People of Jacob, should anyone say,“ The Lord is patient, so he wouldn’t do things like that”? The Lord replies,“ What I promise brings good things to those who lead honest lives.

雅各家啊，岂可说耶和华的心不忍耐吗？这些事是他所行的吗？我耶和华的言语岂不是与行动正直的人有益吗？

雅各家啊，可这么说吗？耶和华没有耐心吗？这些事是他所行的吗？我的言语岂不是与行动正直的人有益吗？

雅各家啊，可这么说吗？耶和华没有耐心吗？这些事是他所行的吗？我的言语岂不是与行动正直的人有益吗？

雅各家啊，你们怎能说：“耶和华已经不耐烦了吗？祂会做这些事吗？”“我的话岂不有益于行为正直的人吗？

雅各家啊！人怎可说：“耶和华的心着急，（按照《马索拉文本》，“耶和华的心着急”直译是“耶和华的灵是短的吗”）不能忍耐呢？这些是他的作为吗？”我耶和华的话对行事正直的人不是有益的吗？

雅各家啊，豈可說耶和華的心不忍耐嗎？這些事是他所行的嗎？我－耶和華的言語豈不是與行動正直的人有益嗎？

雅各家啊，可這麼說嗎？耶和華沒有耐心嗎？這些事是他所行的嗎？我的言語豈不是與行動正直的人有益嗎？

雅各家啊，可這麼說嗎？耶和華沒有耐心嗎？這些事是他所行的嗎？我的言語豈不是與行動正直的人有益嗎？

雅各家啊，你們怎能說：「耶和華已經不耐煩了嗎？祂會做這些事嗎？」「我的話豈不有益於行為正直的人嗎？

雅各家啊！人怎可說：“耶和華的心著急，（按照《馬索拉文本》，“耶和華的心著急”直譯是“耶和華的靈是短的嗎”）不能忍耐呢？這些是他的作為嗎？”我耶和華的話對行事正直的人不是有益的嗎？

雅各家啊，是不是可以說：永恆主心裏着急、不能忍耐呢？或是說這是他作事的作風呢？他的話豈不是對行為正直的人有益的麼？

雅各家歟、豈可曰耶和華之神褊急乎、此事豈彼所為、我言非有益於正行者乎、

吁哉、爾雅各之家、何出此言、耶和華之神、豈不甚盛、斯災豈耶和華所常行乎、為義之人、必以我言為有益、

雅各族歟、豈可言主易於震怒乎、或作爾稱為雅各族者歟主豈不含忍乎斯事豈主所常行乎、主曾言、我言必於行正直者有益、

You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,“ Does the Lord become impatient? Does he do such things?”“ Do not my words do good to the one whose ways are upright?

Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Has the Lord grown impatient? Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?

Should you talk that way, O family of Israel? Will the Lord’s Spirit have patience with such behavior? If you would do what is right, you would find my words comforting.

House of Jacob, should it be asked,“ Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these the things he does?” Don’t my words bring good to the one who walks uprightly?

Is it being said, house of Jacob:‘ Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient? Are these His works?’ Do My words not do good For the one walking rightly?

You who are named the house of Jacob:“ Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted? Are these His doings? Do not My words do good To him who walks uprightly?

Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, Is the Spirit of Jehovah straitened? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

House of Jacob, should it be asked,“ Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient? Are these the things He does?” Don’t My words bring good to the one who walks uprightly?

O[ thou that art] named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened?[ are] these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

Does the family of Jacob say,‘ The LORD’s patience can’t be exhausted– he would never do such things’? To be sure, my commands bring a reward for those who obey them,

Shall it be said, O house of Jacob:“ Is Yahweh’s Spirit angry? Are these his doings? Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?”

The Lord God is like the sun that gives us light. He is like a shield that keeps us safe. The Lord blesses us with favor and honor. He doesn’t hold back anything good from those whose lives are without blame.

Anyone who lives without blame and does what is right. They speak the truth from their heart.

When I received your words, I ate them. They filled me with joy. My heart took delight in them. Lord God who rules over all, I belong to you.

When I came to save you, why didn’t anyone welcome me? When I called out to you, why didn’t anyone answer me? Wasn’t I powerful enough to set you free? Wasn’t I strong enough to save you? I dry up the sea with a single command. I turn rivers into a desert. Then fish rot because they do not have any water. They die because they are thirsty.

“ Abraham is our father,” they answered. Jesus said,“ Are you really Abraham’s children? If you are, you will do what Abraham did.

