²⁰ Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith^(A) in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.^(B)”

⁴ the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt,^(A) out of the iron-smelting furnace.^(B)’ I said, ‘Obey^(C) me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people,^(D) and I will be your God.

⁸ But they did not listen or pay attention;^(A) instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts.^(B) So I brought on them all the curses^(C) of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.^(D)’”

¹³ Now reform^(A) your ways and your actions and obey^(B) the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent^(C) and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.

²⁹ Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”^(A)