John 4:1-14
[1]
Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was
making and baptizing more disciples than John [2] (although Jesus
himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), [3] he left Judea and
departed again for Galilee. [4] And he had to pass through Samaria. [5]
So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob
had given to his son Joseph. [6] Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus,
wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was
about the sixth hour.
[7]
A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a
drink.” [8] (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)
[9] The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask
for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings
with Samaritans.) [10] Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God,
and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have
asked him, and he would have given you living water.” [11] The woman
said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is
deep. Where do you get that living water? [12] Are you greater than our
father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his
sons and his livestock.” [13] Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of
this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks of the water
that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will
give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal
life.”
James 5:7-12
[7]
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how
the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient
about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. [8] You also,
be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at
hand. [9] Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may
not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. [10] As an
example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke
in the name of the Lord. [11] Behold, we consider those blessed who
remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you
have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and
merciful.
[12]
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth
or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so
that you may not fall under condemnation.
Ecclesiastes 8
[1] Who is like the wise?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
and the hardness of his face is changed.
[2] I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him. [3]
Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil
cause, for he does whatever he pleases. [4] For the word of the king is
supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” [5] Whoever
keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know
the proper time and the just way. [6] For there is a time and a way for
everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. [7] For he does
not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? [8] No man
has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is
no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given
to it. [9] All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is
done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.
[10]
Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy
place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This
also is vanity. [11] Because the sentence against an evil deed is not
executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do
evil. [12] Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his
life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because
they fear before him. [13] But it will not be well with the wicked,
neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear
before God.
[14]
There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous
people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and
there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the
righteous. I said that this also is vanity. [15] And I commend joy, for
man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be
joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his
life that God has given him under the sun.
[16]
When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is
done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, [17]
then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that
is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not
find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it
out.
Jeremiah 26
[1]
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of
Judah, this word came from the LORD: [2] “Thus says the LORD: Stand in
the court of the LORD’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that
come to worship in the house of the LORD all the words that I command
you to speak to them; do not hold back a word. [3] It may be they will
listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the
disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds. [4]
You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: If you will not listen to
me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, [5] and to listen to
the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently,
though you have not listened, [6] then I will make this house like
Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the
earth.’”
[7]
The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking
these words in the house of the LORD. [8] And when Jeremiah had
finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all
the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid
hold of him, saying, “You shall die! [9] Why have you prophesied in the
name of the LORD, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this
city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people
gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
[10]
When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the
king’s house to the house of the LORD and took their seat in the entry
of the New Gate of the house of the LORD. [11] Then the priests and the
prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves
the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as
you have heard with your own ears.”
[12]
Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying,
“The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the
words you have heard. [13] Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds,
and obey the voice of the LORD your God, and the LORD will relent of the
disaster that he has pronounced against you. [14] But as for me,
behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you.
[15] Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring
innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants,
for in truth the LORD sent me to you to speak all these words in your
ears.”
[16]
Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the
prophets, “This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has
spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.” [17] And certain of the
elders of the land arose and spoke to all the assembled people, saying,
[18] “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of
Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the LORD of
hosts,
“‘Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the house a wooded height.’
[19] Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did
he not fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, and did not the
LORD relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we
are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves.”
[20]
There was another man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the
son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city
and against this land in words like those of Jeremiah. [21] And when
King Jehoiakim, with all his warriors and all the officials, heard his
words, the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah heard of it,
he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt. [22] Then King Jehoiakim
sent to Egypt certain men, Elnathan the son of Achbor and others with
him, [23] and they took Uriah from Egypt and brought him to King
Jehoiakim, who struck him down with the sword and dumped his dead body
into the burial place of the common people.
[24] But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death.
Jeremiah 27
[1]
In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of
Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD. [2] Thus the LORD said
to me: “Make yourself straps and yoke-bars, and put them on your neck.
[3] Send word to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the
sons of Ammon, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon by the hand of
the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. [4]
Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts,
the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: [5] “It
is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth,
with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to
whomever it seems right to me. [6] Now I have given all these lands into
the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have
given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. [7] All the
nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of
his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him
their slave.
[8]
“‘But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I
will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with
pestilence, declares the LORD, until I have consumed it by his hand. [9]
So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your
fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, You shall not
serve the king of Babylon. [10] For it is a lie that they are
prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from
your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. [11] But any
nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon
and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there,
declares the LORD.”’”
