Jeremiah 5:16-31

New International Version

¹⁶Their quivers^(A) are like an open grave;
    all of them are mighty warriors.
¹⁷They will devour^(B) your harvests and food,
    devour^(C) your sons and daughters;
they will devour^(D) your flocks and herds,
    devour your vines and fig trees.^(E)
With the sword^(F) they will destroy
    the fortified cities^(G) in which you trust.^(H)

¹⁸“Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not destroy^(I) you completely. ¹⁹And when the people ask,^(J) ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods^(K) in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners^(L) in a land not your own.’

²⁰“Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
    and proclaim^(M) it in Judah:
²¹Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,^(N)
    who have eyes^(O) but do not see,
    who have ears but do not hear:^(P)
²²Should you not fear^(Q) me?” declares the Lord.
    “Should you not tremble^(R) in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,^(S)
    an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
    they may roar,^(T) but they cannot cross it.
²³But these people have stubborn and rebellious^(U) hearts;
    they have turned aside^(V) and gone away.
²⁴They do not say to themselves,
    ‘Let us fear^(W) the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains^(X) in season,
    who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’^(Y)
²⁵Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
    your sins have deprived you of good.^(Z)

²⁶“Among my people are the wicked^(AA)
    who lie in wait^(AB) like men who snare birds
    and like those who set traps^(AC) to catch people.
²⁷Like cages full of birds,
    their houses are full of deceit;^(AD)
they have become rich^(AE) and powerful
²⁸    and have grown fat^(AF) and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
    they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;^(AG)
    they do not defend the just cause of the poor.^(AH)
²⁹Should I not punish them for this?”
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge^(AI) myself
    on such a nation as this?

³⁰“A horrible^(AJ) and shocking thing
    has happened in the land:
³¹The prophets prophesy lies,^(AK)
    the priests^(AL) rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
    But what will you do in the end?^(AM)

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2 Corinthians 11:16-33

New International Version

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

¹⁶I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.^(A) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. ¹⁷In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,^(B) but as a fool.^(C) ¹⁸Since many are boasting in the way the world does,^(D) I too will boast.^(E) ¹⁹You gladly put up with^(F) fools since you are so wise!^(G) ²⁰In fact, you even put up with^(H) anyone who enslaves you^(I) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. ²¹To my shame I admit that we were too weak^(J) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.^(K) ²²Are they Hebrews? So am I.^(L) Are they Israelites? So am I.^(M) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^(N) ²³Are they servants of Christ?^(O) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(P) been in prison more frequently,^(Q) been flogged more severely,^(R) and been exposed to death again and again.^(S) ²⁴Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(T) minus one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods,^(U) once I was pelted with stones,^(V) three times I was shipwrecked,^(W) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^(X) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(Y) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^(Z) ²⁷I have labored and toiled^(AA) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(AB) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^(AC) ²⁹Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(AD) Who is led into sin,^(AE) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰If I must boast, I will boast^(AF) of the things that show my weakness.^(AG) ³¹The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(AH) knows^(AI) that I am not lying. ³²In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.^(AJ) ³³But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(AK)