Cruel rulers are not your allies, those who make oppressive laws.

那藉着律例架弄残害、在位上行奸恶的，岂能与你相交吗？

那藉着律例玩弄奸恶、以权位肆行残害的，岂能与你交往呢？

那藉着律例玩弄奸恶、以权位肆行残害的，岂能与你交往呢？

借律例制造不幸的首领，岂能与你联盟？

凭着律例制造奸恶，藉着权位行毁灭的，怎能和你相交呢？

那些坐在奸恶王位上的，就是藉着律例制造祸患的，难道能成为你的盟友吗？

那藉着律例架弄殘害、在位上行奸惡的，豈能與你相交嗎？

那藉着律例玩弄奸惡、以權位肆行殘害的，豈能與你交往呢？

那藉着律例玩弄奸惡、以權位肆行殘害的，豈能與你交往呢？

藉律例製造不幸的首領，豈能與你聯盟？

憑著律例製造奸惡，藉著權位行毀滅的，怎能和你相交呢？

那肆行毁滅而居權位者，憑着律例架弄奸惡、

那些坐在奸惡王位上的，就是藉著律例製造禍患的，難道能成為你的盟友嗎？

奸惡在位、藉律作慝、豈能與爾交通乎、

惡人在位、立法不善、爾豈佑之兮、

惡人在位抗逆律法、肆行殘害、豈能與主聯合、

兇逆居上位。弄法施暴虐。

Can a corrupt throne be allied with you— a throne that brings on misery by its decrees?

Can you have anything to do with rulers who aren’t fair? Can those who make laws that cause suffering be friends of yours?

Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute?

Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side— leaders whose decrees permit injustice?

Can a corrupt throne be your ally, a throne that makes evil laws?

Can a throne of destruction be allied with You, One which devises mischief by decree?

Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, Have fellowship with You?

Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with thee, Which frameth mischief by statute?

Can a corrupt throne— one that creates trouble by law— become Your ally?

Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?

No! You plan how to do what is unjust; you deal out violence in the earth.

Those who enact unjust policies are as good as dead, those who are always instituting unfair regulations,

“ Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” says the LORD.“ I am stuffed with burnt sacrifices of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want.When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this– animals trampling on my courtyards?Do not bring any more meaningless offerings; I consider your incense detestable! You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies; they are a burden that I am tired of carrying.When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood.Wash! Cleanse yourselves! Remove your sinful deeds from my sight. Stop sinning!Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!Come, let’s consider your options,” says the LORD.“ Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.If you have a willing attitude and obey, then you will again eat the good crops of the land.But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Know for certain that the LORD has spoken.

( His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders. For the Jewish leaders had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.

The second beast was empowered to give life to the image of the first beast so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed.He also caused everyone( small and great, rich and poor, free and slave) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead.Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast– that is, his name or his number.

You implement the regulations of Omri, and all the practices of Ahab’s dynasty; you follow their policies. Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, the city’s inhabitants will be taunted derisively, and nations will mock all of you.”

Stop putting your confidence in the false belief that says,“ We are safe! The temple of the LORD is here! The temple of the LORD is here! The temple of the LORD is here!”You must change the way you have been living and do what is right. You must treat one another fairly.Stop oppressing foreigners who live in your land, children who have lost their fathers, and women who have lost their husbands. Stop killing innocent people in this land. Stop paying allegiance to other gods. That will only bring about your ruin.If you stop doing these things, I will allow you to continue to live in this land which I gave to your ancestors as a lasting possession.“‘ But just look at you! You are putting your confidence in a false belief that will not deliver you.You steal. You murder. You commit adultery. You lie when you swear on oath. You sacrifice to the god Baal. You pay allegiance to other gods whom you have not previously known.Then you come and stand in my presence in this temple I have claimed as my own and say,“ We are safe!” You think you are so safe that you go on doing all those hateful sins!Do you think this temple I have claimed as my own is to be a hideout for robbers? You had better take note! I have seen for myself what you have done! says the LORD.

If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!

God says this to the evildoer:“ How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant?

Then the herald made a loud proclamation:“ To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given:When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected.Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire!”Therefore when they all heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

( Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should report it, so that they could arrest him.)

You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, but you establish a reign of violence.

But the thought of striking out against Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed of the identity of Mordecai’s people. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews( that is, the people of Mordecai) who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.In the first month( that is, the month of Nisan), in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus’ reign, pur( that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. It turned out to be the twelfth month( that is, the month of Adar).Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus,“ There is a particular people that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s laws. It is not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them.If the king is so inclined, let an edict be issued to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to be conveyed to the king’s treasuries for the officials who carry out this business.”So the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who was hostile toward the Jews.The king replied to Haman,“ Keep your money, and do with those people whatever you wish.”So the royal scribes were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

To all the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors it seemed like a good idea for a royal edict to be issued and an interdict to be enforced. For the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than you, O king, should be thrown into a den of lions.Now let the king issue a written interdict so that it cannot be altered, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.So King Darius issued the written interdict.

Why do you boast about your evil plans, O powerful man? God’s loyal love protects me all day long!

and prayed:“ O LORD God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity.You have kept your word to your servant, my father David; this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.Now, O LORD God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said,‘ You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants watch their step and obey my law as you have done.’

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence.( Now it was very early morning.) They did not go into the governor’s residence so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal.

Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival celebrated in Judah. On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.

Then Saul said,“ Listen, son of Ahitub.” He replied,“ Here I am, my lord.”

God stands in the assembly of El; in the midst of the gods he renders judgment.