Ahaz King of Judah^(A)

16 In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz^(B) son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. ² Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right^(C) in the eyes of the Lord his God. ³ He followed the ways of the kings of Israel^(D) and even sacrificed his son^(E) in the fire, engaging in the detestable^(F) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. ⁴ He offered sacrifices and burned incense^(G) at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.^(H)

⁵ Then Rezin^(I) king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz, but they could not overpower him. ⁶ At that time, Rezin^(J) king of Aram recovered Elath^(K) for Aram by driving out the people of Judah. Edomites then moved into Elath and have lived there to this day.

⁷ Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser^(L) king of Assyria, “I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save^(M) me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” ⁸ And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift^(N) to the king of Assyria. ⁹ The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus^(O) and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir^(P) and put Rezin to death.

¹⁰ Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah^(Q) the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction. ¹¹ So Uriah the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus and finished it before King Ahaz returned. ¹² When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings^[a](R) on it. ¹³ He offered up his burnt offering^(S) and grain offering,^(T) poured out his drink offering,^(U) and splashed the blood of his fellowship offerings^(V) against the altar. ¹⁴ As for the bronze altar^(W) that stood before the Lord, he brought it from the front of the temple—from between the new altar and the temple of the Lord—and put it on the north side of the new altar.

¹⁵ King Ahaz then gave these orders to Uriah the priest: “On the large new altar, offer the morning^(X) burnt offering and the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and his grain offering, and the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their grain offering and their drink offering. Splash against this altar the blood of all the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance.”^{(Y) 16} And Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had ordered.

¹⁷ King Ahaz cut off the side panels and removed the basins from the movable stands. He removed the Sea from the bronze bulls that supported it and set it on a stone base.^{(Z) 18} He took away the Sabbath canopy^[b] that had been built at the temple and removed the royal entryway outside the temple of the Lord, in deference to the king of Assyria.^(AA)

¹⁹ As for the other events of the reign of Ahaz, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? ²⁰ Ahaz rested^(AB) with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.

Seventy Years of Captivity

25 The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim^(A) son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon. ² So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah^(C) and to all those living in Jerusalem: ³ For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah^(D) son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again,^(E) but you have not listened.^(F)

⁴ And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets^(G) to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.^{(H) 5} They said, “Turn^(I) now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land^(J) the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. ⁶ Do not follow other gods^(K) to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.”

⁷ “But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have aroused^(L) my anger with what your hands have made,^(M) and you have brought harm^(N) to yourselves.”

⁸ Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, ⁹ I will summon^(O) all the peoples of the north^(P) and my servant^(Q) Nebuchadnezzar^(R) king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy^[a](S) them and make them an object of horror and scorn,^(T) and an everlasting ruin.^{(U) 10} I will banish from them the sounds^(V) of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,^(W) the sound of millstones^(X) and the light of the lamp.^{(Y) 11} This whole country will become a desolate wasteland,^(Z) and these nations will serve^(AA) the king of Babylon seventy years.^(AB)

¹² “But when the seventy years^(AC) are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon^(AD) and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,^[b] for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate^(AE) forever. ¹³ I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written^(AF) in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. ¹⁴ They themselves will be enslaved^(AG) by many nations^(AH) and great kings; I will repay^(AI) them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”

The Cup of God’s Wrath

¹⁵ This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup^(AJ) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send^(AK) you drink it. ¹⁶ When they drink^(AL) it, they will stagger^(AM) and go mad^(AN) because of the sword^(AO) I will send among them.”

¹⁷ So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent^(AP) me drink it: ¹⁸ Jerusalem^(AQ) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin^(AR) and an object of horror and scorn,^(AS) a curse^[c](AT)—as they are today;^{(AU) 19} Pharaoh king^(AV) of Egypt,^(AW) his attendants, his officials and all his people, ²⁰ and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;^(AX) all the kings of the Philistines^(AY) (those of Ashkelon,^(AZ) Gaza,^(BA) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); ²¹ Edom,^(BB) Moab^(BC) and Ammon;^{(BD) 22} all the kings of Tyre^(BE) and Sidon;^(BF) the kings of the coastlands^(BG) across the sea; ²³ Dedan,^(BH) Tema,^(BI) Buz^(BJ) and all who are in distant places^[d];^{(BK) 24} all the kings of Arabia^(BL) and all the kings of the foreign people^(BM) who live in the wilderness; ²⁵ all the kings of Zimri,^(BN) Elam^(BO) and Media;^{(BP) 26} and all the kings of the north,^(BQ) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms^(BR) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak^[e](BS) will drink it too.

