In response to all this ¹  I said, “Ah, Lord God, ²  you have surely allowed ³  the people of Judah and Jerusalem ⁴  to be deceived by those who say, ‘You will be safe!’ ⁵  But in fact a sword is already at our throats.” ⁶ 

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, ¹  regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, ²  that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living.

But ¹  these men, ²  like irrational animals – creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed ³  – do not understand whom ⁴  they are insulting, and consequently ⁵  in their destruction they will be destroyed, ⁶ 

So I am ready to burn up ¹  Baasha and his family, and make your family ²  like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat.

They say to themselves, ¹  “We will oppress all of them.” ²  They burn down all the places where people worship God in the land. ³ 

I will bring war, starvation, and disease ¹  on them until they are completely destroyed from the land I gave them and their ancestors.’” ² 

But Babylonia will be put to great shame. The land where you were born ¹  will be disgraced. Indeed, ²  Babylonia will become the least important of all nations. It will become a dry and barren desert.

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.

Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ¹  And they were utterly amazed at him.

Is ¹  not my power to help myself nothing, and has not every resource ²  been driven from me?

Cover ¹  their faces with shame, so they might seek ²  you, ³  O Lord.

“Absolutely futile!” ¹  laments the Teacher, ²  “All of these things ³  are futile!” ⁴ 

Even the soldiers ¹  from Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skulls, people of Israel. ² 

Then I said, “Lord, ¹  have you completely rejected the nation of Judah? Do you despise ²  the city of Zion? Why have you struck us with such force that we are beyond recovery? ³  We hope for peace, but nothing good has come of it. We hope for a time of relief from our troubles, but experience terror. ⁴ 

Old men, young men, young women, little children, and women – wipe them out! But do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary!” So they began with the elders who were at the front of the temple.

The ¹  disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?” ² 

But at his gate lay ¹  a poor man named Lazarus ²  whose body was covered with sores, ³ 

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this. ¹ 

You know ¹  that such a person is twisted by sin ²  and is conscious of it himself. ³