politicians

¹⁹We know that we are of God, and that the entire world is established in wickedness.

⁴Whoever claims that he knows him, and yet does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

¹⁹You know this, my most beloved brothers. So let every man be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to anger.

⁴For he is a minister of God for you unto good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid. For it is not without reason that he carries a sword. For he is a minister of God; an avenger to execute wrath upon whomever does evil.

²⁹But Peter and the Apostles responded by saying: “It is necessary to obey God, more so than men.

²²For, while proclaiming themselves to be wise, they became foolish.

¹“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. ²For with whatever judgment you judge, so shall you be judged; and with whatever measure you measure out, so shall it be measured back to you.

¹³Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leads to perdition, and many there are who enter through it. ¹⁴How narrow is the gate, and how straight is the way, which leads to life, and few there are who find it!

¹⁹Do not defend yourselves, dearest ones. Instead, step aside from wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is mine. I shall give retribution, says the Lord.”

²When just men are multiplied, the common people shall rejoice. When the impious take up the leadership, the people shall mourn.

¹Behold, the king will reign in justice, and the princes will rule in judgment. ²And a man will be like someone hidden from the wind, who conceals himself from a storm, or like rivers of waters in a time of thirst, or like the shadow of a rock that juts out in a desert land. ³The eyes of those who see will not be obscured, and the ears of those who hear will listen closely. ⁴And the heart of the foolish will understand knowledge, and the tongue of those with impaired speech will speak quickly and plainly. ⁵He who is foolish will no longer be called leader, nor will the deceitful be called greater. ⁶For a foolish man speaks foolishness and his heart works iniquity in order to accomplish deception. And he speaks to the Lord deceitfully, so as to empty the soul of the hungry and to take away drink from the thirsty.

¹⁶These ones are complaining murmurers, walking according to their own desires. And their mouth is speaking arrogance, admiring persons for the sake of gain.

³⁰And indeed, God, having looked down to see the ignorance of these times, has now announced to men that everyone everywhere should do penance. ³¹For he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in equity, through the man whom he has appointed, offering faith to all, by raising him from the dead.”

¹⁷Is it not the harvest of the wheat today? I will call upon the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain. And you will know and see that you have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, by petitioning for a king over you.”

¹Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, in order to be tempted by the devil. ²And when he had fasted for forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. ³And approaching, the tempter said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ⁴And in response he said, “It has been written: ‘Not by bread alone shall man live, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” ⁵Then the devil took him up, into the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶and said to him: “If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down. For it has been written: ‘For he has given charge of you to his angels, and they shall take you into their hands, lest perhaps you may hurt your foot against a stone.’ ”

⁴⁰And then, with very many other words, he testified and he exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this depraved generation.”

¹And so I beg you, first of all, to make supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings for all men,

⁹Perdition is yours, Israel. Your help is only in me. ¹⁰Where is your king? Now, especially, let him save you in all your cities, and from your judges, about whom you said, “Give me kings and princes.” ¹¹I will give you a king in my wrath, and I will take him away in my indignation. ¹²The iniquity of Ephraim has been bound; his sin has been engulfed. ¹³The pains of giving birth will reach him. He is an unwise son. For now he will not remain firm during the contrition of his sons.

¹²Then, seeing that Nahash, the king of the sons of Ammon, had arrived against you, you said to me, ‘By no means! Instead, a king shall reign over us,’ even though the Lord your God was reigning over you. ¹³Now therefore, your king is present, whom you chose and requested. Behold, the Lord has given you a king. ¹⁴If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord, then both you, and the king who rules over you, will be following the Lord your God. ¹⁵But if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, but instead you provoke his words, then the hand of the Lord will be over you and over your fathers. ¹⁶Therefore, stand now, and see this great thing, which the Lord will accomplish in your sight.