Study Desk

Don't make secret plans to hurt your neighbors. Don't make false promises. You must not enjoy doing these things, because I hate them!" This is what the Lord said.

The cypress trees will cry because the cedar trees have fallen. Those powerful trees will be taken away. Oak trees in Bashan will cry for the forest that was cut down.

People will move to Jerusalem because it will be a safe place to live. It will never again be destroyed.

"You bring unclean bread to my altar. "But you ask, ‘What makes that bread unclean?' "It is unclean because you show no respect for the altar of the Lord .

"People all around the world respect my name. All around the world they bring good gifts to me and burn good incense as a gift to me, because my name is important to all of them." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.

Listen to me! Pay attention to what I say. Show honor to my name. If you don't respect my name, bad things will happen to you. You will say blessings, but they will become curses. I will make bad things happen because you don't show respect for my name." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.

You ask, "Why are our gifts not accepted?" It is because the Lord saw the evil things you did—he is a witness against you. He saw you cheat on your wife. You have been married to her since you were young. She was your girlfriend. Then you made your vows to each other—and she became your wife.

She will give birth to a son. You will name him Jesus. Give him that name because he will save his people from their sins."

"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."

John said, "Change your hearts and lives, because God's kingdom is now very near."

He said to Jesus, "If you are the Son of God, jump off, because the Scriptures say, ‘God will command his angels to help you, and their hands will catch you, so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.'"

From that time Jesus began to tell people his message: "Change your hearts and lives, because God's kingdom is now very near."

"People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do that, know that great blessings belong to you.

Be happy about it. Be very glad because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did these same bad things to the prophets who lived before you.

But I tell you, when you make a promise, don't try to make it stronger with a vow. Don't make a vow using the name of heaven, because heaven is God's throne.

Don't make a vow using the name of the earth, because the earth belongs to him. Don't make a vow using the name of Jerusalem, because it also belongs to him, the great King.

That's what those people who don't know God are always thinking about. Don't worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things.

You will know these people because of what they do. Good things don't come from people who are bad, just as grapes don't come from thornbushes, and figs don't come from thorny weeds.

It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock.

I know this, because I understand authority. There are people who have authority over me, and I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,' and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,' and my servant obeys me."