But I refrained from doing so, ¹  and acted instead for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers ¹  and engage in prostitution with detestable idols?

Those both near and far from you will mock you, you with your bad reputation, ¹  full of turmoil.

I will do these things to you ¹  because you engaged in prostitution with the nations, polluting yourself with their idols.

On the same day they slaughtered their sons for their idols, they came to my sanctuary to desecrate it. This is what they have done in the middle of my house.

So I poured my anger on them ¹  because of the blood they shed on the land and because of the idols with which they defiled it. ² 

But when they arrived in the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they have departed from his land.’

From the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in place, ¹  there are 1,290 days.

I know Ephraim all too well; ¹  the evil of ²  Israel is not hidden from me. For you have engaged in prostitution, O Ephraim; Israel has defiled itself. ³ 

Many nations have now assembled against you. They say, “Jerusalem must be desecrated, ¹  so we can gloat over Zion!” ² 

Her prophets are proud; ¹  they are deceitful men. Her priests defile what is holy; ²  they break God’s laws. ³ 

“But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings ¹  despicable.

For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

“So when you see the abomination of desolation ¹  – spoken about by Daniel the prophet – standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat ¹  with unwashed hands?”

Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy.

If someone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, which is what you are.

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

But now, put off all such things ¹  as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.

So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, ¹  he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.