men, treading down muddy streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because Yahweh is with them; and the riders on horses will be confounded.


text:
 I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back; for I have mercy on them; and they will be as though I had not cast them off: for I am Yahweh their God, and I will hear them.


text:
 Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their heart will rejoice as through wine; yes, their children will see it, and rejoice. Their heart will be glad in Yahweh.


text:
 I will signal for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them; and they will increase as they have increased.


text:
 I will sow them among the peoples; and they will remember Me in far countries; and they will live with their children, and will return.


text:
 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and there won't be room enough for them.


text:
 He will pass through the sea of affliction, and will strike the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the Nile will dry up; and the pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.


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 Wail, fir tree, for the cedar has fallen, because the stately ones are destroyed. Wail, you oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest has come down.


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 A voice of the wailing of the shepherds! For their glory is destroyed: a voice of the roaring of young lions! For the pride of the Jordan is ruined. 


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 Their buyers slaughter them, and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, "Blessed be Yahweh, for I am rich;' and their own shepherds don't pity them.


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 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh; but, behold, I will deliver the men, every one of them, into his neighbour's hand, and into the hand of his king. They will strike the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.


text:
 So I fed the flock of slaughter, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staves. The one I called Grace, and the other I called Union, and I fed the flock.


text:
 I cut off the three shepherds in one month; for my soul was weary of them, and their soul also loathed me.


text:
 Then I said, I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let those who are left eat each other's flesh.


text:
 I took my staff Grace, and cut it apart, "That I might break My covenant that I had made with all the people'.


text:
 It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was the word of Yahweh.


text:
 I said to them, If you think it best, give me my value; and if not, keep it. So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver.


text:
 Yahweh said to me, Throw it to the potter, the handsome price that I was valued at by them! I took the thirty pieces of silver, and threw them to the potter, in the house of Yahweh.


text:
 Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.


text:
 For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces.


text:
 Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!


text:
 Destruction for Jerusalem's Enemies An oracle. The word of Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him says:


text:
 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the surrounding peoples, and on Judah also will it be in the siege against Jerusalem.


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 It will happen in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples. All who trample upon it will be severely wounded, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against it.


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 In that day, says Yahweh, I will strike every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.


text:
 The chieftains of Judah will say in their heart, "The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in Yahweh of Armies their God'.


text:
 In that day I will make the chieftains of Judah like a pan of fire among wood, and like a flaming torch among sheaves; and they will devour all the surrounding peoples, on the right hand and on the left; and Jerusalem will yet again dwell in their own place, even in Jerusalem.


text:
 Yahweh also will save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem be not magnified above Judah.


text:
 In that day Yahweh will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He who is feeble among them at that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of Yahweh before them.


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 It will happen in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 


text:
 I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to Me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn.


text:
 In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.


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 The land will mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;


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 the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of the Shimeites apart, and their wives apart;


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 In that day there will be a spring opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.


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 It will come to pass in that day, says Yahweh of Armies, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they will be remembered no more. I will also cause the prophets and the spirit of impurity to pass out of the land.


text:
 It will happen that, when anyone still prophesies, then his father and his mother who bore him will tell him, "You must die, because you speak lies in the name of Yahweh;' and his father and his mother who bore him will stab him when he prophesies.


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 It will happen in that day, that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision, when he prophesies; neither will they wear a hairy mantle to deceive:


text:
 but he will say, "I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground; for I have been made a bondservant from my youth'.


text:
 One will say to him, "What are these wounds in your hands?'. Then he will answer, "Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends'. The Refining of God's People 


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 Awake, sword, against My shepherd, and against the man who is close to Me, says Yahweh of Armies. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; and I will turn My hand against the little ones.


text:
 It shall happen that in all the land, says Yahweh, two parts in it will be cut off and die; but the third will be left in it.


text:
 I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will test them like gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will hear them. I will say, "It is My people;' and they will say, "Yahweh is my God'.


text:
 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city will be taken, the houses pillaged, and the women raped. Half of the city will go out into captivity, and the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.


text:
 His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two, from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.


text:
 You shall flee by the valley of My mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel; yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Yahweh my God will come, and all the holy ones with you.


text:
 It will be a unique day which is known to Yahweh; not day, and not night; but it will come to pass, that at evening time there will be light.


text:
 It will happen in that day, that living waters will go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea; in summer and in winter will it be.


