13 verses
28At the end of every three years bring all the tithe of your produce in the same year, and store it within your gates. 29The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, are to come, eat and be satisfied. Because Yahweh your God [may then] bless you in all the work of your hand that you do.
1At the end of every seven years, you are to cancel debts. 2Do it this way: every creditor is to release what he has lent to his neighbor. He mustn't force [payment from] his neighbor and his brother, because Yahweh's release has been proclaimed. 3You may force [payment from] a foreigner; but whatever of yours is with your brother, your hand is to release. 4However there are to be no poor with you (for Yahweh will surely bless you in the land which Yahweh your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess) 5if only you diligently listen to Yahweh your God's voice, to observe to do all these commandments which I command you today. 6For Yahweh your God will bless you, as he promised you. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. You will rule over many nations, but they won't rule over you. 7If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God is giving you, don't harden your heart, or close your hand from your poor brother; 8but you must surely open your hand to him, and surely lend him sufficient for his needs, whatever he lacks. 9Beware that there isn't a worthless thought in your heart, saying, "The seventh year (the year of release) is near;" and your eye becomes evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing. Then he cries out to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you. 10You must surely give, and your heart must not be grieved when you give to him, because it is for this that Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you put your hand to. 11For the poor will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you saying, "You must surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land."
27 verses
9"Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah. There they remained. The battle against the children of iniquity doesn't overtake them in Gibeah. 10When it is my desire, I will chastise them; and the nations will be gathered against them, when they are bound to their two transgressions. 11Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh; so I will put a yoke on her beautiful neck. I will set a rider on Ephraim. Judah will plow. Jacob will break his clods. 12Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness. Break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek Yahweh, until he comes and rains righteousness on you. 13You have plowed wickedness. You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, for you trusted in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men. 14Therefore a battle roar will arise among your people, and all your fortresses will be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in the day of battle. The mother was dashed in pieces with her children. 15So Bethel will do to you because of your great wickedness. At daybreak the king of Israel will be destroyed.
1"When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. 2They called to them, so they went from them. They sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to engraved images. 3Yet I taught Ephraim to walk. I took them by his arms; but they didn't know that I healed them. 4I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; and I bent down to him and I fed him. 5"They won't return into the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian will be their king, because they refused to repent. 6The sword will fall on their cities, and will destroy the bars of their gates, and will put an end to their plans. 7My people are determined to turn from me. Though they call to the Most High, he certainly won't exalt them. 8"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within me, my compassion is aroused. 9I will not execute the fierceness of my anger. I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of you; and I will not come in wrath. 10They will walk after Yahweh, who will roar like a lion; for he will roar, and the children will come trembling from the west. 11They will come trembling like a bird out of Egypt, and like a dove out of the land of Assyria; and I will settle them in their houses," says Yahweh. 12Ephraim surrounds me with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit. Judah still strays from God, and is unfaithful to the Holy One.
1Ephraim feeds on wind, and pursues the east [wind]. He continually multiplies lies and desolation. They make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt. 2Yahweh also has a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds he will repay him. 3In the womb he took his brother by the heel; and in his manhood he contended with God. 4Indeed, he struggled with the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication to him. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with us, 5even Yahweh, the God of Armies; Yahweh is his name of renown! 6Therefore turn to your God. Keep kindness and justice, and wait continually for your God. 7A merchant has dishonest scales in his hand. He loves to defraud. 8Ephraim said, "Surely I have become rich, I have found myself wealth. In all my wealth they won't find in me any iniquity that is sin."
18 verses
7Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the sun. 8Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity. 9Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. 10Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
1Remember [He who] created-from-nothing in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come, and the years draw near,
when you'll say, "Nothing delights;"
2Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain; 3in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows are darkened, 4and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low; 5yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be in the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. "All is vanity!"
9Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and what was written blamelessly, words of truth. 11The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
21 verses
13Now who will harm you if you become imitators of what is good? 14But even if you should suffer for righteousness's sake, you are happier. "Neither fear what they fear, nor be troubled," 15but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear: 16having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who slander your good way of life in AnointedOne. 17For it is better, if it is God's will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil. 18Because AnointedOne also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20who had been disobedient when God's patience eagerly-expected in Noah's day [for the] vessel [to be] built in which [only] a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through [the] water. 21This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you - not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus AnointedOne, 22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
1Therefore, since AnointedOne suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunk binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. 4They think it is strange that you don't run with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming. 5They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as people according to the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
7But the end of all things is near. So be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer. 8And above all things be earnest in your selfless-love among yourselves, for selfless-love covers a multitude of sins. 9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be with the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus AnointedOne, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Absolutely.
