This is what the Lord says:“ Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply,‘ No, that’s not the road we want!’

耶和华如此说：“你们当站在路上察看，访问古道，哪是善道，便行在其间；这样，你们心里必得安息。他们却说：‘我们不行在其间。’

耶和华如此说：“你们当站在路边察看，寻访古老的路，哪里是完善的道路，就行走在其上；这样，你们自己必找到安息。他们却说：‘我们不走。’

耶和华如此说：“你们当站在路边察看，寻访古老的路，哪里是完善的道路，就行走在其上；这样，你们自己必找到安息。他们却说：‘我们不走。’

耶和华说：“你们要站在路口观望，寻访古道，找到正路并行在其上，便会得到心灵的安宁。”但你们却说：“我们拒绝这样做。”

耶和华这样说：“你们要站在路上察看，寻访远古的路径，看哪一条是美善的路，就走在其中；这样，你们心里就必得安息。他们却说：‘我们不走在其中。’

耶和華如此說：你們當站在路上察看，訪問古道，哪是善道，便行在其間；這樣，你們心裏必得安息。他們卻說：我們不行在其間。

耶和華如此說：「你們當站在路邊察看，尋訪古老的路，哪裏是完善的道路，就行走在其上；這樣，你們自己必找到安息。他們卻說：『我們不走。』

耶和華如此說：「你們當站在路邊察看，尋訪古老的路，哪裏是完善的道路，就行走在其上；這樣，你們自己必找到安息。他們卻說：『我們不走。』

耶和華說：「你們要站在路口觀望，尋訪古道，找到正路並行在其上，便會得到心靈的安寧。」但你們卻說：「我們拒絕這樣做。」

耶和華這樣說：“你們要站在路上察看，尋訪遠古的路徑，看哪一條是美善的路，就走在其中；這樣，你們心裡就必得安息。他們卻說：‘我們不走在其中。’

永恆主這麼說：『你們要站在路上察看，訪問往古的路徑，哪一條是好的路，你們便在那上頭行；這樣、你們就得安然。但他們卻說：「我們不在那上頭行。」

耶和華曰、爾宜立道中而觀、訪其古道之善者而行之、如是、則心獲安、惟彼曰、我弗由之、

耶和華曰、當立道旁、訪其舊途、正直者履之、可得平康、人曰、余不欲正直是履。

主曾如是云、爾曹當立道旁以觀、訪其舊途、何為善道則行之、如是可得平康、惟彼云、我儕不欲行、

This is what the Lord says:“ Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said,‘ We will not walk in it.’

The Lord tells the people of Judah,“ Stand where the roads cross, and look around. Ask where the old paths are. Ask for the good path, and walk on it. Then your hearts will find rest in me. But you said,‘ We won’t walk on it.’

Thus says the Lord:“ Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said,‘ We will not walk in it.’

This is what the LORD says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths,“ Which is the way to what is good?” Then take it and find rest for yourselves. But they protested,“ We won’t!”

This is what the Lord says:“ Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find a resting place for your souls. But they said,‘ We will not walk in it.’

Thus says the Lord:“ Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said,‘ We will not walk in it.’

Thus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk therein.

This is what the Lord says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths: Which is the way to what is good? Then take it and find rest for yourselves. But they protested,“ We won’t!”

Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where[ is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk[ therein].

The LORD said to his people:“ You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls.” But they said,“ We will not follow it!”

Yahweh says,“ Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths,‘ Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said,‘ We will not walk in it.’

But my people are not so reliable, for they have deserted me; they burn incense to worthless idols. They have stumbled off the ancient highways and walk in muddy paths.

Remember the days of long ago; think about the generations past. Ask your father, and he will inform you. Inquire of your elders, and they will tell you.

Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say,“ This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

Then Jesus said,“ Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

This is what I told them:‘ Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’

“ Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant— all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai for all Israel.

“ We will not listen to your messages from the Lord!

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.

I warned you when you were prosperous, but you replied,‘ Don’t bother me.’ You have been that way since childhood— you simply will not obey me!

“ But Abraham said,‘ Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’

But the people replied,“ Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.”

Jesus replied,“ My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.

Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.

God has told his people,“ Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.” But they would not listen.

Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“ he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith— for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead— a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own.If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back.But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,even though God had told him,“ Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions,quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons.Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

And the people of Berea were more open minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.

Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

“ But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy,‘ Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’The son answered,‘ No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway.Then the father told the other son,‘ You go,’ and he said,‘ Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.“ Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied,“ The first.” Then Jesus explained his meaning:“ I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

“ You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way.For the Scriptures tell us,“ Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:

When will you stop running? When will you stop panting after other gods? But you say,‘ Save your breath. I’m in love with these foreign gods, and I can’t stop loving them now!’

Tell me, my love, where are you leading your flock today? Where will you rest your sheep at noon? For why should I wander like a prostitute among your friends and their flocks?If you don’t know, O most beautiful woman, follow the trail of my flock, and graze your young goats by the shepherds’ tents.

And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.