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14 So listen to the Lord’s message, you who ·brag [mock; scoff; Prov. 1:22; 9:7, 8, 12; 13:1],
you ·leaders [L who rule this people] in Jerusalem.
15 You say, “We have made an ·agreement [treaty; covenant] with death;
we have a ·contract [agreement; pact] with ·death [or the grave; L Sheol].
When ·terrible punishment [an overwhelming scourge/flood] passes by,
it won’t ·hurt [touch; reach] us.
Our lies ·will keep us safe [L are our refuge],
and ·our tricks [falsehood] ·will hide us [is our refuge/shelter].”
16 Because of these things, this is what the Lord God says:
“I will ·put [lay; establish] a stone in the ground in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple],
a tested stone.
·Everything will be built on this important and precious rock [L …a precious cornerstone for a firm foundation].
Anyone who trusts in it will never ·be disappointed [or panic; waver; be shaken; Rom. 9:33; 1 Pet. 2:6].
17 I will use justice as a measuring line
and ·goodness [righteousness] as the ·standard [plumb line].
The lies you ·hide behind [take refuge in] will be ·destroyed [swept away] as if by hail.
·They [Your hiding place/shelter] will be washed away as if in a flood.
18 Your ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with death will be ·erased [annulled];
your contract with ·death [or the grave; L Sheol] will not ·help you [stand; last].
When ·terrible punishment [overwhelming scourge/flood] comes,
you will be ·crushed [beaten down] by it.
19 Whenever ·punishment [L it] comes, it will take you away.
It will come morning after morning;
it will ·defeat you [sweep through] by day and by night.
Those who understand this punishment will be terrified.”
20 ·You will be like the person who tried to sleep
on a bed that was too short [L For the bed is too short to stretch out on]
and ·with a blanket that [L the blanket] was too narrow
to wrap around himself.
21 The Lord will ·fight [L rise up] as he did at Mount Perazim [2 Sam. 5:20].
He will be ·angry [rouse himself] as he was in the Valley of Gibeon [Josh. 10:10–14].
He will do his work, his ·strange [peculiar] work.
He will finish his job, his ·strange [unusual] job.
22 Now, ·you must not make fun of these things [do not mock; or stop your mocking],
or the ·ropes [or chains; bonds] around you will become ·tighter [or heavier].
The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has ·told me [decreed to me]
how the whole ·earth [land] will be destroyed.
The Lord Punishes Fairly
23 Listen closely to ·what I tell you [my voice];
·listen carefully to [pay attention to; heed] what I say.
24 ·A farmer does not [L Does the plower…?] plow his field all the time;
·he does not [L does he…?] go on working the soil.
25 ·He makes [Does he not make…?] the ground flat and smooth.
Then he plants the dill and scatters the cumin.
·He plants [Does he not plant…?] the wheat in rows,
the barley in its special place,
and other wheat as a border around the field.
26 His God ·teaches [instructs] him
and ·shows [teaches] him the right way.
27 A farmer doesn’t use ·heavy boards to crush [a sledge to thresh] dill;
he doesn’t use a wagon wheel to crush cumin.
He uses a small stick to break open the dill,
and with a ·stick [rod; flail] he opens the cumin.
28 The grain is ground to make bread.
People do not ruin it by ·crushing [threshing] it forever.
The farmer separates the wheat from the chaff with his cart,
but he does not let his horses ·grind [crush] it.
29 This lesson [C that the Lord’s punishment fits the sin] also comes from the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
who gives wonderful ·advice [counsel; 9:6], who ·is very wise [or gives excellent/great wisdom].
Warnings to Jerusalem
29 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] you, Ariel [C another name for Jerusalem, perhaps meaning either “lion” or “altar hearth”; v. 2],
the city where David ·camped [lived; settled; or besieged; C David first conquered, then lived in the city; 2 Sam. 5:6–9].
Your festivals have continued
year after year.
