"And you, sonof man,neitherfearthem norfeartheir words,thoughthistlesand thornsare with you and you siton scorpions;neitherfeartheir wordsnorbe dismayedat their presence,for they are a rebellioushouse.
The angelof the LORDsaidto Elijah,"Godownwith him; do not be afraidof him." So he aroseand wentdownwith him to the king.
"I, even I, am He who comfortsyou. Whoare you that you are afraidof manwho diesAnd of the sonof manwho is madelike grass,
"Listento Me, you who knowrighteousness,A peoplein whose heartis My law;Do not fearthe reproachof man,Norbe dismayedat their revilings.
For wickednessburnslike a fire;It consumesbriarsand thorns;It even setsthe thicketsof the forestaflameAnd they rollupwardin a columnof smoke.
"Now, girdup your loinsand arise,and speakto them allwhichI commandyou. Do not be dismayedbeforethem, orI will dismayyou beforethem.
"Do not be afraidof them, For I am with you to deliveryou," declaresthe LORD.
Then they said,"Comeand let us deviseplansagainstJeremiah.Surelythe lawis not going to be lostto the priest,norcounselto the sage,northe [divine] wordto the prophet!Comeon and let us strikeat him with [our] tongue,and let us givenoheedto anyof his words."
Allof them are stubbornlyrebellious,Goingabout as a talebearer.[They are] bronzeand iron;They, allof them, are corrupt.
"Speaka parableto the rebellioushouseand sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Puton the pot,put[it] on and alsopourwaterin it;
"And there will be nomorefor the houseof Israela pricklingbrieror a painfulthornfrom anyroundaboutthem who scornedthem; then they will knowthat I am the LordGOD."
On the otherhandI am filledwith power--With the Spiritof the LORD--And with justiceand courageTo makeknownto Jacobhis rebelliousact,Even to Israelhis sin.
The bestof them is like a briar,The most uprightlike a thornhedge.The daywhen you post your watchmen,Your punishmentwill come.Thentheir confusionwill occur.
"Do not fearthosewho killthe bodybut are unableto killthe soul;but ratherfearHim who is ableto destroybothsouland bodyin hell.
"Behold,I have givenyou authorityto treadon serpentsand scorpions,and overallthe powerof the enemy,and nothingwill injureyou.
"Or[if] he is askedfor an egg,he will not givehim a scorpion,will he?
"I sayto you, My friends,do not be afraidof thosewho killthe bodyand afterthat havenomorethat they can do.
Nowas they observedthe confidenceof Peterand Johnand understoodthat they were uneducatedand untrainedmen,they were amazed,and [began] to recognizethem as having beenwith Jesus.
But Peterand Johnansweredand saidto them, "Whetherit is rightin the sightof Godto give heedto you ratherthanto God,you be the judge;
"And now,Lord,take noteof their threats,and grantthat Your bond-servantsmay speakYour wordwith allconfidence,
and [pray] on my behalf,that utterancemay be givento me in the openingof my mouth,to make knownwith boldnessthe mysteryof the gospel,
in no wayalarmedby [your] opponents--whichis a signof destructionfor them, but of salvationfor you, and that [too], from God.
For Godhas not givenus a spiritof timidity,but of powerand loveand discipline.
By faithhe leftEgypt,not fearingthe wrathof the king;for he endured,as seeingHim who is unseen.
But evenifyou should sufferfor the sakeof righteousness,you are blessed.AND DO NOT FEARTHEIR INTIMIDATION,AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,
They havetailslikescorpions,and stings;and in their tailsis their powerto hurtmenfor fivemonths.
