Again I said,"The thingwhichyou are doingis not good;should you not walkin the fearof our Godbecauseof the reproachof the nations,our enemies?
Abrahamsaid,"BecauseI thought,surelythereis nofearof Godin thisplace,and they will killme becauseof my wife.
Now Josephsaidto them on the thirdday,"Dothisand live,for I fearGod:
"However,becauseby thisdeedyou have givenoccasion to the enemiesof the LORDto blaspheme,the childalsothat is bornto you shall surelydie."
Hear,O our God,howwe are despised!Returntheir reproachon their own headsand givethem up for plunderin a landof captivity.
"And likewiseI, my brothersand my servantsare lendingthem moneyand grain.Please,let us leaveoff thisusury.
But the formergovernorswhowere beforeme laidburdenson the peopleand tookfrom them breadand winebesidesfortyshekelsof silver;eventheir servantsdomineeredthe people.But I did not dosobecauseof the fearof God.
Whounderstandsthe powerof Your angerAnd Your fury,according to the fearthat is due You?
A manof violenceenticeshis neighborAnd leadshim in a waythat is not good.
It is alsonot goodto finethe righteous,[Nor] to strikethe noblefor [their] uprightness.
To showpartialityto the wickedis not good,[Nor] to thrustasidethe righteousin judgment.
Alsoit is not goodfor a personto be withoutknowledge,And he who hurrieshis footstepserrs.
Thesealsoare sayings of the wise.To showpartialityin judgmentis not good.
"When they cameto the nationswherethey went,they profanedMy holyname,because it was saidof them, 'Theseare the peopleof the LORD;yet they have comeout of His land.'
Do not takeusuriousinterestfrom him, but revereyour God,that your countrymanmay livewith you.
Sothe churchthroughoutallJudeaand Galileeand Samariaenjoyedpeace,being builtup; and goingon in the fearof the Lordand in the comfortof the HolySpirit,it continued to increase.
For "THE NAMEOF GODIS BLASPHEMEDAMONGTHE GENTILESBECAUSEOF YOU," justas it is written.
Therefore,I wantyounger[widows] to get married,bear children,keep house,[and] givethe enemynooccasionfor reproach;
[to be] sensible,pure,workers at home,kind,being subjectto their ownhusbands,sothat the wordof Godwill not be dishonored.
Keepyour behaviorexcellentamongthe Gentiles,sothat in the thing in whichthey slanderyou as evildoers,they may becauseof your gooddeeds,as they observe[them], glorifyGodin the dayof visitation.
"No,my sons;for the reportis not goodwhichI hearthe LORD'Speoplecirculating.
