1 Peter 2 Cross References - LEB

¹ Therefore, ridding yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, ² like newborn infants long for the unadulterated spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation, ³ if you have tasted that the Lord is kind,* ⁴ to whom you are drawing near, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and precious in the sight of God. ⁵ And you yourselves, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For it stands in scripture,
"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame."* ⁷ Therefore the honor is for you who believe, but for those who refuse to believe,
"The stone that the builders rejected, this one has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋*," ⁸ and
"A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,"*
who stumble because they* disobey the word to which also they were consigned. ⁹ But you are a chosen race,* a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, ¹⁰ who once were not a people, but now are the people of God, the ones who were not shown mercy, but now are shown mercy.* ¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires which wage war against your* soul, ¹² maintaining your good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in the things in which they slander you as evildoers, by seeing your good deeds they may glorify God on the day of visitation. ¹³ Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king* as having supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good. ¹⁵ For the will of God is as follows: by* doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free persons, and not using your* freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God. ¹⁷ Honor all people, love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.* ¹⁸ Domestic slaves, be subject to your* masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unjust. ¹⁹ For this finds favor, if because of consciousness of God someone endures sorrows while* suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you* sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if you endure when you* do good and suffer for it, this finds favor with God. ²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his footsteps, ²² who did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth,* ²³ who when he* was reviled, did not revile in return; when* suffering, he did not threaten, but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly, ²⁴ who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we may die to sins and live to righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed. ²⁵ For you were going astray like sheep, but you have turned back now to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

⁸ _⌊Saul became very angry_⌋,* and _⌊this saying displeased him_⌋,* and he thought, "They have attributed to David ten thousands, but to me they have attributed thousands! _⌊What more can he have but the kingdom_⌋?"* ⁹ So Saul was watching* David with suspicion from that day onward.

¹³ And the godless of heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when he binds them.

² Happy is a person to whom Yahweh does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is not deceit.

¹³ Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.

¹ Of David.*
Do not fret because of evildoers; do not be envious of doers of wickedness.

³ because I envied the boastful when I saw the well-being* of the wicked.

³¹ Do not envy a man of violence, and do not choose any of his ways,

³⁰ A heart* of tranquility* is life to the flesh, but causes bones of passion to rot.

¹ Do not envy men of evil, and do not desire to be with them.

¹⁹ Do not fret because of the evildoers; do not envy the wicked.

²⁰ On that day humanity will throw away its idols of silver and its idols of gold, which they made for it to worship, to the rodents* and to the bats—

²² And you will defile the plating of your silver idols and the covering of your gold image. You will scatter them like contaminated things;* you will say to it, "Filth!"*

³¹ Throw _⌊away from yourselves_⌋* all of your transgressions that you committed,* and make _⌊for yourselves_⌋* a new heart and new spirit, and so why will you die, house of Israel? ³² For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying," _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh. "And so repent* and live!"

⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye!

⁷ Hypocrites! Isaiah correctly prophesied about you saying,

²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you also appear righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

⁵¹ and will cut him in two and assign his place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

¹⁵ But because he* knew their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius so that I can look at it!"*

⁴² How are you able to say to your brother, "Brother, allow me to remove the speck that is in your eye," while* you yourself do not see the beam of wood in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye!

⁴⁴ Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, and the people who walk over them* do not know it!*

¹ During _⌊this time_⌋* when* a crowd of many thousands had gathered together, so that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, "Beware for yourselves of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, "Look! _⌊A true Israelite_⌋* in whom is no deceit!"

²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greediness, malice, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malevolence. They are gossipers,

¹² The night is far gone, and the day has drawn near. Therefore let us throw off* the deeds of darkness and put on the weapons of light. ¹³ Let us live decently, as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy.

² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able to eat it. But now you are still not able, ³ for you are still fleshly. For where there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and do you not live like unregenerate people?*

⁸ So then, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old leaven or with the leaven of wickedness and sinfulness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

²⁰ Brothers, do not become children in your understanding, but with respect to wickedness be as a child, and in your understanding be mature.

²⁰ For I am afraid lest somehow when I* arrive, I will not find you as I want, and I may be found by you as you do not want. I am afraid* lest somehow there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, pride, disorder.

²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, things which I am telling you in advance, just as I said before, that the ones who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those _⌊who belong to Christ_⌋** have crucified the flesh together with its feelings and its desires. ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. ²⁶ We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

²² that you take off, according to your former way of life, the old man, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires, ²³ be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and put on the new man (in accordance with God), who is created in righteousness and holiness from the truth. ²⁵ Therefore, putting aside the lie, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor,* because we are members of one another.