²⁷ “Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk^(BT) and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword^(BU) I will send among you.’ ²⁸ But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink^(BV), tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: You must drink it! ²⁹ See, I am beginning to bring disaster^(BW) on the city that bears my Name,^(BX) and will you indeed go unpunished?^(BY) You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword^(BZ) on all^(CA) who live on the earth,^(CB) declares the Lord Almighty.’

³⁰ “Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them:

³² This is what the Lord Almighty says:

³³ At that time those slain^(CP) by the Lord will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered^(CQ) up or buried,^(CR) but will be like dung lying on the ground.

Paul and the False Apostles

11 I hope you will put up with^(A) me in a little foolishness.^(B) Yes, please put up with me! ² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,^(C) to Christ, so that I might present you^(D) as a pure virgin to him. ³ But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,^(E) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,^(F) or if you receive a different spirit^(G) from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel^(H) from the one you accepted, you put up with it^(I) easily enough.

⁵ I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”^{[a](J) 6} I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,^(K) but I do have knowledge.^(L) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. ⁷ Was it a sin^(M) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God^(N) to you free of charge?^{(O) 8} I robbed other churches by receiving support from them^(P) so as to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.^(Q) I have kept myself from being a burden to you^(R) in any way, and will continue to do so. ¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,^(S) nobody in the regions of Achaia^(T) will stop this boasting^(U) of mine. ¹¹ Why? Because I do not love you? God knows^(V) I do!^(W)

¹² And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. ¹³ For such people are false apostles,^(X) deceitful^(Y) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.^{(Z) 14} And no wonder, for Satan^(AA) himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^(AB)

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

¹⁶ I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.^(AC) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. ¹⁷ In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,^(AD) but as a fool.^{(AE) 18} Since many are boasting in the way the world does,^(AF) I too will boast.^{(AG) 19} You gladly put up with^(AH) fools since you are so wise!^{(AI) 20} In fact, you even put up with^(AJ) anyone who enslaves you^(AK) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. ²¹ To my shame I admit that we were too weak^(AL) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.^{(AM) 22} Are they Hebrews? So am I.^(AN) Are they Israelites? So am I.^(AO) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^{(AP) 23} Are they servants of Christ?^(AQ) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(AR) been in prison more frequently,^(AS) been flogged more severely,^(AT) and been exposed to death again and again.^{(AU) 24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(AV) minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods,^(AW) once I was pelted with stones,^(AX) three times I was shipwrecked,^(AY) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^(AZ) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(BA) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{(BB) 27} I have labored and toiled^(BC) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(BD) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{(BE) 29} Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(BF) Who is led into sin,^(BG) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast^(BH) of the things that show my weakness.^{(BI) 31} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(BJ) knows^(BK) that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.^{(BL) 33} But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(BM)

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.^(BN) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations^(BO) from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ^(BP) who fourteen years ago was caught up^(BQ) to the third heaven.^(BR) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.^{(BS) 3} And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴ was caught up^(BT) to paradise^(BU) and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.^{(BV) 6} Even if I should choose to boast,^(BW) I would not be a fool,^(BX) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(BY) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(BZ) a messenger of Satan,^(CA) to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^{(CB) 9} But he said to me, “My grace^(CC) is sufficient for you, for my power^(CD) is made perfect in weakness.^(CE)”^(CF) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight^(CG) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(CH) in persecutions,^(CI) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(CJ)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I have made a fool of myself,^(CK) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”^[b](CL) even though I am nothing.^{(CM) 12} I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.^{(CN) 13} How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?^(CO) Forgive me this wrong!^(CP)

¹⁴ Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,^(CQ) and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,^(CR) but parents for their children.^{(CS) 15} So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.^(CT) If I love you more,^(CU) will you love me less? ¹⁶ Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.^(CV) Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! ¹⁷ Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged^(CW) Titus^(CX) to go to you and I sent our brother^(CY) with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God^(CZ) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,^(DA) is for your strengthening.^{(DB) 20} For I am afraid that when I come^(DC) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.^(DD) I fear that there may be discord,^(DE) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,^(DF) slander,^(DG) gossip,^(DH) arrogance^(DI) and disorder.^{(DJ) 21} I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved^(DK) over many who have sinned earlier^(DL) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery^(DM) in which they have indulged.