Judges 17:13

There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel.

Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake.

Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

Then your people will all be righteous. They will inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.

For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the hearts.

Nevertheless even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t confess it, so that they wouldn’t be put out of the synagogue,

What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”

“You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Yahweh weighs the motives.

to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified.

Hear Yahweh’s word, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, ‘Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your joy;’ but it is those who shall be disappointed.

“Yet you said, ‘I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.’ “Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money: yet they lean on Yahweh, and say, “Isn’t Yahweh among us? No disaster will come on us.”

Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.

Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.

although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed.

You shall most certainly not make gods of silver or gods of gold for yourselves to be alongside me.

“ ‘Don’t turn to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I am Yahweh your God.

The man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness will be his reward.

For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,

Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?

It will come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob will no more again lean on him who struck them, but shall lean on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught;

Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you.

who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day.

“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways,

In the prophets of Jerusalem I have also seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one returns from his wickedness. They have all become to me as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.”

“Those who are wise among the people will instruct many; yet they will fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, many days.

“Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able.

He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.

Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, rest on the law, glory in God,

Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.

not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.

The children of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.

Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for Yahweh’s word.”

For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

They are planted in Yahweh’s house. They will flourish in our God’s courts.

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.

Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them.

whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can’t stand evil assemblies.

You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.

They stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity.

Why then have the people of Jerusalem fallen back by a perpetual backsliding? They cling to deceit. They refuse to return.

“Please inquire of Yahweh for us; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us. Perhaps Yahweh will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may withdraw from us.”

For the land is full of adulterers; for because of the curse the land mourns. The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right;

“As I live,” says the King, whose name is Yahweh of Armies, “surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so he will come.

My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God.

Ephraim feeds on wind, and chases the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and desolation. They make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

But they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.

Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father.

If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.

Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly.

I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’

There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.

who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.

Having therefore these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith—

but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by food, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had.

He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to Yahweh from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.”

They said to him, “Please ask counsel of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.”

He said, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away! What more do I have? How can you ask me, ‘What ails you?’ ”

Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Carry there one of the priests whom you brought from there; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land.”

There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.

Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and wickedness as with cart rope,

He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”

for they call themselves citizens of the holy city, and rely on the God of Israel; Yahweh of Armies is his name.

And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’ ”

But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.

They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.

“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.