The Sovereign LORD himself defends me--- who, then, can prove me guilty? All my accusers will disappear; they will vanish like moth-eaten cloth.

The LORD says, "Here is my servant, whom I strengthen--- the one I have chosen, with whom I am pleased. I have filled him with my Spirit, and he will bring justice to every nation.

The LORD says to his people, "When the time comes to save you, I will show you favor and answer your cries for help. I will guard and protect you and through you make a covenant with all peoples. I will let you settle once again in your land that is now laid waste.

My strength will always be with him, my power will make him strong.

I will crush his foes and kill everyone who hates him.

I will extend his kingdom from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates River.

I will make him my first-born son, the greatest of all kings.

The LORD said to my lord, "Sit here at my right side until I put your enemies under your feet."

I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!"

Let us be bold, then, and say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?"

Listen, Jeremiah! Everyone in this land---the kings of Judah, the officials, the priests, and the people---will be against you. But today I am giving you the strength to resist them; you will be like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. They will not defeat you, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the LORD, have spoken."

Now I will make you as stubborn and as tough as they are.

I will make you as firm as a rock, as hard as a diamond; don't be afraid of those rebels."

"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You lock the door to the Kingdom of heaven in people's faces, but you yourselves don't go in, nor do you allow in those who are trying to enter!

"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You sail the seas and cross whole countries to win one convert; and when you succeed, you make him twice as deserving of going to hell as you yourselves are!

Blind fools! Which is more important, the gold or the Temple which makes the gold holy?

How blind you are! Which is the more important, the gift or the altar which makes the gift holy?

and when he swears by the Temple, he is swearing by it and by God, who lives there;

"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You give to God one tenth even of the seasoning herbs, such as mint, dill, and cumin, but you neglect to obey the really important teachings of the Law, such as justice and mercy and honesty. These you should practice, without neglecting the others.

"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You clean the outside of your cup and plate, while the inside is full of what you have gotten by violence and selfishness.

"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but are full of bones and decaying corpses on the inside.

"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You make fine tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of those who lived good lives;

So you actually admit that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets!

You snakes and children of snakes! How do you expect to escape from being condemned to hell?

As a result, the punishment for the murder of all innocent people will fall on you, from the murder of innocent Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.

As the time drew near when Jesus would be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind and set out on his way to Jerusalem.

So the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of your cup and plate, but inside you are full of violence and evil.

But give what is in your cups and plates to the poor, and everything will be ritually clean for you.

"How terrible for you Pharisees! You love the reserved seats in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.

One of the teachers of the Law said to him, "Teacher, when you say this, you insult us too!"

How terrible for you! You make fine tombs for the prophets---the very prophets your ancestors murdered.

For this reason the Wisdom of God said, 'I will send them prophets and messengers; they will kill some of them and persecute others.'

from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the Holy Place. Yes, I tell you, the people of this time will be punished for them all!

When Jesus left that place, the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to criticize him bitterly and ask him questions about many things,

I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God's power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles.

Since Christ suffered physically, you too must strengthen yourselves with the same way of thinking that he had; because whoever suffers physically is no longer involved with sin.

However, if you suffer because you are a Christian, don't be ashamed of it, but thank God that you bear Christ's name.