[12]
To Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: “Bring your necks
under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people and
live. [13] Why will you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and
by pestilence, as the LORD has spoken concerning any nation that will
not serve the king of Babylon? [14] Do not listen to the words of the
prophets who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of
Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. [15] I have
not sent them, declares the LORD, but they are prophesying falsely in my
name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish,
you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.”
[16]
Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says
the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are
prophesying to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the LORD’s house
will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,’ for it is a lie that
they are prophesying to you. [17] Do not listen to them; serve the king
of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a desolation? [18] If
they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, then let
them intercede with the LORD of hosts, that the vessels that are left in
the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and in
Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. [19] For thus says the LORD of hosts
concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels
that are left in this city, [20] which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
did not take away, when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon
Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the nobles of
Judah and Jerusalem—[21] thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel,
concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the LORD, in the
house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: [22] They shall be carried
to Babylon and remain there until the day when I visit them, declares
the LORD. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.”
Jeremiah 28
[1]
In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of
Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son of Azzur,
the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD, in the
presence of the priests and all the people, saying, [2] “Thus says the
LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of
Babylon. [3] Within two years I will bring back to this place all the
vessels of the LORD’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took
away from this place and carried to Babylon. [4] I will also bring back
to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the
exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the LORD, for I will
break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”
[5]
Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence
of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the
LORD, [6] and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the LORD do so; may
the LORD make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring
back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the LORD,
and all the exiles. [7] Yet hear now this word that I speak in your
hearing and in the hearing of all the people. [8] The prophets who
preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and
pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. [9] As for the
prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to
pass, then it will be known that the LORD has truly sent the prophet.”
[10]
Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke-bars from the neck of Jeremiah
the prophet and broke them. [11] And Hananiah spoke in the presence of
all the people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: Even so will I break the
yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations
within two years.” But Jeremiah the prophet went his way.
[12]
Sometime after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke-bars from off
the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
[13] “Go, tell Hananiah, ‘Thus says the LORD: You have broken wooden
bars, but you have made in their place bars of iron. [14] For thus says
the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all
these nations an iron yoke to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and
they shall serve him, for I have given to him even the beasts of the
field.’” [15] And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah,
“Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you have made this
people trust in a lie. [16] Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I
will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die,
because you have uttered rebellion against the LORD.’”
[17] In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.
Jeremiah 29
[1]
These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from
Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the
prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile
from Jerusalem to Babylon. [2] This was after King Jeconiah and the
queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the
craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. [3] The
letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah
the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: [4] “Thus says the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile
from Jerusalem to Babylon: [5] Build houses and live in them; plant
gardens and eat their produce. [6] Take wives and have sons and
daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in
marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do
not decrease. [7] But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you
into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you
will find your welfare. [8] For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of
Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you
deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, [9] for it
is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send
them, declares the LORD.
[10]
“For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I
will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back
to this place. [11] For I know the plans I have for you, declares the
LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a
hope. [12] Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I
will hear you. [13] You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with
all your heart. [14] I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I
will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all
the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring
you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
[15]
“Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in
Babylon,’ [16] thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the
throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city,
your kinsmen who did not go out with you into exile: [17] ‘Thus says the
LORD of hosts, behold, I am sending on them sword, famine, and
pestilence, and I will make them like vile figs that are so rotten they
cannot be eaten. [18] I will pursue them with sword, famine, and
pestilence, and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the
earth, to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and a reproach among all the
nations where I have driven them, [19] because they did not pay
attention to my words, declares the LORD, that I persistently sent to
you by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the
LORD.’ [20] Hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I sent away
from Jerusalem to Babylon: [21] ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of
Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of
Maaseiah, who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will
deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he
shall strike them down before your eyes. [22] Because of them this curse
shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: “The LORD make
you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the
fire,” [23] because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, they
have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and they have
spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. I am the one
who knows, and I am witness, declares the LORD.’”
[24]
To Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: [25] “Thus says the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel: You have sent letters in your name to all the
people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the
priest, and to all the priests, saying, [26] ‘The LORD has made you
priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to have charge in the house of
the LORD over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and
neck irons. [27] Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who
is prophesying to you? [28] For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying,
“Your exile will be long; build houses and live in them, and plant
gardens and eat their produce.”’”
[29]
Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the
prophet. [30] Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: [31] “Send to
all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah of
Nehelam: Because Shemaiah had prophesied to you when I did not send him,
and has made you trust in a lie, [32] therefore thus says the LORD:
Behold, I will punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall
not have anyone living among this people, and he shall not see the good
that I will do to my people, declares the LORD, for he has spoken
rebellion against the LORD.’”