We are not holding back our love from you. But you are holding back your love from us.

People of Jacob, listen to me. You are called by the name of Israel. You come from the family line of Judah. You make promises in the name of the Lord. You pray to Israel’s God. But you aren’t honest. You don’t mean what you say.You call yourselves citizens of the holy city of Jerusalem. You say you depend on Israel’s God. His name is the Lord Who Rules Over All. He says,

I know more than all my teachers do, because I spend time thinking about your covenant laws.I understand more than the elders do, because I obey your rules.I’ve kept my feet from every path that sinners take so that I might obey your word.I haven’t turned away from your laws, because you yourself have taught me.Your words are very sweet to my taste! They are sweeter than honey to me.

So he said to me,“ A message from the Lord came to Zerubbabel. The Lord said,‘ Your strength will not get my temple rebuilt. Your power will not do it either. Only the power of my Spirit will do it,’ says the Lord who rules over all.

Listen to me, you leaders of Jacob’s people! Pay attention, you rulers of Israel! You hate to do what is fair. You twist everything that is right.

A person is not a Jew if they are a Jew only on the outside. And circumcision is more than just something done to the outside of a man’s body.No, a person is a Jew only if they are a Jew on the inside. And true circumcision means that the heart has been circumcised by the Holy Spirit. The person whose heart has been circumcised does more than obey the written law. The praise that matters for that kind of person does not come from other people. It comes from God.

The way of the Lord is a safe place for those without blame. But that way destroys those who do evil.

People of Israel, the Lord’ s arm is not too weak to save you. His ears aren’t too deaf to hear your cry for help.But your sins have separated you from your God. They have caused him to turn his face away from you. So he won’t listen to you.

Anyone who lives without blame is kept safe. But anyone whose path is crooked will fall into the pit.

The Lord told me,“ Shout out loud. Do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Tell my people that they have refused to obey me. Tell the family of Jacob how much they have sinned.

The law of the Lord is perfect. It gives us new strength. The laws of the Lord can be trusted. They make childish people wise.The rules of the Lord are right. They give joy to our hearts. The commands of the Lord shine brightly. They give light to our minds.The law that brings respect for the Lord is pure. It lasts forever. The commands the Lord gives are true. All of them are completely right.They are more priceless than gold. They have greater value than huge amounts of pure gold. They are sweeter than honey that is taken from the honeycomb.Your servant is warned by them. When people obey them, they are greatly rewarded.

He stores up success for honest people. He is like a shield to those who live without blame.

They will act as if they were serving God. But what they do will show that they have turned their backs on God’s power. Have nothing to do with these people.

Anyone who lives without blame walks safely. But anyone who takes a crooked path will get caught.

If someone is wise, they will realize that what I’ve said is true. If they have understanding, they will know what it means. The ways of the Lord are right. People who are right with God live the way he wants them to. But those who refuse to obey him trip and fall.

The Lord answered Moses,“ Am I not strong enough? Now you will see whether what I say will come true for you.”

Their unfeeling hearts are hard and stubborn. But I take delight in your law.It was good for me to suffer. That’s what helped me to understand your orders.

Whoever has respect for the Lord lives a good life. But those who hate him walk down an evil path.

I do not mean that God’s word has failed. Not everyone in the family line of Israel really belongs to Israel.Not everyone in Abraham’s family line is really his child. Not at all! Scripture says,“ Your family line will continue through Isaac.”( Genesis 21:12)In other words, God’s children are not just in the family line of Abraham. Instead, they are the children God promised to him. They are the ones considered to be Abraham’s children.God promised,“ I will return at the appointed time. Sarah will have a son.”( Genesis 18:10, 14)And that’s not all. Rebekah’s children were born at the same time by the same father. He was our father Isaac.Here is what happened. Rebekah’s twins had not even been born. They hadn’t done anything good or bad yet. So they show that God’s purpose is based firmly on his free choice.It was not because of anything they did but because of God’s choice. So Rebekah was told,“ The older son will serve the younger one.”( Genesis 25:23)It is written,“ I chose Jacob instead of Esau.”( Malachi 1:2, 3)

People of Jacob, hear the Lord’ s message. Listen, all you tribes of Israel.

Lord, be good to me as you have promised.

Did what is good cause me to die? Not at all! Sin had to be recognized for what it really is. So it used what is good to bring about my death. Because of the commandment, sin became totally sinful.

If I had not taken delight in your law, I would have died because of my suffering.I will never forget your rules. You have kept me alive, because I obey them.

Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins.