What an unhappy man I am! Why did my mother bring me into the world? I have to quarrel and argue with everyone in the land. I have not lent any money or borrowed any; yet everyone curses me.

(No one can break iron, especially the iron from the north that is mixed with bronze.)

I will make them serve their enemies in a land they know nothing about, because my anger is like fire, and it will burn forever."

You spoke to me, and I listened to every word. I belong to you, LORD God Almighty, and so your words filled my heart with joy and happiness.

Why do I keep on suffering? Why are my wounds incurable? Why won't they heal? Do you intend to disappoint me like a stream that goes dry in the summer?"

But when I say, "I will forget the LORD and no longer speak in his name," then your message is like a fire burning deep within me. I try my best to hold it in, but can no longer keep it back.

he said, "I am the LORD. Tell the king of Egypt everything I tell you."

But Moses answered, "You know that I am such a poor speaker; why should the king listen to me?"

He said, "Go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to the people the message I have given you."

Then the LORD said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel were standing here pleading with me, I would not show these people any mercy. Make them go away; make them get out of my sight.

A prophet named Elijah, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to King Ahab, "In the name of the LORD, the living God of Israel, whom I serve, I tell you that there will be no dew or rain for the next two or three years until I say so."

Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.

the LORD Almighty had said: "If you obey my laws and perform the duties I have assigned you, then you will continue to be in charge of my Temple and its courts, and I will hear your prayers, just as I hear the prayers of the angels who are in my presence.

"I am Gabriel," the angel answered. "I stand in the presence of God, who sent me to speak to you and tell you this good news.

Be on watch and pray always that you will have the strength to go safely through all those things that will happen and to stand before the Son of Man."

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to bring you faultless and joyful before his glorious presence---

You must distinguish between what belongs to God and what is for general use, between what is ritually clean and what is unclean.

No one will think that a fool is honorable or say that a scoundrel is honest.

A fool speaks foolishly and thinks up evil things to do. What he does and what he says are an insult to the LORD, and he never feeds the hungry or gives thirsty people anything to drink.

The priests break my law and have no respect for what is holy. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. They do not teach the difference between clean and unclean things, and they ignore the Sabbath. As a result the people of Israel do not respect me.

"The priests are to teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is not, and between what is ritually clean and what is not.

Solid food, on the other hand, is for adults, who through practice are able to distinguish between good and evil.

Now, go! I will help you to speak, and I will tell you what to say."

You can speak to him and tell him what to say. I will help both of you to speak, and I will tell you both what to do.

He will be your spokesman and speak to the people for you. Then you will be like God, telling him what to say.

Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

because I will give you such words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to refute or contradict what you say.

I said, "You will not be handed over to them. I beg you to obey the LORD's message; then all will go well with you, and your life will be spared.

But the LORD has shown me in a vision what will happen if you refuse to surrender.

You will tell them whatever I tell you to say, whether they listen or not. Remember what rebels they are.

God continued, "Mortal man, pay close attention and remember everything I tell you.

Then go to the people of your nation who are in exile and tell them what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying to them, whether they pay attention to you or not."

For I have not held back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God.

No longer, then, do we judge anyone by human standards. Even if at one time we judged Christ according to human standards, we no longer do so.

Does this sound as if I am trying to win human approval? No indeed! What I want is God's approval! Am I trying to be popular with people? If I were still trying to do so, I would not be a servant of Christ.

but in order to keep the truth of the gospel safe for you, we did not give in to them for a minute.