Their owners kill them and go unpunished. They sell the meat and say, 'Praise the LORD! We are rich!' Even their own shepherds have no pity on them."

The branches of the trees are withered and broken, and women gather them for firewood. Because the people have understood nothing, God their Creator will not pity them or show them any mercy.

They will feel all the force of my anger. I will not spare them or show them any mercy. They will shout prayers to me as loud as they can, but I will not listen to them."

But I will not have pity on them; I will do to them what they have done to others."

Gomer had a second child---this time it was a daughter. The LORD said to Hosea, "Name her 'Unloved,' because I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them.

You should have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you.'

And Jesus concluded, "That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

The king was very angry; so he sent his soldiers, who killed those murderers and burned down their city.

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.

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and stone the messengers God has sent you! How many times I wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me!

The time will come when your enemies will surround you with barricades, blockade you, and close in on you from every side.

They will completely destroy you and the people within your walls; not a single stone will they leave in its place, because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you!"

For those will be 'The Days of Punishment,' to make come true all that the Scriptures say.

Some will be killed by the sword, and others will be taken as prisoners to all countries; and the heathen will trample over Jerusalem until their time is up.

They even tried to stop us from preaching to the Gentiles the message that would bring them salvation. In this way they have brought to completion all the sins they have always committed. And now God's anger has at last come down on them!

For there is no longer any sacrifice that will take away sins if we purposely go on sinning after the truth has been made known to us.

Anyone who disobeys the Law of Moses is put to death without any mercy when judged guilty from the evidence of two or more witnesses.

For we know who said, "I will take revenge, I will repay"; and who also said, "The Lord will judge his people."

For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgment.

Then I said to the flock, "I will not be your shepherd any longer. Let those die who are to die. Let those be destroyed who are to be destroyed. Those who are left will destroy one another."

Then I broke the second stick, the one called "Unity," and the unity of Judah and Israel was shattered.

Before that time no one could afford to hire either men or animals, and no one was safe from enemies. I turned people against one another.

Everyone will take advantage of everyone else. Young people will not respect their elders, and worthless people will not respect their superiors.

Because the LORD Almighty is angry, his punishment burns like a fire throughout the land and destroys the people, and it is each of us for ourselves.

The people of Manasseh and the people of Ephraim attack each other, and together they attack Judah. Yet even so the LORD's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.

Then I will smash them like jars against one another, old and young alike. No pity, compassion, or mercy will stop me from killing them."

There is not an honest person left in the land, no one loyal to God. Everyone is waiting for a chance to commit murder. Everyone hunts down their own people.

Even the best and most honest of them are as worthless as weeds. The day has come when God will punish the people, as he warned them through their watchmen, the prophets. Now they are in confusion.

In these times sons treat their fathers like fools, daughters oppose their mothers, and young women quarrel with their mothers-in-law; your enemies are the members of your own family.

and overthrow kingdoms and end their power. I will overturn chariots and their drivers; the horses will die, and their riders will kill one another.

"People will hand over their own brothers to be put to death, and fathers will do the same to their children; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

your worst enemies will be the members of your own family.

Many will give up their faith at that time; they will betray one another and hate one another.

From now on a family of five will be divided, three against two and two against three.

Fathers will be against their sons, and sons against their fathers; mothers will be against their daughters, and daughters against their mothers; mothers-in-law will be against their daughters-in-law, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law."

You will be handed over by your parents, your brothers, your relatives, and your friends; and some of you will be put to death.

Everyone will hate you because of me.

And at the end of that time God's chosen leader will be killed unjustly. The city and the Temple will be destroyed by the invading army of a powerful ruler. The end will come like a flood, bringing the war and destruction which God has prepared.

That ruler will have a firm agreement with many people for seven years, and when half this time is past, he will put an end to sacrifices and offerings. The Awful Horror will be placed on the highest point of the Temple and will remain there until the one who put it there meets the end which God has prepared for him."

The king was very angry; so he sent his soldiers, who killed those murderers and burned down their city.

They shouted back, "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!" Pilate asked them, "Do you want me to crucify your king?" The chief priests answered, "The only king we have is the Emperor!"

He will bring fathers and children together again; otherwise I would have to come and destroy your country."

"Listen to this, you that ignore me, or I will destroy you, and there will be no one to save you.

I will strip her naked in front of her lovers, and no one will be able to save her from my power.

Those who are left among the nations will be like a lion hunting for food in a forest or a pasture: it gets in among the sheep, pounces on them, and tears them to pieces---and there is no hope of rescue.

You will eat, but not be satisfied---in fact you will still be hungry. You will carry things off, but you will not be able to save them; anything you do save I will destroy in war.

How, then, shall we escape if we pay no attention to such a great salvation? The Lord himself first announced this salvation, and those who heard him proved to us that it is true.

For there is no longer any sacrifice that will take away sins if we purposely go on sinning after the truth has been made known to us.

Instead, all that is left is to wait in fear for the coming Judgment and the fierce fire which will destroy those who oppose God!