They fail to see why they were defeated; they cannot understand what happened.

Why were a thousand defeated by one, and ten thousand by only two? The LORD, their God, had abandoned them; their mighty God had given them up.

How I wish my people would listen to me; how I wish they would obey me!

Those who hate me would bow in fear before me; their punishment would last forever.

"If only you had listened to my commands! Then blessings would have flowed for you like a stream that never goes dry. Victory would have come to you like the waves that roll on the shore.

I kept sending you my servants the prophets, who told you not to do this terrible thing that I hate.

So my people crowd in to hear what you have to say, but they don't do what you tell them to do. Loving words are on their lips, but they continue their greedy ways.

To them you are nothing more than an entertainer singing love songs or playing a harp. They listen to all your words and don't obey a single one of them.

"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!

saying, "If you only knew today what is needed for peace! But now you cannot see it!

Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself were making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ's behalf: let God change you from enemies into his friends!

In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God's grace not to let it be wasted.

Be careful, then, and do not refuse to hear him who speaks. Those who refused to hear the one who gave the divine message on earth did not escape. How much less shall we escape, then, if we turn away from the one who speaks from heaven!

To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.

Happy are those who obey his commands, who always do what is right.

Happy are those whose lives are faultless, who live according to the law of the LORD.

They never do wrong; they walk in the LORD's ways.

How I hope that I shall be faithful in keeping your instructions!

But Jesus answered, "Rather, how happy are those who hear the word of God and obey it!"

And you are my friends if you do what I command you.

Happy are those who wash their robes clean and so have the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life and to go through the gates into the city.

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to announce these things to you in the churches. I am descended from the family of David; I am the bright morning star."

Then the Lamb broke open the second seal; and I heard the second living creature say, "Come!"

The robe he wore was covered with blood. His name is "The Word of God."

"Listen!" says Jesus. "I am coming soon! Happy are those who obey the prophetic words in this book!"

Some time later Naomi said to Ruth, "I must find a husband for you, so that you will have a home of your own.

They give knowledge to me, your servant; I am rewarded for obeying them.

The righteous will be happy, and things will go well for them. They will get to enjoy what they have worked for.

Doomed is the one who says, "I will build myself a mansion with spacious rooms upstairs." So he puts windows in his house, panels it with cedar, and paints it red.

Does it make you a better king if you build houses of cedar, finer than those of others? Your father enjoyed a full life. He was always just and fair, and he prospered in everything he did.

"so that all may go well with you, and you may live a long time in the land."

But if you look closely into the perfect law that sets people free, and keep on paying attention to it and do not simply listen and then forget it, but put it into practice---you will be blessed by God in what you do.