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Habakkuk 2

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me [Or, in me], and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

And the LORD answered me, and said, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

“Yea also [Or, How much more], because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

“Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him [Or, Ho, he] that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!’

“Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?

“Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

“Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

“Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.

“For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam [Or, piece, or, fastening] out of the timber shall answer it.

“Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!

“Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

“For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

“Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

“Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.

“For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

“What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

“Woe unto him that saith to the wood, ‘Awake’; to the dumb stone, ‘Arise,’ it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

“But the LORD is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him.” (Habakkuk 2: 1-20)

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HABAKKUK

Habakkuk 1

The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

O LORD, how long shall I cry, and Thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save!

Why dost Thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong [Or, wrested] judgment proceedeth.

“Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

“For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

“They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

“Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.

“They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

“And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

“Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.”

Art Thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die, O LORD, Thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O Mighty God, Thou hast established them for correction.

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest Thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest Thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations? (Habakkuk 1: 1-17)

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Micah 2

Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress [Or, defraud] a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

Therefore thus saith the LORD; “Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall you go haughtily: for this time is evil.

“In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, ‘We be utterly spoiled: He hath changed the portion of my people: how hath He removed it from me! turning away He hath divided our fields.’

“Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.

“‘Prophesy ye not,’ say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.

“O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the LORD straitened [Or, shortened]? are these His doings? do not My words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

“Even of late My people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.

“The women of My people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away My glory for ever.

“Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.

“If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, ‘I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink’; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

“I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

“The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.” (Micah 2: 1-13)

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Hosea 4

Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

As they were increased, so they sinned against Me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

They eat up the sin of My people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices (Hosea 4: 1-19).

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2 Timothy 4

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom;

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.

Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen (2 Timothy 4: 1-22).    

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2 Timothy 3

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, coveteous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers [Or, makebates], incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished [Or, perfected] unto all good works (2 Timothy 3: 1-17).

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2 Timothy 2

Now therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

And the things that thou hast heard of me among [Or, by] many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Now therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evildoer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him:

If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us:

If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself.

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

And their word will eat as doth a canker [Or, gangrene]: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, “The Lord knoweth them that are His.” And, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will (2 Timothy 2: 1-26).

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THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO TIMOTHY

2 Timothy 1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.

The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well (2 Timothy 1: 1-18).

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Jeremiah 3

“They say, ‘If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted?’ but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to Me,” saith the LORD.

“Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.

“Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

“Wilt thou not from this time cry unto Me, ‘My Father, Thou art the guide of my youth?

‘Will He reserve His anger for ever? will He keep it to the end?’ Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.”

The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, “Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

“And I said after she had done all these things, ‘Turn thou unto Me.’ But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

“And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

“And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

“And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto Me with her whole heart, but feignedly,” saith the LORD.

And the LORD said unto me, “The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

“Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, ‘Return, thou backsliding Israel,’ saith the LORD; ‘and I will not cause Mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful,’ saith the LORD, ‘and I will not keep anger for ever.

“‘Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed My voice,’ saith the LORD.

“‘Turn, O backsliding children,’ saith the LORD; ‘for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion’:

“And I will give you pastors according to Mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

“And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days,” saith the LORD, “they shall say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD’: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

“At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination [Or, stubbornness] of their evil heart.

“In those days the house of Judah shall walk with [Or, to] the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.

“But I said, ‘How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations?’ and I said, ‘Thou shalt call Me, My Father; and shalt not turn away from Me.’

“Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,” saith the LORD.

A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.

“Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.” Behold, we come unto Thee; for Thou art the LORD our God.

Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.

For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God (Jeremiah 3: 1-25).

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Jeremiah 2

Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

“Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus saith the LORD; “I remember thee [Or, for thy sake], the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

“‘“Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of His increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them,” saith the LORD.’ ”

Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

Thus saith the LORD, “What iniquity have your fathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

“Neither said they, ‘Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?’

“And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled My land, and made Mine heritage an abomination.

“The priests said not, ‘Where is the LORD?’ and they that handle the law knew Me not: the pastors also transgressed against Me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

“Wherefore I will yet plead with you,” saith the LORD, “and with your children’s children will I plead.

“For pass over [Or, over to] the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

“Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but My people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

“Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate,” saith the LORD.

“For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

“Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?

“The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

“Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

“Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when He led thee by the way?

“And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

“Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that My fear is not in thee,” saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

“For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, ‘I will not transgress [Or, serve]’; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

“Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?

“For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before Me,” saith the Lord GOD.

“How canst thou say, ‘I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim’? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

“A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

“Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, ‘There is no hope [Or, Is the case desperate?]: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.’

“As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,

“Saying to a stock, ‘Thou art my father’; and to a stone, ‘Thou hast brought me forth [Or, begotten me]’: for they have turned their back unto Me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise, and save us.’

“But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.

“Wherefore will ye plead with Me? ye all have transgressed against Me,” saith the LORD.

“In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

“O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say My people, ‘We are lords; we will come no more unto Thee’?

“Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.

“Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.

“Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.

“Yet thou sayest, ‘Because I am innocent, surely His anger shall turn from me.’ Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, ‘I have not sinned.’

“Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

“Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.” (Jeremiah 2: 1-37)

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