³¹ All bitterness, and rage, and wrath, and clamor, and abusive speech, must be removed from you, together with all wickedness.

⁵ Therefore put to death _⌊what is earthly in you_⌋*: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustful passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatry, ⁶ because of which the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ in which also you once lived, when you used to live in them.* ⁸ But now you also lay aside all these things: anger, rage, wickedness, slander, abusive language from your mouth.

³ For our exhortation is not from error or from impurity or with deceit,

¹¹ The wives* likewise must be dignified, not slanderous, temperate, faithful in all things.

³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderous, not enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

³ For we also were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, enslaved to various desires and pleasures, spending our lives in wickedness and envy, despicable, hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and love for mankind of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not by deeds of righteousness that we have done, but because of his mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

¹ Therefore, since* we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, putting aside every weight and _⌊the sin that so easily ensnares us_⌋*, let us run with patient endurance the race that has been set before us,

²¹ Therefore, putting aside all moral uncleanness and wicked excess, welcome* with humility the implanted message which is able to save your souls.

¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth.

¹⁶ For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, nonjudgmental, without hypocrisy,

⁵ Or do you think that in vain the scripture says, "The spirit which he caused to dwell in us desires jealously"?*

¹¹ Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. The one who speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of the law.*

⁹ Brothers, do not complain against one another, in order that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge stands before the doors!

¹⁸ because you* know that you were redeemed from your futile way of life inherited from your ancestors not with perishable things like silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb ²⁰ who was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has been revealed in these last times for you ²¹ who through him are believing in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. ²² Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love, love one another fervently from the heart,* ²³ because you* have been born again, not from perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For
"all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the grass. The grass withers and the flower falls off, ²⁵ but the word of the Lord endures _⌊forever_⌋*."*
And this is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

¹⁶ Live as free persons, and not using your* freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God.

²² who did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth,*

¹⁰ For
"The one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his* tongue from evil and his lips must not speak deceit.

² in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God.

⁴ with respect to which they are surprised when* you do not run with them into the same flood of dissipation, and so they* revile you.

⁵ and in their mouth a lie was not found; they are blameless.

⁵ Yet not so is my house with God, for he made an everlasting covenant for me, arranging everything. He has secured all my deliverance, and all my desire he will cause to happen.

⁹ But* the righteous holds on to his way, and _⌊he who has clean hands_⌋* increases in strength.

⁷ The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving life.* The testimony of Yahweh is firm, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of Yahweh are right, making the heart rejoice. The command of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes. ⁹ The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether, ¹⁰ more desirable than gold, even much fine gold; and sweeter than honey, even honey in the comb.

¹⁸ But the path of the righteous ones is like the light of dawn, leading and shining until the day _⌊is full_⌋.*

³ Let us know, let us press on to know Yahweh; his rising is sure like the dawn. He will come like the showers to us, like the spring rain that waters the earth.

⁵ I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily plant, and he will strike his roots like the trees of Lebanon.

⁷ _⌊They will again dwell_⌋* in my* shadow; they will grow grain and they will blossom like the plant vine; his fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.

² But for you who revere* my name, the sun of righteousness will rise, with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like _⌊fattened calves_⌋.*

³ and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become like young children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven!

¹⁵ Truly I say to you, whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a young child will never enter into it."

⁴ Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we may live _⌊a new way of life_⌋*.

¹ And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to fleshly people, as to infants in Christ. ² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able to eat it. But now you are still not able,

²¹ in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow into him with reference to all things, who is the head, Christ,

³ We ought to give thanks to God always concerning you, brothers, just as it is fitting, because your faith is flourishing and the love of each one of you all toward one another is increasing

¹² For indeed, although you* ought to be teachers _⌊by this time_⌋*, you have need of someone to teach you again the beginning elements of the oracles of God, and _⌊you have need of_⌋* milk, not* solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes of milk is unacquainted with the message of righteousness, because he is an infant.

²³ because you* have been born again, not from perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

¹⁰ And those who know your name will trust in you, for you do not forsake those who seek you, O Yahweh.

⁸ Who is the king of glory?* Yahweh, strong and mighty; Yahweh, mighty in war!

⁸ Taste and see that Yahweh is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

⁵ My soul will be satisfied as with the best and richest food, and with joyful lips my mouth will praise.

