Tell them that as surely as I am the living LORD God, I don't like to see wicked people die. I enjoy seeing them turn from their sins and live. So if the Israelites want to live, they must stop sinning and turn back to me.
Jerusalem, the time will come when your enemies will build walls around you to attack you. Armies will surround you and close in on you from every side.
They will level you to the ground and kill your people. Not one stone in your buildings will be left on top of another. This will happen because you did not see that God had come to save you.
But Paul and Barnabas bravely said: We had to tell God's message to you before we told it to anyone else. But you rejected the message! This proves that you don't deserve eternal life. Now we are going to the Gentiles.
I wish they would always worship me with fear and trembling and be this willing to obey me! Then they and their children would always enjoy a successful life.
You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called “today”. If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn.