"Do not rob or take advantage of anyone. Do not hold back the wages of someone you have hired, not even for one night.

If any Israelites living near you become so poor that they sell themselves to you as a slave, you shall not make them do the work of a slave.

At that time they and their children shall leave you and return to their family and to the property of their ancestors.

Do not treat them harshly, but obey your God.

"If any Israelites, male or female, sell themselves to you as slaves, you are to release them after they have served you for six years. When the seventh year comes, you must let them go free.

Give to them generously from what the LORD has blessed you with---sheep, grain, and wine.

"Do not cheat poor and needy hired servants, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living in one of your towns.

Each day before sunset pay them for that day's work; they need the money and have counted on getting it. If you do not pay them, they will cry out against you to the LORD, and you will be guilty of sin.

We are of the same race as the other Jews. Aren't our children just as good as theirs? But we have to make slaves of our children. Some of our daughters have already been sold as slaves. We are helpless because our fields and vineyards have been taken away from us."

and decided to act. I denounced the leaders and officials of the people and told them, "You are oppressing your own relatives!" I called a public assembly to deal with the problem

Then I said, "What you are doing is wrong! You ought to obey God and do what's right. Then you would not give our enemies, the Gentiles, any reason to ridicule us.

Cancel all the debts they owe you---money or grain or wine or olive oil. And give them back their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses right now!"

Then I took off the sash I was wearing around my waist and shook it out. "This is how God will shake any of you who don't keep your promise," I said. "God will take away your houses and everything you own, and will leave you with nothing." Everyone who was present said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the leaders kept their promise.

They press olives for oil, and grapes for wine, but they themselves are thirsty.

In the cities the wounded and dying cry out, but God ignores their prayers.

When any of my servants complained against me, I would listen and treat them fairly.

The same God who created me created my servants also.

The people ask, "Why should we fast if the LORD never notices? Why should we go without food if he pays no attention?" The LORD says to them, "The truth is that at the same time you fast, you pursue your own interests and oppress your workers.

When you fast, you make yourselves suffer; you bow your heads low like a blade of grass and spread out sackcloth and ashes to lie on. Is that what you call fasting? Do you think I will be pleased with that?

Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.

When you pray, I will answer you. When you call to me, I will respond. "If you put an end to oppression, to every gesture of contempt, and to every evil word;

their Hebrew slaves, both male and female, so that no one would have an Israelite as a slave.

but later they changed their minds, took them back, and forced them to become slaves again.

the God of Israel, told me to say to the people: "I made a covenant with your ancestors when I rescued them from Egypt and set them free from slavery. I told them that

Just a few days ago you changed your minds and did what pleased me. All of you agreed to set all Israelites free, and you made a covenant in my presence, in the Temple where I am worshiped.

So now, I, the LORD, say that you have disobeyed me; you have not given all Israelites their freedom. Very well, then, I will give you freedom: the freedom to die by war, disease, and starvation. I will make every nation in the world horrified at what I do to you.

The LORD Almighty says, "I will appear among you to judge, and I will testify at once against those who practice magic, against adulterers, against those who give false testimony, those who cheat employees out of their wages, and those who take advantage of widows, orphans, and foreigners---against all who do not respect me.

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

You have not paid any wages to those who work in your fields. Listen to their complaints! The cries of those who gather in your crops have reached the ears of God, the Lord Almighty.

Don't be surprised when you see that the government oppresses the poor and denies them justice and their rights. Every official is protected by someone higher, and both are protected by still higher officials.

You must not be called 'Teacher,' because you are all equal and have only one Teacher.

And you must not call anyone here on earth 'Father,' because you have only the one Father in heaven.

But if he is a bad servant, he will tell himself that his master will not come back for a long time,

Then that servant's master will come back one day when the servant does not expect him and at a time he does not know.

Jesus said to his disciples, "There was once a rich man who had a servant who managed his property. The rich man was told that the manager was wasting his master's money,

The servant said to himself, 'My master is going to dismiss me from my job. What shall I do? I am not strong enough to dig ditches, and I am ashamed to beg.

So he called in all the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe my master?'

Then he asked another one, 'And you---how much do you owe?' 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he answered. 'Here is your account,' the manager told him; 'write eight hundred.'

And Jesus went on to say, "And so I tell you: make friends for yourselves with worldly wealth, so that when it gives out, you will be welcomed in the eternal home.

If, then, you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with true wealth?

"No servant can be the slave of two masters; such a slave will hate one and love the other or will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

"The man was made king and came back. At once he ordered his servants to appear before him, in order to find out how much they had earned.

Remember that the Lord will reward each of us, whether slave or free, for the good work we do.

Masters, behave in the same way toward your slaves and stop using threats. Remember that you and your slaves belong to the same Master in heaven, who judges everyone by the same standard.

Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks.

So put on God's armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.

and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace.

And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you.

And pray also for me, that God will give me a message when I am ready to speak, so that I may speak boldly and make known the gospel's secret.

They will fight against the Lamb; but the Lamb, together with his called, chosen, and faithful followers, will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings."

On his robe and on his thigh was written the name: "King of kings and Lord of lords."