Sunday, 13 October

1.   And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2.   So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or , if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money." 3.   But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!" 4.   So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food. 5.   But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, "Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no food?" 6.   He said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’" 7.   Then Jezebel his wife said to him, "You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite." 8.   And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. 9.   She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; 10.   and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, "You have blasphemed God and the king." Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die. 11.   So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. 12.   They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth with high honor among the people. 13.   And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!" Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died. 14.   Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned and is dead." 15.   And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead." 16.   So it was, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 17.   Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18.   "Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. There he is , in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. 19.   "You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: "Have you murdered and also taken possession?"’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: "In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick your blood, even yours."’" 20.   So Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you , because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD: 21.   ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both bond and free. 22.   ‘I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and made Israel sin.’ 23.   "And concerning Jezebel the LORD also spoke, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ 24.   "The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field." 25.   But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 26.   And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 27.   So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning. 28.   And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29.   "See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house."

1.   It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month , on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me. 2.   Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 3.   "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you."’ 4.   "Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them ? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers. 5.   "Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God.’ 6.   "On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands. 7.   "Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ 8.   "But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, ‘I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’ 9.   "But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were , in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt. 10.   "Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11.   "And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ 12.   "Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. 13.   "Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them. 14.   "But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 15.   "So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them , ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands, 16.   "because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. 17.   "Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness. 18.   "But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19.   ‘I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; 20.   ‘hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’ 21.   "Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness. 22.   "Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23.   "Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, 24.   "because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols. 25.   "Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live; 26.   "and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire , that I might make them desolate and that they might know that I am the LORD."’ 27.   "Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me. 28.   "When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings. 29.   "Then I said to them, ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day."’ 30.   "Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations? 31.   "For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you. 32.   "What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’ 33.   " As I live," says the Lord GOD, "surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. 34.   "I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. 35.   "And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. 36.   "Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you," says the Lord GOD. 37.   "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38.   "I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 39.   "As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD: "Go, serve every one of you his idols––and hereafter––if you will not obey me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols. 40.   "For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things. 41.   "I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles. 42.   "Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers. 43.   "And there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed. 44.   "Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel," says the Lord GOD.’" 45.   Furthermore the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 46.   "Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South, 47.   "and say to the forest of the South, ‘Hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it. 48.   "All flesh shall see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched."’" 49.   Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! They say of me, ‘Does he not speak parables?’"

1.   Let brotherly love continue. 2.   Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3.   Remember the prisoners as if chained with them––those who are mistreated––since you yourselves are in the body also. 4.   Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. 5.   Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6.   So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" 7.   Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 8.   Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9.   Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. 10.   We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11.   For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12.   Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13.   Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14.   For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. 15.   Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16.   But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17.   Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. 18.   Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. 19.   But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20.   Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21.   make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 22.   And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. 23.   Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly. 24.   Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. 25.   Grace be with you all. Amen.