Study Desk

but Thebes was defeated. Her people were taken away as prisoners to a foreign country. Soldiers beat her small children to death at every street corner. They threw lots to see who got to keep the important people as slaves. They put chains on all the important men of Thebes.

And the city will be filled with children playing in the streets."

The people of Ephraim will be as happy as soldiers who have too much to drink. Their children will be rejoicing and they, too, will be happy. They will all have a happy time together with the Lord .

Yes, I have been scattering my people throughout the nations. But in those faraway places, they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will come back.

The Lord All-Powerful said, "Children honor their fathers. Servants honor their masters. I am your Father, so why don't you honor me? I am your master, so why don't you respect me? You priests don't respect my name. "But you say, ‘What have we done that shows we don't respect your name?'

God wants husbands and wives to become one body and one spirit. Why? So that they would have holy children and protect that spiritual unity. Don't cheat on your wife. She has been your wife from the time you were young.

"I am the Lord , and I don't change. You are Jacob's children, and you have not been completely destroyed.

The Lord said, "They belong to me. I will be kind to them. Parents are very kind to their children who obey them. In the same way I will be kind to my followers.

Elijah will help the parents become close to their children, and he will help the children become close to their parents. This must happen, or I will come and completely destroy your country."

"A sound was heard in Ramah— bitter crying and great sadness. Rachel cries for her children, and she cannot be comforted, because her children are gone."

I know what you are thinking. You want to say, ‘but Abraham is our father!' That means nothing. I tell you, God could make children for Abraham from these rocks.

If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong.

You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.

"Brothers will turn against their own brothers and hand them over to be killed. Fathers will hand over their own children to be killed. Children will fight against their own parents and will have them killed.

"What can I say about the people who live today? What are they like? The people today are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group of children calls to the other group,

Then Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I am thankful that you have hidden these things from those who are so wise and so smart. But you have shown them to people who are like little children.

There were about 5000 men there who ate. There were also women and children who ate.

There were about 4000 men there who ate. There were also some women and children.

Peter answered, "Yes, he does." Peter went into the house where Jesus was. Before Peter could speak, Jesus said to him, "The kings on the earth get different kinds of taxes from people. But who are those who pay the taxes? Are they the king's children? Or do other people pay the taxes? What do you think?"

Peter answered, "The other people pay the taxes." Jesus said, "Then the children of the king don't have to pay taxes.