"For the lipsof a priestshould preserveknowledge,and men should seekinstructionfrom his mouth;for he is the messengerof the LORDof hosts.
So Urijahthe priestbuiltan altar;according to allthat KingAhazhad sentfrom Damascus,thusUrijahthe priestmade[it], beforethe comingof KingAhazfrom Damascus.
So Urijahthe priestdidaccording to allthat KingAhazcommanded.
Then Hezekiahspokeencouraginglyto allthe Leviteswho showedgoodinsight[in the things] of the LORD.So they atefor the appointedsevendays,sacrificingpeaceofferingsand givingthanksto the LORDGodof their fathers.
Also he commandedthe peoplewho livedin Jerusalemto givethe portiondue to the priestsand the Levites,that they might devotethemselves to the lawof the LORD.
For Ezrahad sethis heartto studythe lawof the LORDand to practice[it], and to teach[His] statutesand ordinancesin Israel.
"You, Ezra,according to the wisdomof your Godwhichis in your hand,appointmagistratesand judgesthat they may judgeallthe peoplewhoare in [the province] beyondthe River,[even] allthose who knowthe lawsof your God;and you may teachanyone whois ignorant[of them].
That you may observediscretionAnd your lipsmay reserveknowledge.
It is betterthat you should not vowthanthat you should vowand not pay.
Whois blindbut My servant,Or so deafas My messengerwhom I send?Whois so blindas he that is at peace[with Me], Or so blindas the servantof the LORD?
Confirmingthe wordof His servantAnd performingthe purposeof His messengers.[It is I] who saysof Jerusalem,'She shall be inhabited!'And of the citiesof Judah,They shall be built.'And I will raiseup her ruins[again].
Therefore,thussaysthe LORD,"Ifyou return,then I will restoreyou-- BeforeMe you will stand;And ifyou extractthe preciousfrom the worthless,You will becomeMy spokesman.They for their partmay turnto you, But as for you, you must not turnto them.
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."
"The priestsdid not say,'Whereis the LORD?'And those who handlethe lawdid not knowMe; The rulersalso transgressedagainst Me, And the prophetsprophesiedby BaalAnd walkedafterthings that did not profit.
"Her priestshave doneviolenceto My lawand have profanedMy holythings;they have madenodistinctionbetweenthe holyand the profane,and they have not taughtthe difference betweenthe uncleanand the clean;and they hidetheir eyesfrom My sabbaths,and I am profanedamongthem.
Disasterwill comeupon disasterand rumorwill be [added] to rumor;then they will seeka visionfrom a prophet,but the lawwill be lostfrom the priestand counselfrom the elders.
"Those who haveinsightamong the peoplewill giveunderstandingto the many;yet they will fallby swordand by flame,by captivityand by plunderfor [many] days.
My peopleare destroyedfor lackof knowledge.Becauseyou have rejectedknowledge,I also will rejectyou from being My priest.Since you have forgottenthe lawof your God,I alsowill forgetyour children.
and so as to teachthe sonsof Israelallthe statuteswhichthe LORDhas spokento them throughMoses."
Her prophetsare reckless,treacherousmen;Her priestshave profanedthe sanctuary.They have doneviolenceto the law.
Then Haggai,the messengerof the LORD,spokeby the commissionof the LORDto the peoplesaying,"'I am with you,' declaresthe LORD."
speakingto the priestswhobelong to the houseof the LORDof hosts,and to the prophets,saying,"Shall I weepin the fifthmonthand abstain,as I have donethesemanyyears?"
"Behold,I am going to sendMy messenger,and he will clearthe waybeforeMe. And the Lord,whomyou seek,will suddenlycometo His temple;and the messengerof the covenant,in whomyou delight,behold,He is coming,"saysthe LORDof hosts.
"Moreover, he shall standbeforeEleazarthe priest,who shall inquirefor him by the judgmentof the Urimbeforethe LORD.At his commandthey shall goout and at his commandthey shall comein, [both] he and the sonsof Israelwith him, even allthe congregation."
"Truly,truly,I sayto you, he who receiveswhomeverI sendreceivesMe; and he who receivesMe receivesHim who sentMe."
SoJesussaidto them again,"Peace[be] with you; as the Fatherhas sentMe, I alsosendyou."
Following afterPauland us, she kept cryingout, saying,"Thesemenare bond-servantsof the Most HighGod,whoare proclaimingto you the wayof salvation."
Therefore,we are ambassadorsfor Christ,as thoughGodwere making an appealthroughus; we begyou on behalfof Christ,be reconciledto God.
and that which was a trialto you in my bodily conditionyou did not despiseorloathe,but you receivedme as an angelof God,as ChristJesus[Himself].
"Then the priests,the sonsof Levi,shall comenear,for the LORDyour Godhas chosenthem to serveHim and to blessin the nameof the LORD;and everydisputeand everyassaultshall be settledby them.
"Be carefulagainst an infectionof leprosy,that you diligentlyobserveand doaccording to allthat the Leviticalprieststeachyou; as I have commandedthem, so you shall be carefulto do.
So,he who rejects[this] is not rejectingmanbut the Godwho givesHis HolySpiritto you.
Thus the sinof the youngmenwas verygreatbeforethe LORD,for the mendespisedthe offeringof the LORD.
