A Call to Repentance

Impenitence of Israel and Judah

Israel’s Rejection of Christ

9 I ^(A)tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, ^2 (B)that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. ³ For ^(C)I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my ^[a]countrymen according to the flesh, ⁴ who are Israelites, ^(D)to whom pertain the adoption, ^(E)the glory, ^(F)the covenants, ^(G)the giving of the law, ^(H)the service of God, and ^(I)the promises; ^5 (J)of whom are the fathers and from ^(K)whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, ^(L)who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose^(M)

^6 (N)But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For ^(O)they are not all Israel who are of Israel, ^7 (P)nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ^(Q)“In Isaac your seed shall be called.” ⁸ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but ^(R)the children of the promise are counted as the seed. ⁹ For this is the word of promise: ^(S)“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

¹⁰ And not only this, but when ^(T)Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac ¹¹ (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of ^(U)Him who calls), ¹² it was said to her, ^(V)“The older shall serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, ^(W)“Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Justice

¹⁴ What shall we say then? ^(X)Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses, ^(Y)“I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. ¹⁷ For ^(Z)the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, ^(AA)“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” ¹⁸ Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He ^(AB)hardens.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For ^(AC)who has resisted His will?” ²⁰ But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? ^(AD)Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹ Does not the ^(AE)potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make ^(AF)one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

²² What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering ^(AG)the vessels of wrath ^(AH)prepared for destruction, ²³ and that He might make known ^(AI)the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had ^(AJ)prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ even us whom He ^(AK)called, ^(AL)not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

²⁵ As He says also in Hosea:

²⁷ Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:

²⁹ And as Isaiah said before:

Present Condition of Israel

³⁰ What shall we say then? ^(AT)That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, ^(AU)even the righteousness of faith; ³¹ but Israel, ^(AV)pursuing the law of righteousness, ^(AW)has not attained to the law ^[d]of righteousness. ³² Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, ^[e]by the works of the law. For ^(AX)they stumbled at that stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written:

Israel Needs the Gospel

10 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for ^[f]Israel is that they may be saved. ² For I bear them witness ^(BA)that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For they being ignorant of ^(BB)God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own ^(BC)righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. ⁴ For ^(BD)Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ^(BE)“The man who does those things shall live by them.” ⁶ But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ^(BF)“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ⁷ or, ^(BG)“ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? ^(BH)“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that ^(BI)if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, ^(BJ)“Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For ^(BK)there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for ^(BL)the same Lord over all ^(BM)is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For ^(BN)“whoever calls ^(BO)on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Israel Rejects the Gospel

¹⁴ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear ^(BP)without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ^(BR)“Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

¹⁸ But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

¹⁹ But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:

²⁰ But Isaiah is very bold and says:

²¹ But to Israel he says:

Israel’s Rejection Not Total

11 I say then, ^(BX)has God cast away His people? ^(BY)Certainly not! For ^(BZ)I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not cast away His people whom ^(CA)He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, ^3 (CB)“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? ⁴ But what does the divine response say to him? ^(CC)“I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ^5 (CD)Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ⁶ And ^(CE)if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. ^[h]But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

⁷ What then? ^(CF)Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were ^(CG)blinded. ⁸ Just as it is written:

⁹ And David says:

Israel’s Rejection Not Final

¹¹ I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But ^(CK)through their ^[i]fall, to provoke them to ^(CL)jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. ¹² Now if their ^[j]fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as ^(CM)I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and ^(CN)save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be ^(CO)but life from the dead?

¹⁶ For if ^(CP)the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ And if ^(CQ)some of the branches were broken off, ^(CR)and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and ^[k]fatness of the olive tree, ^18 (CS)do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ Well said. Because of ^(CT)unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. ²² Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, ^[l]goodness, ^(CU)if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise ^(CV)you also will be cut off. ²³ And they also, ^(CW)if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

²⁵ For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be ^(CX)wise in your own ^[m]opinion, that ^(CY)blindness in part has happened to Israel ^(CZ)until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be ^[n]saved, as it is written:

²⁸ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are ^(DC)beloved for the sake of the fathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are ^(DD)irrevocable. ³⁰ For as you ^(DE)were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. ³² For God has ^[o]committed them ^(DF)all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

³⁶ For ^(DJ)of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, ^(DK)to whom be glory forever. Amen.

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and behold, ^[a]a ^(A)Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him ^(B)one hundred and forty-four thousand, ^[b]having His Father’s name ^(C)written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a voice from heaven, ^(D)like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of ^(E)harpists playing their harps. ³ They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song ^(F)except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who were not defiled with women, ^(G)for they are virgins. These are the ones ^(H)who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These ^(I)were ^[c]redeemed from among men, ^(J)being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ And ^(K)in their mouth was found no ^[d]deceit, for ^(L)they are without fault ^[e]before the throne of God.