2 I will ·attack [threaten; bring distress to] ·Jerusalem [L Ariel; v. 1],
and that city will be filled with ·sadness [mourning] and ·crying [lamentation].
It will be like an ·altar [or altar hearth; C the Hebrew word sounds like Ariel, perhaps indicating that Jerusalem will burn like an altar] to me.
3 I will ·put armies all around you [encamp against/besiege you; C same word as in v. 1];
I will surround you with towers
and with ·devices to attack [siege works against] you.
4 You will be pulled down and will speak from the ground;
I will hear your voice rising from the ·ground [or underworld].
It will sound like the voice of a ghost;
your words will come like a whisper from the ·dirt [dust].
5 Your ·many [multitude of] enemies will become like fine dust;
the many ·cruel people [ruthless hordes] will be like chaff that is blown away.
·Everything will happen very quickly [L Suddenly, in an instant…; C this phrase may go with what comes before or after].
6 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will come
with thunder, earthquakes, and great noises,
with ·storms [whirlwind], ·strong winds [tempest], and a fire that ·destroys [devours].
7 Then all the nations that fight against ·Jerusalem [L Ariel; v. 1]
will be like a dream;
all the nations that ·attack [besiege; bring distress to] her
will be like a vision in the night.
8 They will be like a hungry man who dreams he is eating,
but when he awakens, he is still hungry.
They will be like a thirsty man who dreams he is drinking,
but when he awakens, he is still weak and thirsty.
It will be the same way with ·all the [the multitude of] nations
who fight against Mount Zion.
9 ·Be surprised and amazed [Shock yourselves and be shocked].
Blind yourselves ·so that you cannot see [and be blind].
Become drunk, but not from wine.
Trip and fall, but not from ·beer [T strong drink; C alcoholic beverage made from grain].
10 The Lord has ·made you go into [L poured out on you] a deep sleep.
He has closed your eyes. (The prophets are your eyes.)
He has covered your heads. (The seers [C another name for prophets] are your heads.)
11 This vision is like the words of a ·book [scroll] that is closed and sealed. You may give the book to someone who can read and tell that person to read it. But he will say, “I can’t read the book, because it is sealed.” 12 Or you may give the book to someone who cannot read and tell him to read it. But he will say, “I don’t know how to read.”
13 The Lord says:
“These people ·worship me [L come near to me] with their mouths,
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their ·worship [awe; fear] is based on
nothing but human ·rules [L commandments that have been taught].
14 So [L look; T behold] I will continue to ·amaze [astound] these people
by doing more and more ·miracles [wonders].
·Their wise men will lose their wisdom [L The wisdom of the wise will perish];
·their wise men will not be able to understand [L the discernment of the discerning will disappear; 1 Cor. 1:19].”
Warnings About Other Nations
15 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] those who ·try
to hide [deeply hide; or hide too deep to see] ·things [plans; counsel] from the Lord
and who do their work in darkness.
They ·think no one will see them or know what they do [L say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”].
16 You ·are confused [L turn things upside down!].
You think the clay is equal to the potter.
·You think that an object can [or Should the thing formed…?] tell the one who made it,
“You didn’t make me [10:15; Rom. 9:20].”
This is like a pot telling ·its maker [the potter],
“You don’t ·know anything [understand].”
A Better Time Is Coming
17 In a very short time, Lebanon will become ·rich farmland [a fertile/fruitful field],
and the ·rich farmland [fertile/fruitful field] will seem like a forest.
18 ·At that time [L In that day] the deaf will hear the words in a ·book [scroll].
·Instead of having [L From; Out of] darkness and gloom, the blind will see.
19 The Lord will make the ·poor people [humble; lowly; meek] ·happy [rejoice];
·they [L the poor/needy] will ·rejoice [delight; exult] in the Holy One of Israel [1:4].
20 Then the ·people without mercy [ruthless; tyrants] will come to an end;
·those who do not respect God [the scoffer/mocker/arrogant] will disappear.
Those who ·enjoy [are intent on; have an eye for] doing evil will be ·gone [cut off/down]:
21 those who ·lie about others in court [bear false testimony; L make a person a sinner with a word],
those who trap ·people in court [L the arbiter at the city gate],
those who ·lie and [with false charges/testimony] take justice from innocent people in court.
22 This is what the Lord who ·set free [redeemed; rescued] Abraham says to the ·family [L house] of Jacob:
“Now ·the people of Jacob [L Jacob] will not be ashamed
or ·disgraced [L their faces turn pale] any longer.
23 When they see all their children,
the children I made with my hands,
they will ·say my name is holy [honor/sanctify my name].
They will ·agree [recognize; acknowledge] that the Holy One of Jacob [1:4] is holy,
and they will ·respect [stand in awe of; fear] the God of Israel.
24 People who ·do wrong [wander/err in spirit] will now understand.
Those who complain will accept ·being taught [insight; instruction].”
Warnings to the Stubborn Nation
30 The Lord said,
“·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] these ·stubborn [rebellious] children.
They ·make plans [take counsel], but ·they don’t ask me to help them [L not of/from me].
They make ·agreements with other nations [alliances], ·without asking [not of/from] my Spirit.
They are adding ·more and more sins to themselves [L sin upon sin].
2 They go down to Egypt for help
without asking me about it first.
They ·hope they will be saved by [L seek protection in the strength of] ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh];
they ·want Egypt to protect them [L seek refuge in the shade of Egypt].
3 But ·hiding in Egypt [L the protection of Pharaoh] will bring you only shame;
Egypt’s ·protection [L shade] will only disappoint you.
4 Your officers have gone to Zoan [C in northern Egypt; 19:11],
and your messengers have gone to Hanes [C in southern Egypt],
5 but they will be put to shame,
because Egypt is useless to them.
It will give no help and will be of no ·use [benefit; advantage];
it will cause them only shame and ·embarrassment [disgrace].”
God’s Message to Judah
6 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about the ·animals [beasts] in ·southern Judah [the South; L the Negev]:
·Southern Judah is a dangerous place [L Though a land of trouble and distress]
full of lions and lionesses,
·poisonous snakes [adders] and ·darting [or flying, fiery] ·snakes [serpents].
·The messengers travel through there with their wealth [L They carry their riches] on the backs of donkeys
and their treasure on the ·backs [humps] of camels.
They carry them to a nation that cannot help them,
7 to Egypt whose help is ·useless [L worthless and futile].
So I call that country Rahab [C mythical sea monster symbolic of chaos; 51:9; Ps. 89:10] the ·Do-Nothing [Harmless; Silenced].
8 Now write this on a ·sign [tablet] for the people,
·write this [inscribe it] on a scroll,
so that for the days to come
this will be a witness forever.
9 These people are ·like children who lie and refuse to obey [L a rebellious nation, lying children];
children who refuse to listen to the Lord’s ·teachings [law; instruction; L Torah].
10 They tell the seers [C another name for prophets],
“Don’t see any more visions!”
They say to the prophets,
“Don’t tell us ·the truth [what is right]!
Say ·things that will make us feel good [pleasant/smooth things];
·see only good things for us [L prophesy illusions].
11 Stop blocking our path.
Get out of our way.
·Stop telling us about [or Rid us of]
the Holy One of Israel [1:4].”
23 Before this faith came, we were all held prisoners by the law. We ·had no freedom [were locked up] until ·God showed us the way of faith that was coming [L the coming faith would be revealed]. 24 In other words, the law was our ·guardian [child-minder; tutor; C an attendant slave who watched over a child in a wealthy Greco-Roman household] ·leading us to [or until] Christ so that we could be ·made right with God [declared righteous; justified] through faith. 25 Now ·the way of faith [L faith] has come, and we no longer live under a ·guardian [child-minder; tutor; v. 24].
