Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 ^c“Son of man, ^dpropound a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel; 3 say, Thus says the Lord God: ^eA great eagle ^fwith great wings and long pinions, ^frich in plumage of many colors, came ^gto Lebanon ^hand took the top of the cedar. 4 He broke off the topmost of its young twigs and carried it to a land of trade and set it in a city of merchants. 5 Then he took of the seed of the land ⁱand planted it in fertile soil.¹ He placed it beside abundant waters. ^jHe set it like a willow twig, 6 and it sprouted and became a ^klow ^lspreading vine, and its branches turned toward him, and its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out boughs.

7 ^m“And there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage, ^mand behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and shot forth its branches toward him from ⁿthe bed where it was planted, that he might water it. 8 ⁱIt had been planted on good soil by abundant waters, that it might produce branches and bear fruit and become a noble vine.

9 “Say, Thus says the Lord God: ^mWill it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers, so that all its fresh sprouting leaves wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it from its roots. 10 Behold, it is planted; will it thrive? ^oWill it not utterly wither when the east wind strikes it—wither away on the bed where it sprouted?”

11 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Say now to ^pthe rebellious house, ^qDo you not know what these things mean? Tell them, behold, ^rthe king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took her king and her princes and brought them to him to Babylon. 13 ^sAnd he took one of the royal offspring^{2 t}and made a covenant with him, ^uputting him under oath (^vthe chief men of the land he had taken away), 14 that the kingdom might be humble and not lift itself up, and keep his covenant that it might stand. 15 ^wBut he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors ^xto Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. ^yWill he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he ^zbreak the covenant and yet escape?

16 ^a“As I live, declares the Lord God, surely ^bin the place where the king dwells ^cwho made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant with him he broke, in Babylon he shall die. 17 ^dPharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in war, ^ewhen mounds are cast up and siege walls built to cut off many lives. 18 He despised the oath in breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and did all these things; he shall not escape. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely it is my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. I will return it upon his head. 20 ^fI will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon ^gand enter into judgment with him there ^hfor the treachery he has committed against me. 21 And all the pick³ of his troops shall fall by the sword, ⁱand the survivors shall be scattered to every wind, and you shall know that ^jI am the Lord; I have spoken.”

22 Thus says the Lord God: ^k“I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. ^lI will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and ^mI myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 ⁿOn the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. ^oAnd under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; ^pI bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up ^qthe green tree, and make ^qthe dry tree flourish. ^rI am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”

The Soul Who Sins Shall Die

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you⁴ mean ^sby repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ^t‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3 ^uAs I live, declares the Lord God, ^vthis proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: ^wthe soul who sins shall die.

5 “If a man is righteous and does ^xwhat is just and right— 6 if he ^ydoes not eat upon the mountains or ^zlift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, ^adoes not defile his neighbor’s wife ^bor approach ^ca woman in her time of menstrual impurity, 7 ^ddoes not oppress anyone, but ^erestores to the debtor his pledge, ^fcommits no robbery, ^ggives his bread to the hungry ^gand covers the naked with a garment, 8 ^hdoes not lend at interest ^hor take any profit,⁵ withholds his hand from injustice, ⁱexecutes true justice between man and man, 9 ^jwalks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; ^khe shall surely live, declares the Lord God.

10 “If he fathers a son who is violent, ^la shedder of blood, who does any of these things 11 (though he himself did none of these things), ^mwho even eats upon the mountains, ⁿdefiles his neighbor’s wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, ^ocommits robbery, ^odoes not restore the pledge, ^plifts up his eyes to the idols, ^qcommits abomination, 13 ^rlends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; ^shis blood shall be upon himself.

14 “Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise: 15 he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, 16 does not oppress anyone, ^texacts no pledge, ^ucommits no robbery, ^vbut gives his bread to the hungry ^vand covers the naked with a garment, 17 withholds his hand from iniquity,⁶ takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, ^wand walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; ^xhe shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, ^ybehold, he shall die for his iniquity.

19 “Yet you say, ^z‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done ^awhat is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, ^bhe shall surely live. 20 ^cThe soul who sins shall die. ^dThe son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. ^eThe righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, ^fand the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

21 ^g“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does ^hwhat is just and right, ⁱhe shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 ^jNone of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 ^kHave I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24 ^lBut when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? ^mNone of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for ⁿthe treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.

25 ^o“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 26 ^lWhen a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. 27 Again, ^pwhen a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

30 “Therefore ^qI will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. ^rRepent and turn from all your transgressions, ^slest iniquity be your ruin.⁷ 31 ^tCast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and ^umake yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! ^vWhy will you die, O house of Israel? 32 ^wFor I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; ^rso turn, and live.”

Pe

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

1 Finally, my brothers,^{1 k}rejoice in the Lord. ^lTo write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

2 Look out for ^mthe dogs, look out for ⁿthe evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For ^owe are the circumcision, ^pwho worship ^qby the Spirit of God² and ^rglory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 ^sthough I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 ^tcircumcised on the eighth day, ^uof the people of Israel, ^vof the tribe of Benjamin, ^ua Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^wa Pharisee; 6 ^xas to zeal, ^ya persecutor of the church; ^zas to righteousness under the law,³ blameless. 7 But ^awhatever gain I had, ^bI counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^cthe surpassing worth of ^dknowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^ehave suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having ^fa righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^gthat which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 ^hthat I may know him and ⁱthe power of his resurrection, and ^jmay share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may ^kattain the resurrection from the dead.

Straining Toward the Goal

12 Not that I have already ^lobtained this or ^mam already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: ⁿforgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for ^othe prize of the upward ^pcall of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are ^qmature think this way, and if in anything ^ryou think otherwise, ^sGod will reveal that also to you. 16 Only ^tlet us hold true to what we have attained.

17 Brothers, ^ujoin in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk ^vaccording to the example you have in us. 18 For ^wmany, of whom I have often told you and now tell you ^xeven with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 ^yTheir end is destruction, ^ztheir god is their belly, and ^athey glory in their shame, with ^bminds set on earthly things. 20 But ^cour citizenship is in heaven, and ^dfrom it we ^eawait a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform ^four lowly body ^gto be like his glorious body, ^hby the power that enables him even ⁱto subject all things to himself.

1 Therefore, my brothers,⁴ whom I love and ^jlong for, ^kmy joy and ^lcrown, ^mstand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to ⁿagree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion,⁵ help these women, who have labored⁶ side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, ^owhose names are in the book of life.

4 ^pRejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness⁷ be known to everyone. ^qThe Lord is at hand; 6 ^rdo not be anxious about anything, ^sbut in everything by prayer and supplication ^twith thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And ^uthe peace of God, ^vwhich surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned⁸ and ^wreceived and heard and seen ^xin me—practice these things, and ^ythe God of peace will be with you.

God’s Provision

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length ^zyou have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be ^acontent. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and ^bhunger, abundance and ^cneed. 13 I can do all things ^dthrough him who strengthens me.

14 Yet it was kind of you ^eto share⁹ my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that ^fin the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, ^gno church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 ^hNot that I seek the gift, but I seek ⁱthe fruit that increases to your credit.¹⁰ 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, ^jhaving received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, ^ka fragrant offering, ^la sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God ^mwill supply every need of yours ⁿaccording to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To ^oour God and Father be ^pglory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. ^qThe brothers who are with me greet you. 22 ^rAll the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

23 ^sThe grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.