text:
 Yahweh will be King over all the earth. In that day Yahweh will be declared as the one and only, and His name unified.


text:
 All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she will be lifted up, and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin's gate to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses.


text:
 This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem: their flesh will consume away while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will consume away in their sockets, and their tongue will consume away in their mouth.


text:
 It will happen in that day, that a great panic from Yahweh will be among them; and they, each of them, will lay hold on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand will rise up against the hand of his neighbour.


text:
 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered together: gold, and silver, and clothing, in great abundance.


text:
 So will be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the donkey, and of all the animals that will be in those camps, as that plague.


text:
 It will happen that everyone who is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of Armies, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.


text:
 It will be, that whoever of all the families of the earth doesn't go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of Armies, on them there will be no rain.


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 If the family of Egypt doesn't go up, and doesn't come, neither will it rain on them. This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike the nations that don't go up to keep the feast of tents.


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 This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations that don't go up to keep the feast of tabernacles.


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 In that day there will be on the bells of the horses, HOLY TO YAHWEH; and the pots in Yahweh's house will be like the bowls before the altar.


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 Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to Yahweh of Armies; and all those who sacrifice will come and take of them, and cook in them. In that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of Yahweh of Armies.


text:
 The word of Yahweh which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.


text:
 I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the idols along with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. 


text:
 I will stretch out My hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests,


text:
 those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam,


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 those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who haven't sought Yahweh nor inquired after Him.


text:
 Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests.


text:
 It will happen in the day of Yahweh's sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king's sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign clothing.


text:
 In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit.


text:
 In that day, says Yahweh, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills.


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 Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off.


text:
 It will happen at that time that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, Yahweh will not do good, neither will He do evil.


text:
 Their wealth will become a spoil, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won't inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won't drink their wine. 


text:
 The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly.


text:
 That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,


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 I will bring distress upon men, so that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh; and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.


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 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh's wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of His jealousy; for He will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.


text:
 before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yahweh comes on you, before the day of Yahweh's anger comes on you.


text:
 Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept His ordinances. Seek righteousness; seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh's anger. 


text:
 For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.


text:
 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Yahweh is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant.


text:
 The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will find pasture there. They will lie down in the evening in the houses of Ashkelon, for Yahweh their God will visit them, and restore them. 


text:
 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the insults of the children of Ammon, with which they have reproached My people, and magnified themselves against their border.


text:
 Therefore as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of My people will plunder them, and the survivors of My nation will inherit them.


text:
 This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of Armies.


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 Yahweh will leave them awestruck, for He will starve all the gods of the land. Men will worship Him, everyone from his place, even from every border of the nations. 


text:
 He will stretch out His hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.


text:
 Herds will lie down in the midst of her, all the animals of the nations. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for He has laid bare the cedar beams.


text:
 This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me. How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her will hiss, and shake their fists.


text:
 She didn't obey the voice. She didn't receive correction. She didn't trust in Yahweh. She didn't draw near to her God.


text:
 Her princes in the midst of her are as roaring lions, her judges are as evening wolves; they leave nothing until the next day.


text:
 Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people, her priests have desecrated the sanctuary; they have done violence to the law.


text:
 Yahweh in the midst of her, He is righteous; He will do no wrong. Every morning He brings His justice to light. He doesn't fail, but the unjust know no shame.


text:
 I have cut off nations, their battlements are desolate; I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.


text:
 I said, Just fear Me. Receive correction, so that her dwelling won't be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.


text:
 Therefore wait for Me, says Yahweh, until the day that I rise up to seize the prey; for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them My indignation, even all My fierce anger; for all the land will be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.


text:
 For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the name of Yahweh, to serve Him with one neck.


text:
 From beyond the rivers of Cush, My worshippers, even the daughter of My dispersed people, will bring My offering.


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 In that day you will not be ashamed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against Me; for then I will take away out of the midst of you your proud exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in My holy mountain.


text:
 But I will leave in the midst of you an afflicted and humbled people, and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh.


text:
 The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.


text:
 Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.


text:
 Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is in the midst of you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.


text:
 Yahweh your God is in the midst of you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy, He will calm you in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.


text:
 I will gather those who mourn with longing for the appointed feasts, you will no longer suffer reproach.


text:
 Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you, and I will save those who are lame, and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honour, those whose shame was once in all the earth.


text:
 At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will give you honour and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I return your captives before your eyes, says Yahweh.