³ As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. In his shade _⌊I sat down with delight_⌋,* and his fruit was sweet to my palate.

¹⁷ For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.

⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ and having fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, because they* have crucified again for themselves the Son of God and held him up to contempt.

²² The stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. ²³ This is from Yahweh; it is wonderful in our eyes.

¹⁴ And he will become like a sanctuary and a stumbling-stone, and like a stumbling-rock for the two houses of Israel, like a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁵ And many shall stumble among them, and they shall fall and they shall be broken, and they shall be ensnared and they shall be caught."

¹⁶ Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this:
"Look! I am laying a stone in Zion, a _⌊tested_⌋* stone, a precious cornerstone, a founded foundation:
'The one who trusts will not _⌊panic_⌋.'*

¹ Look! here is my servant; I hold him, my chosen one, in whom my soul delights. I have _⌊put_⌋* my spirit on him; he will bring justice forth to the nations.

³ Extend your ear, and come to me! Listen so that* your soul may live, and I will _⌊make_⌋* an everlasting covenant with* you, the enduring proofs of _⌊the mercies shown to_⌋* David.

²² Return, O apostate* children, I will heal your backsliding. 'Look, we come to you, for you are Yahweh our God.

³⁴ You were looking on _⌊until_⌋* a stone was chiseled out*—that not by hands—and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it broke them in pieces.

⁴⁵ _⌊Inasmuch as_⌋* you saw that a stone from the mountain was chiseled out* but not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, thereby the great God made known to the king what will be _⌊in the future_⌋,* and the dream is certain and its explanation trustworthy."

⁹ For consider, the stone that _⌊I set before_⌋* Joshua, on one stone are seven eyes.* Look, _⌊I am going to engrave an inscription on it_⌋,'* _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh of hosts, 'and I will remove the guilt of that land in a single day.

⁷ 'Who are you O great mountain? _⌊Before_⌋* Zerubbabel you will become level ground, and he will bring out the top stone amid the shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" '"

²⁸ Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

¹⁸ "Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

⁴² Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures,
'The stone which the builders rejected, this has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.* This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?*

¹⁰ Have you not read this scripture:
'The stone which the builders rejected, this has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.* ¹¹ This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"*

¹⁷ But he looked intently at them and* said, "What then is this that is written:
'The stone which the builders rejected, this has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.'* ¹⁸ Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls—it will crush him!"

²⁶ For just as the Father has life in himself, thus also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself.

⁴⁰ And you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.

³⁷ Everyone whom the Father gives to me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never throw out,

⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so also the one who eats* me—that one will live because of me.

²⁵ Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die _⌊forever_⌋.* Do you believe this?"

⁶ Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

¹⁹ Yet a little time and the world will see me no longer, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.

¹¹ This one* is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.* ¹² And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among people by which we must be saved."

¹⁰ For if, while we* were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, by much more, having been reconciled, we will be saved by his life.

⁴ When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

⁷ so that the genuineness of your faith, more valuable than gold that is passing away, but is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb

⁷ Therefore the honor is for you who believe, but for those who refuse to believe,
"The stone that the builders rejected, this one has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋*,"

¹ Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith equal in value to ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

⁴ through which things he has bestowed on us his precious and very great promises, so that through these you may become sharers of the divine nature after* escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire,

¹⁴ Offer to God a thank offering and pay your vows to the Most High.

²³ He who sacrifices a thank offering honors me, and he who orders his way; I will show him the salvation of God."

² Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my palms as the evening offering.

⁶ But* you shall be called the priests of Yahweh, _⌊you will be called_⌋* servers of our God. You shall eat the wealth of the nations, and you shall boast in their riches.

²¹ And indeed, I will take some of them as priests and the Levites," says Yahweh.

² Take words with you, and return to Yahweh. Say to him, "Take away all guilt; accept good, and we will offer the fruit* of our lips.

¹¹ From the rising of the sun to its setting, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is being presented to my name, and a pure offering. For my name is great among the nations," says Yahweh of hosts.

²² You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews. ²³ But an hour is coming—and now is here*—when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for indeed the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. ²⁴ God is spirit, and the ones who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

¹ Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.

¹⁶ with the result that I am a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving the gospel of God as a priest, in order that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

⁹ For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

¹⁶ Do you not know that you are God's temple and the Spirit of God dwells in you?

¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

¹⁶ And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said,
"I will live in* them and will walk about among them, and I will be their God and they will be my people."*

²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,* ²¹ in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.*

¹¹ having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

¹⁷ But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and rejoice with all of you.