26 [L For] ·You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus [or In Christ Jesus you are all children/sons of God through faith]. 27 [L For] All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 In Christ, there is ·no difference between Jew and Greek [L neither Jew nor Greek], slave and free person, male and female. You are all ·the same [or united; L one] in Christ Jesus. 29 ·You [L If you…] belong to Christ, so you are Abraham’s ·descendants [seed]. ·You will inherit all of God’s blessings because of the promise God made to Abraham [L …heirs according to the promise].
4 ·I want to tell you this [or This is what I mean; L I am saying]: While those who will inherit their fathers’ property are still children, they are no different from slaves. It does not matter that the children ·own everything [or are masters/lords over the whole estate]. 2 They must obey ·those chosen to care for them [L their guardians and administrators/trustees] until the time set by their father. 3 It is the same for us. We were once like children, slaves to the ·useless rules [or spiritual forces; or elementary principles/powers] of this world. 4 But when the ·right [appropriate; or appointed; L fullness of] time came, God sent his Son who was born of a woman and ·lived [L born] under the law. 5 God did this so he could ·buy freedom for [redeem] those who were under the law and so we could ·become his children [or receive adoption as heirs; C a Roman legal term for adopting an heir to carry on one’s name].
6 Since you are God’s ·children [or sons], God sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, and the Spirit cries out, “Abba [C Aramaic for “Father,” a term of intimacy], Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave; you are God’s ·child [or son], and ·because you are his child, God will give you the blessing he promised [L if a son/child, then also an heir through God].
Paul’s Love for the Christians
8 In the past you did not know God. You were slaves to gods that were not real. 9 But now you know the true God. Really, it is God who knows you. So ·why do [L how can] you turn back to those weak and ·useless [bankrupt; L poor] ·rules [or spiritual forces; or elementary principles/powers; v. 3] you followed before? Do you want to be slaves to those things again? 10 You still ·follow teachings about [are observing/keeping] special days, months, seasons, and years [C probably Jewish Sabbaths and festivals, which Paul’s opponents claimed must be observed to be saved]. 11 I am afraid for you, that my work for you has been wasted.
12 Brothers and sisters, I became like you [C living like a Gentile to win them to Christ; 1 Cor. 9:21], so I beg you to become like me [C depending on God’s grace, not the Jewish law, for salvation]. You ·were very good to me before [L did me no wrong]. 13 You remember that it was because of an illness that I came to you the first time, preaching the ·Good News [Gospel]. 14 Though my sickness was a ·trouble for you [trial for you; or test of your concern], you did not ·hate [despise] me or ·make me leave [reject me]. Instead, you welcomed me as an angel from God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself! 15 But where is that ·joy [happiness; blessedness] you had then? I am ready to testify that you would have taken out your eyes and given them to me if that were possible. 16 Now am I your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 Those people [C the false teachers; 1:7] ·are working hard to persuade you [or show great interest in you; or are eager to win your favor; L are zealous for you], but ·this is not good for you [for no good purpose; or their intentions are not good]. They want to persuade you to ·turn against [reject; exclude] us and ·follow only [care only for; L be zealous for] them. 18 It is good ·for people to show interest in you [or to be passionate/enthusiastic; L to be zealous/the object of zeal], but only if their ·purpose [intention] is good. This is always true, not just when I am with you. 19 My little children, again I feel the pain of childbirth for you until ·you truly become like Christ [L Christ is formed in you]. 20 I wish I could be with you now and could change ·the way I am talking to you [or my tone of voice; L my voice], because I ·do not know what to think about [or don’t know how to help; or am perplexed/at wit’s end about] you.
The Example of Hagar and Sarah
21 Some of you still want to be under the law. Tell me, do you know what the law says? 22 [L For] The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one son was a slave woman, and the mother of the other son was a free woman. 23 Abraham’s son from the slave woman was born ·in the normal human way [or through human effort/plan; L according to the flesh; C Ishmael; Gen. 16]. But the son from the free woman was born ·because of the promise God made to Abraham [L through the promise; C Isaac; Gen. 17; 21].
