Study Desk

But now I am treating the survivors of this nation differently.

But now I am planning to bless the people of Jerusalem and Judah. So don't be afraid.

The Lord says, "I am angry with those foreigners who rule my people, and I am going to punish them. The people of Judah are mine, and I, the Lord Almighty, will take care of them. They will be my powerful war-horses.

"I will make the people of Judah strong; I will rescue the people of Israel. I will have compassion on them and bring them all back home. They will be as though I had never rejected them. I am the Lord their God; I will answer their prayers.

Instead, he will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I am a farmer—I have farmed the land all my life.'

And I will test the third that survives and will purify them as silver is purified by fire. I will test them as gold is tested. Then they will pray to me, and I will answer them. I will tell them that they are my people, and they will confess that I am their God."

The Lord Almighty says to the priests, "Children honor their parents, and servants honor their masters. I am your father—why don't you honor me? I am your master—why don't you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, ‘How have we despised you?'

The Lord Almighty says, "I wish one of you would close the Temple doors so as to prevent you from lighting useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you; I will not accept the offerings you bring me.

A curse on the cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me, when he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! For I am a great king, and people of all nations fear me."

"I am the Lord , and I do not change. And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost.

I baptize you with water to show that you have repented, but the one who will come after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He is much greater than I am; and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals.

Then a voice said from heaven, "This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased."

I, too, am a man under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, ‘Go!' and he goes; and I order that one, ‘Come!' and he comes; and I order my slave, ‘Do this!' and he does it."

A teacher of the Law came to him. "Teacher," he said, "I am ready to go with you wherever you go."

"Listen! I am sending you out just like sheep to a pack of wolves. You must be as cautious as snakes and as gentle as doves.

What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops.

Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.

"Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, the one I love, and with whom I am pleased. I will send my Spirit upon him, and he will announce my judgment to the nations.

"What about you?" he asked them. "Who do you say I am?"

While he was talking, a shining cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased—listen to him!"