¹⁸ But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; _⌊I am well supplied_⌋* because* I received from Epaphroditus _⌊what you had sent_⌋*, a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

¹⁷ and everything _⌊whatever_⌋* you do in word or in deed, giving thanks for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus to God the Father through him.

¹⁵ But if I am delayed, I am writing* in order that you may know how one must conduct oneself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and mainstay* of the truth.

⁶ but Christ was faithful* as a son over his house, whose house we are, if* we hold fast to our confidence and the hope we can be proud of.

¹⁵ Therefore through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise _⌊continually_⌋* to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. ¹⁶ And do not neglect doing good and generosity, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

⁹ But you are a chosen race,* a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,

¹¹ If anyone speaks, let it be as the oracles of God; if anyone serves, let it be as by the strength that God provides, so that in all things God will be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power _⌊forever and ever_⌋*. Amen.

⁶ and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the power _⌊forever and ever_⌋*. Amen.

¹² The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go outside again, and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God, and my new name.

¹⁰ and made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth."

⁶ Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over this person the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand* years.

¹⁴ Let them be shamed and abashed altogether who seek to take away my life.* Let them be repulsed and humiliated who desire my harm.

¹⁹ Formerly you spoke in a vision to your faithful ones, and said, "I have bestowed help on a mighty man; I have exalted one chosen from the people.

¹¹ Look! All those who are angry with you shall be ashamed and humiliated; _⌊your opponents_⌋* shall be like nothing and shall become lost.

¹⁶ All of them are ashamed and indeed humiliated; the craftsmen of idols go together in insult. ¹⁷ Israel is saved by Yahweh with everlasting salvation; you shall not be ashamed, and you shall not be humiliated _⌊to all eternity_⌋.*

⁷ And the Lord Yahweh helps me,
therefore I have not been put to shame; therefore I have set my face like flint. And I know that I shall not be ashamed;

⁴ You must not fear, for you will not be ashamed, and you must not be confounded, for you will not feel abashed, for you will forget the shame of your youth, and you will no longer remember the disgrace of your widowhood.

²¹ However, I will tell you _⌊what is inscribed_⌋* in the book of truth, and there is not one who contends with me against these beings _⌊except_⌋* Michael, your prince."

⁴ From them* the cornerstone will go out, from them* the tent peg, from them* the battle bow, from them* every ruler, all together.

¹⁰ Have you not read this scripture:
'The stone which the builders rejected, this has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.*

³⁵ And the people stood there watching, but the rulers also ridiculed him,* saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if this man is the Christ* of God, the Chosen One!"

³⁸ the one who believes in me.* Just as the scripture said, 'Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.'"*

¹⁶ "Men and brothers, it was necessary that the scripture be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit proclaimed beforehand through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus,

³² Why that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if by works. They stumbled over the _⌊stone that causes people to stumble_⌋*, ³³ just as it is written,
"Behold, I am laying in Zion _⌊a stone that causes people to stumble_⌋*, and _⌊a rock that causes them to fall_⌋*, and the one who believes in him will not be put to shame."*

¹¹ For the scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."*

⁴ just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love,*

²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,*

¹⁶ All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,

⁴ to whom you are drawing near, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and precious in the sight of God.

²⁰ recognizing this above all, that every prophecy of scripture does not come about from one's own interpretation,

¹⁶ as he does also in all his** letters, speaking in them about these things, in which there are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, as they also do the rest of the scriptures.

⁹ _⌊How is your beloved better than another lover_⌋,* O most beautiful among women? _⌊How is your beloved better than another lover_⌋, * that you adjure us thus? ¹⁰ My beloved is radiant and _⌊ruddy_⌋,* distinguished _⌊among_⌋* ten thousand. ¹¹ His head is gold, refined gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. ¹² His eyes are like doves beside springs* of water, bathed in milk, _⌊set like mounted jewels_⌋.** ¹³ His cheeks are like beds of spice, a tower of fragrances; his lips are lilies dripping liquid myrrh. ¹⁴ His arms are _⌊rods_⌋** of gold _⌊engraved with_⌋* jewels; his belly* is polished ivory covered with sapphires.* ¹⁵ His legs are columns of alabaster,* set on bases of gold; his appearance is like Lebanon, choice as _⌊its cedars_⌋.* ¹⁶ _⌊His mouth_⌋* is sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved; this is my friend, _⌊O young women of Jerusalem_⌋.*

⁵ In that day, Yahweh of hosts will become a garland of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of his people,

⁷ I will shake all the nations so that the treasure of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house* with glory,' says Yahweh of hosts.

