Zephaniah 3:2

To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

He said, “Go, and tell this people, ‘You hear indeed, but don’t understand. You see indeed, but don’t perceive.’

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness, and from all your idols.

He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

The fear of Yahweh teaches wisdom. Before honor is humility.

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

Some of you were such, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.

(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.

Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.

Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments. They delight to draw near to God.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

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

that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.

but have done evil above all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods, molten images, to provoke me to anger, and have cast me behind your back;

I will not die, but live, and declare Yah’s works.

The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Yahweh.

You have planted them. Yes, they have taken root. They grow. Yes, they produce fruit. You are near in their mouth, and far from their heart.

They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don’t do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain.

throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

(all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men?

Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.

to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

“ ‘If by these things you won’t be turned back to me, but will walk contrary to me,

Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who shall hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

For Yahweh’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”

Yes, when they had made themselves a molded calf, and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed awful blasphemies;

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of Yahweh our God.

Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.

Blessed is the one whom you choose and cause to come near, that he may live in your courts. We will be filled with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.

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

but you said, “No, for we will flee on horses;” therefore you will flee; and, “We will ride on the swift;” therefore those who pursue you will be swift.

Yet for all this her treacherous sister, Judah, has not returned to me with her whole heart, but only in pretense,” says Yahweh.

Let us lie down in our shame, and let our confusion cover us; for we have sinned against Yahweh our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day. We have not obeyed Yahweh our God’s voice.”

O Yahweh, don’t your eyes look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock. They have refused to return.

“For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only that which was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, says Yahweh.

For this our heart is faint. For these things our eyes are dim.

As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil has come on us. Yet we have not entreated the favor of Yahweh our God, that we should turn from our iniquities and have discernment in your truth.

Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.

Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”,

who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please God, and are contrary to all men,

and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.

not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

Yahweh said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them?

He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good.

but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;

lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures. Their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.

Yet the people have not turned to him who struck them, neither have they sought Yahweh of Armies.

Return to him from whom you have deeply revolted, children of Israel.

Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt, which if a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

Yes, you didn’t hear. Yes, you didn’t know. Yes, from of old your ear was not opened, for I knew that you dealt very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.

He brought me into the inner court of Yahweh’s house; and I saw at the door of Yahweh’s temple, between the porch and the altar, there were about twenty-five men, with their backs toward Yahweh’s temple, and their faces toward the east. They were worshiping the sun toward the east.

My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me!

You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?

Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in his salvation.

“I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

I spoke to you in your prosperity; but you said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from your youth, that you didn’t obey my voice.

“Son of man, tell her, ‘You are a land that is not cleansed, nor rained on in the day of indignation.’

Yahweh’s voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: “Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.

I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction, so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her.” But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.

I said to you, “I am Yahweh your God. You shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not listened to my voice.’ ”

“Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.

The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God.

since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?

But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

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;

For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear Yahweh’s law;

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel, and they don’t seek Yahweh!

Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel.

You shall tell them, ‘This is the nation that has not listened to Yahweh their God’s voice, nor received instruction. Truth has perished, and is cut off from their mouth.’

“I have surely heard Ephraim grieving thus, ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, as an untrained calf. Turn me, and I will be turned; for you are Yahweh my God.

They have turned their backs to me, and not their faces. Although I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction.

“Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction to listen to my words?” says Yahweh.

“Therefore Yahweh, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them, but they have not heard; and I have called to them, but they have not answered.’ ”

“ ‘ “In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest.

But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.

But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,

As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.