HOSEA 11-13

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The Lord’s Love for Israel11:1

When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son. 2

The more they were called,

the more they went away;

they kept sacrificing to the Baals

and burning offerings to idols.
3

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;

I took them up by their arms,

but they did not know that I healed them. 4

I led them with cords of kindness,

with the bands of love,

and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,

and I bent down to them and fed them.
5

They shall not return to the land of Egypt,

but Assyria shall be their king,

because they have refused to return to me. 6

The sword shall rage against their cities,

consume the bars of their gates,

and devour them because of their own counsels. 7

My people are bent on turning away from me,

and though they call out to the Most High,

he shall not raise them up at all.
8

How can I give you up, O Ephraim?

How can I hand you over, O Israel?

How can I make you like Admah?

How can I treat you like Zeboiim?

My heart recoils within me;

my compassion grows warm and tender. 9

I will not execute my burning anger;

I will not again destroy Ephraim;

for I am God and not a man,

the Holy One in your midst,

and I will not come in wrath.
10

They shall go after the Lord;

he will roar like a lion;

when he roars,

his children shall come trembling from the west; 11

they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,

and like doves from the land of Assyria,

and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord. 12

Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,

and the house of Israel with deceit,

but Judah still walks with God

and is faithful to the Holy One. 12:1

Ephraim feeds on the wind

and pursues the east wind all day long;

they multiply falsehood and violence;

they make a covenant with Assyria,

and oil is carried to Egypt. The Lord’s Indictment of Israel and Judah2

The Lord has an indictment against Judah

and will punish Jacob according to his ways;

he will repay him according to his deeds. 3

In the womb he took his brother by the heel,

and in his manhood he strove with God. 4

He strove with the angel and prevailed;

he wept and sought his favor.

He met God at Bethel,

and there God spoke with us— 5

the Lord, the God of hosts,

the Lord is his memorial name: 6

“So you, by the help of your God, return,

hold fast to love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.”
7

A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,

he loves to oppress. 8

Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich;

I have found wealth for myself;

in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.” 9

I am the Lord your God

from the land of Egypt;

I will again make you dwell in tents,

as in the days of the appointed feast.
10

I spoke to the prophets;

it was I who multiplied visions,

and through the prophets gave parables. 11

If there is iniquity in Gilead,

they shall surely come to nothing:

in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;

their altars also are like stone heaps

on the furrows of the field. 12

Jacob fled to the land of Aram;

there Israel served for a wife,

and for a wife he guarded sheep. 13

By a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt,

and by a prophet he was guarded. 14

Ephraim has given bitter provocation;

so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him

and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds. The Lord’s Relentless Judgment on Israel13:1

When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;

he was exalted in Israel,

but he incurred guilt through Baal and died. 2

And now they sin more and more,

and make for themselves metal images,

idols skillfully made of their silver,

all of them the work of craftsmen.

It is said of them,

“Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!” 3

Therefore they shall be like the morning mist

or like the dew that goes early away,

like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor

or like smoke from a window.
4

But I am the Lord your God

from the land of Egypt;

you know no God but me,

and besides me there is no savior. 5

It was I who knew you in the wilderness,

in the land of drought; 6

but when they had grazed, they became full,

they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;

therefore they forgot me. 7

So I am to them like a lion;

like a leopard I will lurk beside the way. 8

I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs;

I will tear open their breast,

and there I will devour them like a lion,

as a wild beast would rip them open.
9

He destroys you, O Israel,

for you are against me, against your helper. 10

Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?

Where are all your rulers—

those of whom you said,

“Give me a king and princes”? 11

I gave you a king in my anger,

and I took him away in my wrath.
12

The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;

his sin is kept in store. 13

The pangs of childbirth come for him,

but he is an unwise son,

for at the right time he does not present himself

at the opening of the womb.
14

I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol;

I shall redeem them from Death.

O Death, where are your plagues?

O Sheol, where is your sting?

Compassion is hidden from my eyes.
15

Though he may flourish among his brothers,

the east wind, the wind of the Lord, shall come,

rising from the wilderness,

and his fountain shall dry up;

his spring shall be parched;

it shall strip his treasury

of every precious thing. 16

Samaria shall bear her guilt,

because she has rebelled against her God;

they shall fall by the sword;

their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,

and their pregnant women ripped open.

MATTHEW 19

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Teaching About Divorce  19:1 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
    3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”
    10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.” Let the Children Come to Me13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away. The Rich Young Man16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
    23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.