⁴⁴ "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, that a man found and* concealed, and in his joy he goes and sells everything that he has and buys that field. ⁴⁵ "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ And when he* found one very valuable pearl, he went and* sold everything that he possessed and purchased it.

³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory to your people Israel."

¹⁷ But he looked intently at them and* said, "What then is this that is written:
'The stone which the builders rejected, this has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.'*

⁴² And they were saying to the woman, "No longer because of _⌊what you said_⌋* do we believe, for we ourselves have heard, and we know that this one is truly the Savior of the world!"

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ And we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."

¹⁹ "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

²¹ But about Israel he says,
"The whole day long I held out my hands to a disobedient and resistant people."*

³¹ that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

¹⁶ to those on the one hand an odor from death to death, and to those on the other hand a fragrance from life to life. And who is qualified for these things?

⁷ But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ. ⁸ _⌊More than that_⌋*, I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them* dung, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and may be found in him, not having my righteousness which is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ,* the righteousness from God on the basis of faith,* ¹⁰ so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,

¹⁰ and you are filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority,

³ For we also were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, enslaved to various desires and pleasures, spending our lives in wickedness and envy, despicable, hating one another.

¹¹ Therefore, let us make every effort to enter into that rest, in order that no one may fall in the same pattern of disobedience.

³¹ By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she* welcomed the spies in peace.

⁸ whom, although you* have not seen, you love; in whom now you believe, although you* do not see him, and you rejoice greatly with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

⁸ and
"A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,"*
who stumble because they* disobey the word to which also they were consigned.

¹⁶ But for the sake of this I have caused you to stand—for the sake of showing you my strength and in order to proclaim my name in all the earth.

¹⁴ And he will become like a sanctuary and a stumbling-stone, and like a stumbling-rock for the two houses of Israel, like a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

¹⁴ And one shall say, "Build up, build up! Clear the way! Remove the obstacles* from the way of my people!"

³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed*—

²² And what if God, wanting to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?

²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a cause for stumbling, but to the Gentiles foolishness,

⁹ because God did not appoint us for wrath, but for the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

³ And in greediness they will exploit you with false words, whose condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

⁴ For certain men* have slipped in stealthily, who were designated long ago for this condemnation, ungodly ones, who change the grace of our God into licentiousness and who deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵ And now if you will carefully listen to my voice and keep my covenant, you will be a treasured possession for me out of all the peoples, _⌊for all the earth is mine_⌋,* ⁶ but you, you will belong to me as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you will speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋."*

²⁰ But Yahweh has taken you and brought you out from the furnace of iron, from Egypt, to be a people of inheritance to* him, _⌊as it is this day_⌋.*

⁶ For you are a holy people for Yahweh your God; Yahweh your God has chosen you to be for him a people, a treasured possession from among all the peoples that are on the face* of the earth.

¹⁵ _⌊Yet_⌋* to your ancestors* Yahweh was very attached, so as to love them, and so he chose their offspring after them, namely you, from all the peoples, as it is _⌊today_⌋.*

² For you are a people holy to Yahweh your God, and you Yahweh has chosen to be a treasured possession from among all of the peoples that are on the surface* of the earth.

¹⁸ And Yahweh has declared you _⌊today_⌋* to be for him as a people, a treasured possession, as he _⌊promised_⌋* to you, and that you are to observe all his commandments, ¹⁹ _⌊and that he then will set you_⌋* high above all the nations that he has made for his praise and _⌊for fame_⌋* and for honor and _⌊for you to be a holy people_⌋* to Yahweh your God, as he _⌊promised_⌋."*

³⁰ Descendants* will serve him. Regarding the Lord, it will be told to the next generation.

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh, the people he has chosen for his inheritance.

¹⁵ If I had said, "I will speak thus," behold, I would have acted treacherously against your children's generation.

⁵ that I may see the good done your chosen ones, to be glad in the joy of your nation, to glory together with your inheritance.

² The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; light has shined on those who lived in a land of darkness.

² Open the gates _⌊so that_⌋* the righteous nation who keeps faithfulness may enter!

⁸ But* you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you, the _⌊offspring_⌋* of Abraham my _⌊friend_⌋,*

¹⁶ And I will lead the blind by a road they do not know; I will cause them to tread on paths they have not known. I will make darkness _⌊in their presence_⌋* into light and rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them.

²⁰ The animals of the field will honor me, jackals and daughters of the ostrich, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give a drink to my chosen people, ²¹ this people whom I formed for myself, so they might _⌊make known_⌋* my praise.