24 This story ·teaches something else [or may be read allegorically/figuratively/as an illustration]: The two women are ·like the two agreements between God and his people [L two covenants]. One is ·the law that God made on Mount Sinai [L from Mount Sinai; C the mountain in Arabia where God delivered his law to Israel through Moses; Ex. 19—31], ·and the people who are under this agreement are like slaves [L …bearing children for slavery]. ·The mother named Hagar is like that agreement [L This is Hagar]. 25 She is like Mount Sinai in Arabia and ·is a picture of [corresponds to; represents] the ·earthly city of [L present] Jerusalem. This city and ·its people [L her children] are ·slaves to the law [L slaves]. 26 But the ·heavenly Jerusalem, which is above [L Jerusalem above], is like the free woman. She is our mother. 27 [L For] It is written in the Scriptures:
“·Be happy [Rejoice], barren one [C Jerusalem].
You are like a woman who never gave birth to children.
·Start singing [Burst out] and ·shout for joy [cry out].
You never ·felt the pain of giving birth [or went into labor],
but you who are ·childless [L desolate; or deserted] will have more children
than the woman who has a husband [Is. 54:1].”
28 My brothers and sisters, you are ·God’s children because of his promise [L children of the promise], as Isaac was then. 29 [L For just as] The son who was born ·in the normal way [or through human effort/plan; L according to the flesh] treated the other son badly. It is the same today [C a reference to Jewish persecution of Christians]. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the slave woman and her son. The son of the slave woman will not share in the inheritance with the son of the free woman [Gen. 21:10].” 31 So, my brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
Trust Only in God
For the director of music. For Jeduthun [C a Levitical musician; 1 Chr. 16:41–42; 25:1, 6; 2 Chr. 5:12]. A psalm of David.
62 I ·find rest [wait quietly] in God;
only he can ·save me [give me victory].
2 He is my rock [61:2] and my ·salvation [victory].
He is my ·defender [fortress];
I will not be ·defeated [shaken].
3 How long will you ·attack [assault] someone?
Will all of you ·kill [murder] that person?
Who is like a leaning wall, like a fence ·ready to fall [that totters; C the wicked take advantage of the weak]?
4 They are planning to make that person ·fall [totter].
They enjoy telling lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their ·hearts [L innards] they curse. ·
5 I ·find rest [wait quietly] in God;
·only he gives me hope [L for my hope is in him].
6 He is my rock [61:2] and my ·salvation [victory].
He is my ·defender [fortress];
I will not be ·defeated [shaken].
7 My ·honor [glory] and ·salvation [victory] come from God.
He is my ·mighty [strong] rock and my ·protection [refuge].
8 People, ·trust [have confidence in] God all the time.
·Tell him all your problems [L Pour out your heart before him],
because God is our ·protection [refuge]. ·
9 The least of people are only a ·breath [vapor; bubble; vanity],
and even the greatest are just a ·lie [delusion].
On the scales, they ·weigh nothing [L go up];
together they are only a ·breath [vapor; bubble; vanity].
10 Do not ·trust [have confidence] in ·force [oppression; extortion].
Stealing is ·of no use [meaningless].
Even if you gain more riches,
don’t ·put your trust in [L set your heart on] them.
11 God has said this once,
and I have heard it ·over and over [L twice]:
God is strong.
12 The Lord is ·loving [loyal].
You ·reward [repay] people for what they have done [1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 20:12–13; 22:12].
19 Listen, my child, and be wise.
Keep your ·mind on what is right [L heart straight on the path].
20 Don’t ·drink too much [get drunk on] wine
or ·eat too much food [L stuff yourself with meat].
21 Those who ·drink [get drunk] and ·eat too much [stuff themselves] ·become poor [lose possessions].
They ·sleep too much [or are in a stupor] and end up wearing rags.
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