"I Will Fight No More Forever"
Judges 2 (NASB)
1 Now the angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, I will never break My covenant with you,2 and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done?3 Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.4 When the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept.5 So they named that place Bochim; and there they sacrificed to the LORD.6 When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went each to his inheritance to possess the land.7 The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel.8 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten.9 And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.10 All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.11 Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals,12 and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger.13 So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.14 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.15 Wherever they went, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken and as the LORD had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.16 Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them.17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do as their fathers.18 When the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them.19 But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.20 So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice,21 I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died,22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk in it as their fathers did, or not.23 So the LORD allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
Judges 6 (NASB)
1 Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD gave them into the hands of Midian seven years.2 The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.3 For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go against them.4 So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it.6 So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the LORD.7 Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD on account of Midian,8 that the LORD sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery.9 I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land,10 and I said to you, I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.11 Then the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites.12 The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.13 Then Gideon said to him, O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.14 The LORD looked at him and said, Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?15 He said to Him, O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my fathers house.16 But the LORD said to him, Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.17 So Gideon said to Him, If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me.18 Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You. And He said, I will remain until you return.19 Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.20 The angel of God said to him, Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.21 Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.22 When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.23 The LORD said to him, Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.25 Now on the same night the LORD said to him, Take your fathers bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it;26 and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his fathers household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night.28 When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was torn down, and the Asherah which was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar which had been built.29 They said to one another, Who did this thing? And when they searched about and inquired, they said, Gideon the son of Joash did this thing.30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, Will you contend for Baal, or will you deliver him? Whoever will plead for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.32 Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, that is to say, Let Baal contend against him, because he had torn down his altar.33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel.34 So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him.35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them.36 Then Gideon said to God, If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken,37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.38 And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water.39 Then Gideon said to God, Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.40 God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.
Matthew 10 (NASB)
1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans;6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7 And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.9 Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts,10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.11 And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.12 As you enter the house, give it your greeting.13 If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.14 Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.15 Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.23 But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!26 Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.35 For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW;36 and A MANS ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.40 He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophets reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward.42 And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
1 Now the angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, I will never break My covenant with you,2 and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done?3 Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.4 When the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept.5 So they named that place Bochim; and there they sacrificed to the LORD.6 When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went each to his inheritance to possess the land.7 The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel.8 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten.9 And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.10 All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.11 Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals,12 and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger.13 So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.14 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.15 Wherever they went, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken and as the LORD had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.16 Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them.17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do as their fathers.18 When the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them.19 But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.20 So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice,21 I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died,22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk in it as their fathers did, or not.23 So the LORD allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
Judges 6 (NASB)
1 Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD gave them into the hands of Midian seven years.2 The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.3 For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go against them.4 So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it.6 So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the LORD.7 Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD on account of Midian,8 that the LORD sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery.9 I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land,10 and I said to you, I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.11 Then the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites.12 The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.13 Then Gideon said to him, O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.14 The LORD looked at him and said, Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?15 He said to Him, O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my fathers house.16 But the LORD said to him, Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.17 So Gideon said to Him, If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me.18 Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You. And He said, I will remain until you return.19 Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.20 The angel of God said to him, Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.21 Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.22 When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.23 The LORD said to him, Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.25 Now on the same night the LORD said to him, Take your fathers bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it;26 and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his fathers household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night.28 When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was torn down, and the Asherah which was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar which had been built.29 They said to one another, Who did this thing? And when they searched about and inquired, they said, Gideon the son of Joash did this thing.30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, Will you contend for Baal, or will you deliver him? Whoever will plead for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.32 Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, that is to say, Let Baal contend against him, because he had torn down his altar.33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel.34 So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him.35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them.36 Then Gideon said to God, If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken,37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.38 And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water.39 Then Gideon said to God, Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.40 God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.
Matthew 10 (NASB)
1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans;6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7 And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.9 Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts,10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.11 And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.12 As you enter the house, give it your greeting.13 If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.14 Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.15 Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.23 But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!26 Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.35 For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW;36 and A MANS ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.40 He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophets reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward.42 And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.