The Proclamations of Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel ^(M)flying in the midst of heaven, ^(N)having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—^(O)to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— ⁷ saying with a loud voice, ^(P)“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; ^(Q)and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

⁸ And another angel followed, saying, ^(R)“Babylon^[f] is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because ^(S)she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

⁹ Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ^(T)“If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his ^(U)mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he himself ^(V)shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is ^(W)poured out full strength into ^(X)the cup of His indignation. ^(Y)He shall be tormented with ^(Z)fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ And ^(AA)the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

^12 (AB)Here is the ^[g]patience of the saints; ^(AC)here^[h] are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven saying ^[i]to me, “Write: ^(AD)‘Blessed are the dead ^(AE)who die in the Lord from now on.’ ”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, ^(AF)“that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow ^(AG)them.”

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

¹⁴ Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. ¹⁵ And another angel ^(AH)came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ^(AI)“Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come ^[j]for You to reap, for the harvest ^(AJ)of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Reaping the Grapes of Wrath

¹⁷ Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

¹⁸ And another angel came out from the altar, ^(AK)who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ^(AL)“Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” ¹⁹ So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into ^(AM)the great winepress of the wrath of God. ²⁰ And ^(AN)the winepress was trampled ^(AO)outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, ^(AP)up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred ^[k]furlongs.

Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple^(A)

24 Then ^(B)Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. ² And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, ^(C)not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age^(D)

³ Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, ^(E)the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ^(F)“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them: ^(G)“Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵ For ^(H)many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ ^(I)and will deceive many. ⁶ And you will hear of ^(J)wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for ^[a]all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For ^(K)nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be ^(L)famines, ^[b]pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.

^9 (M)“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. ¹⁰ And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹ Then ^(N)many false prophets will rise up and ^(O)deceive many. ¹² And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow ^(P)cold. ^13 (Q)But he who endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this ^(R)gospel of the kingdom ^(S)will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The Great Tribulation^(T)

^15 (U)“Therefore when you see the ^(V)‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” ^(W)(whoever reads, let him understand), ¹⁶ “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. ¹⁸ And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. ¹⁹ But ^(X)woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For ^(Y)then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²² And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; ^(Z)but for the ^[c]elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

^23 (AA)“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For ^(AB)false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, ^(AC)if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you beforehand.

²⁶ “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. ^27 (AD)For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ^28 (AE)For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

The Coming of the Son of Man^(AF)

^29 (AG)“Immediately after the tribulation of those days ^(AH)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ^30 (AI)Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, ^(AJ)and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ^31 (AK)And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His ^[d]elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The Parable of the Fig Tree^(AL)

³² “Now learn ^(AM)this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ So you also, when you see all these things, know ^(AN)that ^[e]it is near—at the doors! ³⁴ Assuredly, I say to you, ^(AO)this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. ^35 (AP)Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

No One Knows the Day or Hour^(AQ)

^36 (AR)“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of ^[f]heaven, ^(AS)but My Father only. ³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ^38 (AT)For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ^40 (AU)Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. ^42 (AV)Watch therefore, for you do not know what ^[g]hour your Lord is coming. ^43 (AW)But know this, that if the master of the house had known what ^[h]hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ^44 (AX)Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant^(AY)

^45 (AZ)“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food ^[i]in due season? ^46 (BA)Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. ⁴⁷ Assuredly, I say to you that ^(BB)he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸ But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master ^(BC)is delaying ^[j]his coming,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is ^(BD)not aware of, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. ^(BE)There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet ^(BF)the bridegroom. ^2 (BG)Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, ^(BH)they all slumbered and slept.

⁶ “And at midnight ^(BI)a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom ^[k]is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and ^(BJ)trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and ^(BK)the door was shut.

¹¹ “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ^(BL)‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, ^(BM)I do not know you.’

^13 (BN)“Watch therefore, for you ^(BO)know neither the day nor the hour ^[l]in which the Son of Man is coming.

The Parable of the Talents^(BP)

^14 (BQ)“For the kingdom of heaven is ^(BR)like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, ^(BS)to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. ¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

²⁰ “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ ²¹ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were ^(BT)faithful over a few things, ^(BU)I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into ^(BV)the joy of your lord.’ ²² He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ ²³ His lord said to him, ^(BW)‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into ^(BX)the joy of your lord.’

²⁴ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You ^(BY)wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ²⁷ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

^29 (BZ)‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant ^(CA)into the outer darkness. ^(CB)There will be weeping and ^(CC)gnashing of teeth.’

The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations

^31 (CD)“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the ^[m]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ^32 (CE)All the nations will be gathered before Him, and ^(CF)He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will set the ^(CG)sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, ^(CH)inherit the kingdom ^(CI)prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ^35 (CJ)for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; ^(CK)I was a stranger and you took Me in; ³⁶ I was ^(CL)naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; ^(CM)I was in prison and you came to Me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ³⁸ When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ³⁹ Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, ^(CN)inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

⁴¹ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ^(CO)‘Depart from Me, you cursed, ^(CP)into the everlasting fire prepared for ^(CQ)the devil and his angels: ⁴² for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

⁴⁴ “Then they also will answer ^[n]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, ^(CR)inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶ And ^(CS)these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”