It was almost time for the Jewish Passover. So Jesus went to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem Jesus went to the temple. In the temple area Jesus saw men selling cattle, sheep, and doves. Jesus saw other men sitting at tables. These men were exchanging and trading people's money. Jesus made a whip with some pieces of rope. Then Jesus forced all these men and the sheep and cattle to leave the temple area. Jesus turned over the tables and scattered the money of the men that exchange money. Then Jesus said to the men that were selling pigeons, "Take these things out of here! Don't make my Father's house a place for buying and selling!" When this happened the followers of Jesus remembered what was written {in the Scriptures }: "My excitement for your house will destroy me." —John 2:13-17 (ERV)

I feel sorry for the people in the world because of the things that make people sin. Those things must happen. But it will be very bad for the person that causes those things to happen. "If your hand or your foot makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose part of your body but have life forever. That is much better than to have two hands and two feet but be thrown into the fire (hell) that burns forever. If your eye makes you sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better for you to have only one eye but have life forever. That is much better than to have two eyes but be thrown into the fire of hell. "Be careful. Don't think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you that these children have angels in heaven. And those angels are always with my Father in heaven. —Matthew 18:7-10 (ERV)

Remember your Creator while you are young, before the bad times of old age come—before the years come when you say, "I have wasted my life." Remember your Creator while you are young, before the time comes when the sun and the moon and the stars become dark to you. And troubles come again and again like one storm after another. At that time, your arms will lose their strength. Your legs will become weak and bent. Your teeth will fall out and you will not be able to chew your food. Your eyes will not see clearly. You will become hard of hearing. You will not hear the noise in the streets. Even the stone grinding your grain will seem quiet to you. You won't be able to hear the women singing. But even the sound of a bird singing will wake you early in the morning because you won't be able to sleep. You will be afraid of high places. You will be afraid of tripping over every small thing in your path. Your hair will become white like the flowers on an almond tree. You will drag yourself along like a grasshopper when you walk. You will lose your desire to live. And then you will go to your eternal home (the grave). The mourners will gather in the streets as they carry your body to the grave. Remember your Creator while you are young, before the silver rope snaps and the golden bowl is crushed, before your life becomes useless like a jar broken at the well, before your life becomes wasted like a stone cover on a well that breaks and falls in. Your body came from the earth. And when you die, your body will go back to the earth. But your spirit came from God. And when you die, your spirit will go back to God. —Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 (ERV)