But as he was discussingrighteousness,self-controland the judgmentto come,Felixbecamefrightenedand said,"Go awayfor the present,and when I findtimeI will summonyou."
"The Godof Israelsaid,The Rockof Israelspoketo me, 'He who rulesover menrighteously,Who rulesin the fearof God,
It cameabout when Ahabheardthesewords,that he torehis clothesand puton sackclothand fasted,and he layin sackclothand wentabout despondently.
becauseyour heartwas tenderand you humbledyourselfbeforethe LORDwhen you heardwhatI spokeagainstthisplaceand againstits inhabitantsthat they should becomea desolationand a curse,and you have tornyour clothesand weptbeforeMe, I trulyhave heardyou," declaresthe LORD.
"So nowlet us makea covenantwith our Godto putawayallthe wivesand their children,according to the counselof my lordand of those who trembleat the commandmentof our God;and let it be doneaccording to the law.
So allthe menof Judahand Benjaminassembledat Jerusalemwithin the threedays.It was the ninthmonthon the twentiethof the month,and allthe peoplesatin the opensquare[before] the houseof God,tremblingbecauseof this matterand the heavy rain.
"I puton righteousness,and it clothedme; My justicewas like a robeand a turban.
For the LORDis righteous,He lovesrighteousness;The uprightwill beholdHis face.
My fleshtremblesfor fearof You, And I am afraidof Your judgments.Ayin.
You have lovedrighteousnessand hatedwickedness;ThereforeGod,Your God,has anointedYou With the oilof joyaboveYour fellows.
May he judgeYour peoplewith righteousnessAnd Your afflictedwith justice.
The LORDreigns,let the peoplestremble;He is enthroned[above] the cherubim,let the earthshake!
It is an abominationfor kingsto commitwickedacts,For a throneis establishedon righteousness.
Rejoice,youngman,during your childhood,and let your heartbe pleasantduring the daysof youngmanhood.And followthe impulsesof your heartand the desiresof your eyes.Yet knowthat Godwill bringyou to judgmentfor allthesethings.
For Godwill bringeveryactto judgment,everythingwhich is hidden,whetherit is goodor evil.
Ifyou seeoppressionof the poorand denialof justiceand righteousnessin the province,do not be shockedat the sight;for one officialwatchesoveranother official,and there are higherofficialsoverthem.
"Comenow,and let us reasontogether," Saysthe LORD,"Thoughyour sinsare as scarlet,They will be as whiteas snow;Thoughthey are redlike crimson,They will be like wool.
Howthe faithfulcityhas becomea harlot,She [who] was fullof justice!Righteousnessonce lodgedin her, But nowmurderers.
A thronewill even be establishedin lovingkindness,And a judgewill siton it in faithfulnessin the tentof David;Moreover, he will seekjusticeAnd be promptin righteousness.
Tremble,you [women] whoare at ease;Be troubled,you complacent[daughters]; Strip,undressand put[sackcloth] on [your] waist,
"Presentyour case,"the LORDsays."Bringforwardyour strong[arguments]," The Kingof Jacobsays.
Seekthe LORDwhile He may be found;Callupon Him while He is near.
For I, the LORD,lovejustice,I haterobberyin the burntoffering;And I will faithfullygivethem their recompenseAnd makean everlastingcovenantwith them.
"For My handmadeallthesethings,Thus allthesethingscameinto being,"declaresthe LORD."But to thisoneI will look,To him whois humbleand contriteof spirit,and whotremblesat My word.
Thussaysthe LORD,"Dojusticeand righteousness,and deliverthe one who has been robbedfrom the powerof [his] oppressor.Also do not mistreat[or] doviolenceto the stranger,the orphan,or the widow;and do not shedinnocentbloodin thisplace.
"Is not My wordlike fire?"declaresthe LORD,"and like a hammerwhich shattersa rock?
When they had heardallthe words,they turnedin fearoneto anotherand saidto Baruch,"We will surelyreportallthesewordsto the king."
Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Enough,you princesof Israel;putawayviolenceand destruction,and practicejusticeand righteousness.Stopyour expropriationsfrom My people,"declaresthe LordGOD.
"Manyof those whosleepin the dustof the groundwill awake,theseto everlastinglife,but the othersto disgrace[and] everlastingcontempt.
Therefore,O king,may my advicebe pleasingto you: breakawaynow from your sinsby [doing] righteousnessand from your iniquitiesby showingmercyto [the] poor,in casethere may be a prolongingof your prosperity.'
That same nightBelshazzarthe Chaldeankingwas slain.
Sowwith a view to righteousness,Reapin accordancewith kindness;Breakup your fallowground,For it is timeto seekthe LORDUntilHe comesto rainrighteousnesson you.
They speak[mere] words,With worthlessoathsthey makecovenants;And judgmentsproutslike poisonousweedsin the furrowsof the field.
On the dayof our king,the princesbecamesickwith the heatof wine;He stretchedout his handwith scoffers,
"But let justicerolldownlike watersAnd righteousnesslike an ever-flowingstream.
Do horsesrunon rocks?Ordoes one plowthem with oxen?Yetyou have turnedjusticeinto poisonAnd the fruitof righteousnessinto wormwood,
I heardand my inwardpartstrembled,At the soundmy lipsquivered.Decayentersmy bones,And in my placeI tremble.BecauseI must waitquietlyfor the dayof distress,For the peopleto arise[who] will invadeus.
"Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,'Thispeoplesays,"The timehas not come,[even] the timefor the houseof the LORDto be rebuilt."'"
"But they paid no attentionand went their way,oneto his ownfarm,anotherto his business,
"And He, when He comes,will convictthe worldconcerningsinand righteousnessand judgment;
"And He orderedus to preachto the people,and solemnly to testifythat thisis the One who has been appointedby Godas Judgeof the livingand the dead.
But whenthe Jewsof Thessalonicafoundout that the wordof Godhad been proclaimedby Paulin Bereaalso,they camethere as well,agitatingand stirringup the crowds.
And accordingto Paul'scustom,he wentto them, and for threeSabbathsreasonedwith them from the Scriptures,
Nowwhen they heardof the resurrectionof the dead,some[began] to sneer,but otherssaid,"We shall hearyou againconcerningthis."
Nowwhen they heard[this], they were piercedto the heart,and saidto Peterand the restof the apostles,"Brethren,whatshall we do?"
havinga hopein God,whichthese mencherishthemselves,that there shall certainlybe a resurrectionof boththe righteousand the wicked.
At the same timetoo,he was hopingthat moneywould be givenhim by Paul;thereforehe alsoused to sendfor him quite oftenand conversewith him.
Agrippa[replied] to Paul,"In a short timeyou will persuademe to becomea Christian."
but getup and enterthe city,and it will be toldyou whatyou mustdo."
ThereforeI urgeyou, brethren,by the merciesof God,to presentyour bodiesa livingand holysacrifice,acceptableto God,[which is] your spiritualservice of worship.
So theneach oneof us will givean accountof himselfto God.
on the daywhen,accordingto my gospel,Godwill judgethe secretsof menthroughChristJesus.
Thereforedo not go on passing judgmentbeforethe time,[but wait] untilthe Lordcomeswhowill bothbring to lightthe things hiddenin the darknessand disclosethe motivesof [men's] hearts;and theneach man'spraisewill cometo him from God.
For we mustallappearbeforethe judgment seatof Christ,sothat each onemay be recompensedfor his deeds in the body,accordingto whathe has done,whethergoodorbad.
for He says,"AT THE ACCEPTABLETIMEI LISTENEDTO YOU, AND ON THE DAYOF SALVATIONI HELPEDYOU." Behold,nowis "THE ACCEPTABLETIME,"behold,nowis "THE DAYOF SALVATION"--
But the Scripturehas shutup everyoneundersin,sothat the promiseby faithin JesusChristmight be givento thosewho believe.
gentleness,self-control;againstsuch thingsthere is nolaw.
I solemnly charge[you] in the presenceof Godand of ChristJesus,who is to judgethe livingand the dead,and by His appearingand His kingdom:
but hospitable,loving what is good,sensible,just,devout,self-controlled,
And soterriblewas the sight,[that] Mosessaid,"I AMFULL OF FEARand trembling."
But encourageone anotherdayafterday,as longas it is [still] called"Today,"sothat noneof you will be hardenedby the deceitfulnessof sin.
Therefore,let us fearif,while a promiseremainsof enteringHis rest,any oneof you may seemto have come shortof it.
of instructionabout washingsand layingon of hands,and the resurrectionof the deadand eternaljudgment.
And inasmuchas it is appointedfor mento dieonceand afterthis[comes] judgment,
You believethat Godis one.You dowell;the demonsalsobelieve,and shudder.
but sanctifyChristas Lordin your hearts,always[being] readyto make a defenseto everyonewho asksyou to give an accountfor the hopethat is in you, yetwith gentlenessand reverence;
and in [your] knowledge,self-control,and in [your] self-control,perseverance,and in [your] perseverance,godliness,
By thisthe childrenof Godand the childrenof the devilare obvious:anyonewho does not practicerighteousnessis not of God,northe one who does not lovehis brother.
Little children,make sure no onedeceivesyou; the one who practicesrighteousnessis righteous,justas He is righteous;
"So now,takeyour stand,that I may pleadwith you beforethe LORDconcerningallthe righteousactsof the LORDwhichHe didfor you and your fathers.
