For beholdwhatearnestnessthisvery thing,thisgodlysorrow,has producedin you: whatvindicationof yourselves, whatindignation,whatfear,whatlonging,whatzeal,whatavenging of wrong!In everythingyou demonstratedyourselvesto be innocentin the matter.
So I contendedwith them and cursedthem and strucksomeof them and pulledout their hair,and made them swearby God,"You shall not giveyour daughtersto their sons,nortakeof their daughtersfor your sonsor for yourselves.
ThereforeI retract,And I repentin dustand ashes."
My zealhas consumedme, Becausemy adversarieshave forgottenYour words.
My soul[waits] for the LordMorethanthe watchmenfor the morning;[Indeed, more than] the watchmenfor the morning.
He will fulfillthe desireof those who fearHim; He will also heartheir cryand will savethem.
Worshipthe LORDwith reverenceAnd rejoicewith trembling.
But as for me, when they were sick,my clothingwas sackcloth;I humbledmy soulwith fasting,And my prayerkept returningto my bosom.
Lord,allmy desireis beforeYou; And my sighingis not hiddenfrom You.
As the deerpantsfor the waterbrooks,Somy soulpantsfor You, O God.
For zealfor Your househas consumedme, And the reproachesof those who reproachYou have fallenon me.
A wisemanis cautiousand turnsawayfrom evil,But a foolis arrogantand careless.
How blessedis the manwho fearsalways,But he who hardenshis heartwill fallinto calamity.
"Putme like a sealoveryour heart,Like a sealon your arm.For loveis as strongas death,Jealousyis as severeas Sheol;Its flashesare flashesof fire,The [very] flameof the LORD.
Indeed,[while following] the wayof Your judgments,O LORD,We have waitedfor You eagerly;Your name,even Your memory,is the desireof [our] souls.
"For My handmadeallthesethings,Thus allthesethingscameinto being,"declaresthe LORD."But to thisoneI will look,To him whois humbleand contriteof spirit,and whotremblesat My word.
Then,as soonas the kingheardthis statement,he was deeplydistressedand set[his] mindon deliveringDaniel;and even untilsunsethe kept exertinghimself to rescuehim.
After looking aroundat them with anger,grievedat their hardnessof heart,He saidto the man,"Stretchout your hand."And he stretchedit out, and his handwas restored.
His disciplesrememberedthat it was written,"ZEALFOR YOUR HOUSEWILL CONSUMEME."
Nowwhile Paulwas waitingfor them at Athens,his spiritwas being provokedwithinhim as he was observingthe cityfull of idols.
Quite right,they were broken offfor their unbelief,but you standby your faith.Do not be conceited,but fear;
For he who in this[way] servesChristis acceptableto Godand approvedby men.
But ifour unrighteousnessdemonstratesthe righteousnessof God,whatshall we say?The Godwho inflictswrathis not unrighteous,is He? (I am speakingin humanterms.)
sothat there may be nodivisionin the body,but [that] the membersmay havethe samecarefor one another.
But thosewhoare outside,Godjudges.REMOVETHE WICKED MANFROM AMONGYOURSELVES.
You have become arrogantand have not mournedinstead,sothat the one who had donethisdeedwould be removedfrom your midst.
Nowwe prayto Godthat you donowrong;not that we ourselvesmay appearapproved,but that you may dowhat is right,eventhoughwe may appearunapproved.
Sufficientfor such a oneis thispunishmentwhich [was] [inflicted] by the majority,
but in everythingcommendingourselvesas servantsof God,in muchendurance,in afflictions,in hardships,in distresses,
Therefore,havingthesepromises,beloved,let us cleanseourselvesfrom alldefilementof fleshand spirit,perfectingholinessin the fearof God.
and not onlyby his coming,but alsoby the comfortwith whichhe was comfortedin you, as he reportedto us your longing,your mourning,your zealfor me; sothat I rejoicedeven more.
I nowrejoice,not that you were madesorrowful,but that you were made sorrowfulto [the point of] repentance;for you were made sorrowfulaccordingto [the will of] God,sothat you might not suffer lossin anythingthroughus.
for I knowyour readiness,of whichI boastaboutyou to the Macedonians,[namely], that Achaiahas been preparedsincelast year,and your zealhas stirredup mostof them.
BE ANGRY,AND [yet] DO NOT SIN;do not let the sungo downon your anger,
Do not participatein the unfruitfuldeedsof darkness,but insteadevenexposethem;
So then,my beloved,justas you have alwaysobeyed,not as in my presenceonly,but nowmuchmorein my absence,workout your salvationwith fearand trembling;
[and] that noman transgressand defraudhis brotherin the matterbecausethe Lordis [the] avengerin allthese things,justas we alsotold you beforeand solemnly warned[you].
Thosewho continue in sin,rebukein the presenceof all,sothat the restalsowill be fearful[of sinning].
Be diligentto presentyourselfapprovedto Godas a workmanwho does not need to be ashamed,accurately handlingthe wordof truth.
Thisis a trustworthystatement;and concerningthese thingsI wantyou to speak confidently,sothat thosewho have believedGodwill be carefulto engagein gooddeeds.These thingsare goodand profitablefor men.
Therefore,let us fearif,while a promiseremainsof enteringHis rest,any oneof you may seemto have come shortof it.
But the wisdomfrom aboveis firstpure,thenpeaceable,gentle,reasonable,fullof mercyand goodfruits,unwavering,without hypocrisy.
Ifyou addressas Fatherthe One who impartiallyjudgesaccordingto each one'swork,conductyourselves in fearduring the timeof your stay[on earth];
likenewbornbabies,longfor the puremilkof the word,sothat by it you may growin respectto salvation,
saveothers, snatchingthem out of the fire;and on somehave mercywith fear,hatingeventhe garmentpollutedby the flesh.
Those whomI love,I reproveand discipline;thereforebe zealousand repent.
