"Those on the rocky[soil are] those who,whenthey hear,receivethe wordwith joy;and thesehaveno[firm] root;they believefor a while,and in timeof temptationfall away.
"Ifyou say,'Howshall we persecutehim?' And 'What pretextfor a caseagainst him can we find?'
The wickedman desiresthe bootyof evilmen,But the rootof the righteousyields[fruit].
A manwill not be establishedby wickedness,But the rootof the righteouswill not be moved.
"Yet they seekMe dayby dayand delightto knowMy ways,As a nationthat has donerighteousnessAnd has not forsakenthe ordinanceof their God.They askMe [for] justdecisions,They delightin the nearnessof God.
"Behold,you are to them like a sensualsongby one who has a beautifulvoiceand playswellon an instrument; for they hearyour wordsbut they do not practicethem.
Whatshall I dowith you, O Ephraim?Whatshall I dowith you, O Judah?For your loyaltyis like a morningcloudAnd like the dewwhich goesaway early.
for Herodwas afraidof John,knowingthat he was a righteousand holyman,and he kept him safe.And when he heardhim, he was veryperplexed;but he used to enjoylisteningto him.
"Thosebesidethe roadare thosewho have heard;thenthe devilcomesand takes awaythe wordfrom their heart,sothat they will not believeand be saved.
"The [seed] which fellamongthe thorns,theseare the ones who have heard,and as they go on their waythey are chokedwith worriesand richesand pleasuresof [this] life,and bringnofruit to maturity.
"Everybranchin Me that does not bearfruit,He takes away;and every[branch] that bearsfruit,He prunesit sothat it may bearmorefruit.
"Ifanyonedoes not abidein Me, he is thrownawayas a branchand driesup; and they gatherthem, and castthem into the fireand they are burned.
"He was the lampthat was burningand was shiningand you were willingto rejoicefor a whilein his light.
IfI have[the gift of] prophecy,and knowallmysteriesand allknowledge;and ifI haveallfaith,soas to removemountains,but do not havelove,I amnothing.
by whichalsoyou are saved,ifyou hold fastthe wordwhichI preachedto you, unlessyou believedin vain.
You foolishGalatians,whohas bewitchedyou, beforewhoseeyesJesusChristwas publicly portrayed[as] crucified?
Did you sufferso many thingsin vain--ifindeedit was in vain?
so that Christmay dwellin your heartsthroughfaith;[and] that you, being rootedand groundedin love,
ifindeedyou continuein the faithfirmly establishedand steadfast,and not moved awayfrom the hopeof the gospelthat you have heard,which was proclaimedin allcreationunderheaven,and of whichI, Paul,was madea minister.
having been firmly rooted[and now] being builtup in Him and establishedin your faith,justas you were instructed,[and] overflowingwith gratitude.
For thisreason,when I could endure[it] no longer,I alsosentto findout about your faith,for fearthat the temptermight have temptedyou, and our laborwould be in vain.
keepingfaithand a goodconscience,whichsomehave rejectedand suffered shipwreckin regardto their faith.
But we are not of those who shrink backto destruction,but of those who have faithto the preservingof the soul.
For justas the bodywithout[the] spiritis dead,soalsofaithwithoutworksis dead.
For if,after they have escapedthe defilementsof the worldby the knowledgeof the Lordand SaviorJesusChrist,they are againentangledin them and are overcome,the laststate has becomeworsefor them than the first.
It has happenedto them according to the true proverb,"A DOGRETURNSTO ITS OWNVOMIT,"and, "A sow,after washing,[returns] to wallowingin the mire."
They wentout from us, but they were not [really] of us; for ifthey had beenof us, they would have remainedwith us; but [they went out], sothat it would be shownthat they allare not of us.
These are the menwho are hidden reefsin your love feastswhen they feastwith you without fear,caringfor themselves;cloudswithout water,carried alongby winds;autumntreeswithout fruit,doublydead,uprooted;
