If the officials hear that I have talked with you, they will come and ask you what we said. They will promise not to put you to death if you tell them everything.

Then all the officials came and questioned me, and I told them exactly what the king had told me to say. There was nothing else they could do, because no one had overheard the conversation.

God will destroy anyone who destroys God's temple. For God's temple is holy, and you yourselves are his temple.

for the immoral, for sexual perverts, for kidnappers, for those who lie and give false testimony or who do anything else contrary to sound doctrine.

especially those who follow their filthy bodily lusts and despise God's authority. These false teachers are bold and arrogant, and show no respect for the glorious beings above; instead, they insult them.

But these people act by instinct, like wild animals born to be captured and killed; they attack with insults anything they do not understand. They will be destroyed like wild animals,

God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad."

They assembled before Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! All the members of the community belong to the LORD, and the LORD is with all of us. Why, then, Moses, do you set yourself above the LORD's community?"

Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, but they said, "We will not come!

Isn't it enough that you have brought us out of the fertile land of Egypt to kill us here in the wilderness? Do you also have to lord it over us?

Why do the nations plan rebellion? Why do people make their useless plots?

"Let us free ourselves from their rule," they say; "let us throw off their control."

Then he warns them in anger and terrifies them with his fury.

Silence those flattering tongues, O LORD! Close those boastful mouths that say,

Now, his own people hated him, and so they sent messengers after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'

But the one who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside. 'Who made you ruler and judge over us?' he asked.

"But our ancestors refused to obey him; they pushed him aside and wished that they could go back to Egypt.

So then, whoever rejects this teaching is not rejecting a human being, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls without resting, since they must give to God an account of their service. If you obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with sadness, and that would be of no help to you.

Not even the chief angel Michael did this. In his quarrel with the Devil, when they argued about who would have the body of Moses, Michael did not dare condemn the Devil with insulting words, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

But these people attack with insults anything they do not understand; and those things that they know by instinct, like wild animals, are the very things that destroy them.

"Do not speak evil of God, and do not curse a leader of your people.

There are people who curse their fathers and do not show their appreciation for their mothers.

If you make fun of your father or despise your mother in her old age, you ought to be eaten by vultures or have your eyes picked out by wild ravens.

Don't criticize the king, even silently, and don't criticize the rich, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird might carry the message and tell them what you said.

Paul answered, "My fellow Israelites, I did not know that he was the High Priest. The scripture says, 'You must not speak evil of the ruler of your people.' "

Respect everyone, love other believers, honor God, and respect the Emperor.