You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Make sure that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is still to come. ¹ 

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. ¹ 

Do not lose your courage or become afraid because of the reports that are heard in the land. For a report will come in one year. Another report will follow it in the next. There will be violence in the land with ruler fighting against ruler.”

But reports will trouble him from the east and north, and he will set out in a tremendous rage to destroy and wipe out many.

Destruction ¹  and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a rumor about where it can be found.’ ² 

A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out ¹  lies will perish. ² 

So ¹  the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.

those men who produced the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord.

I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye has seen you. ¹ 

The words of a gossip ¹  are like choice morsels; ²  they go down into the person’s innermost being. ³ 

The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into a person’s innermost being. ¹ 

You must not go about as a slanderer among your people. ¹  You must not stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake. ²  I am the Lord.

For I hear what so many are saying, ¹  the terrifying news that comes from every direction. ²  When they plot together against me, they figure out how they can take my life.

We have rebelled and tried to deceive the Lord; we turned back from following our God. We stir up ¹  oppression and rebellion; we tell lies we concocted in our minds. ² 

The experts in the law ¹  who came down from Jerusalem ²  said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” ³  and, “By the ruler ⁴  of demons he casts out demons.”

A report ¹  about them came to the attention ²  of the church in Jerusalem, ³  and they sent Barnabas ⁴  to Antioch. ⁵ 

when people lie about us, we answer in a friendly manner. We are the world’s dirt and scum, even now.

he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. This gives rise to envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions,

Written in it were the following words: “Among the nations it is rumored ¹  (and Geshem ²  has substantiated ³  this) that you and the Jews have intentions of revolting, and for this reason you are building the wall. Furthermore, according to these rumors ⁴  you are going to become their king.

take them and purify ¹  yourself along with them and pay their expenses, ²  so that they may have their heads shaved. ³  Then ⁴  everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told ⁵  about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with ⁶  the law. ⁷