¹ "But now hear, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.

¹ "Arise, shine! For your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you. ² For look! darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples, but* Yahweh will rise on you, and his glory will appear over you. ³ And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the bright light of your sunrise.

¹⁶ the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, and the ones who sit in the land and shadow of death, a light has dawned on them."*

¹⁶ In the same way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace."

¹⁹ And for them I sanctify myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in the truth.

²⁸ Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own Son.*

¹⁸ to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

²⁸ But Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?"*

²⁴ us whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

¹⁷ If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy this one. For God's temple is holy, which you are.

⁶ to the praise of the glory of his grace that he bestowed on us in the beloved,

¹⁴ who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

²¹ to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

⁸ for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live like children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰ trying to learn what is well-pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even expose them.

¹⁵ in order that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God without fault* in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as stars in the world,* ¹⁶ holding fast to the word of life, for a source of pride* to me in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

¹³ who has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us* to the kingdom of the Son _⌊he loves_⌋*,

⁴ But you, brothers, are not in the darkness, so that the day should catch you like a thief, ⁵ for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶ So then, we must not sleep like the rest, but must be on the alert and be self-controlled. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. ⁸ But because* we are of the day, we must be sober, by* putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation,

⁹ who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus _⌊before time began_⌋*,

¹⁴ who gave himself for us, in order that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds.

² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

⁵ And you yourselves, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

⁹ And he* said, "_⌊Name him_⌋* Lo-ammi,* for you are not my people and I am not your God.* ¹⁰ * The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea that cannot be measured or counted; and in the place where it is said to them, "You are not my people," it will be said to them, "Children of the living God."

²³ I will sow her for myself in the land; I will have pity on Lo-ruhama;* I will say to Lo-ammi,* "You are my people," and he himself will say, "you are my God."

²⁵ As he also says in Hosea,
"I will call those who were not my people, 'My people,' and those who were not loved, 'Loved.'* ²⁶ And it will be in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'sons of the living God.'"*

¹⁹ But I say, Israel did not know, did they?* First, Moses says,
"I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation; by a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger."*

⁶ But if by grace, it is no longer by works, for otherwise grace would no longer be grace. ⁷ What then? What Israel was searching for, this it did not obtain. But the elect obtained it, and the rest were hardened,

³⁰ For just as you formerly were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of the disobedience of these,

²⁵ Now concerning virgins I do not have a command from the Lord, but I am giving an opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.

¹³ although I* was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, but I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief,

¹⁶ Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

⁴ "I am a stranger and an alien among you; give to me _⌊my own burial site_⌋* among you so that I may bury my dead from before me."

⁹ And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty years. Few and hard have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the lives of my ancestors* in the days of their sojourning."

²³ " 'But* the land must not be sold in* perpetuity, because the land is mine, because you* are aliens and temporary residents with me.

¹⁵ For we are strangers before you and sojourners like all our ancestors.* Our days are like the shadow upon earth, and there is no hope of abiding.

¹² Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, and listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my tears. For I am an alien* with you, a sojourner like all my ancestors.*

¹⁹ I am a sojourner on the earth;* do not hide your commands from me.

⁵⁴ Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.

³⁴ "But take care for yourselves, lest your hearts are weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of daily life, and that day come upon you suddenly

²⁰ but we should write a letter to them to abstain from the pollution of idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood.

²⁹ that you abstain from food sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you* keep yourselves from _⌊these things_⌋* you will do well. Farewell.

²³ but I observe another law in my members, at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that exists in my members.

¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

¹³ Let us live decently, as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and do not make provision for the desires of the flesh.

²⁰ Therefore we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as if* God were imploring you through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

¹ Now because we* are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

¹ Therefore since we* have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, accomplishing holiness in the fear of God.

¹⁶ But I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so that whatever you want, you may not do these things. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are sexual immorality, impurity, licentiousness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, things which I am telling you in advance, just as I said before, that the ones who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²⁴ Now those _⌊who belong to Christ_⌋** have crucified the flesh together with its feelings and its desires.

¹ Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to live in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called:

⁹ But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge those people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all evil, by which some, because they* desire it, have gone astray from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.

²² But flee from youthful desires, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, in company with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.

⁹ instead I appeal to you because of love, since I* am such a one as Paul, now an old man and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. ¹⁰ I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus.

¹³ These all died in faith without receiving the promises, but seeing them from a distance and welcoming them, and admitting that they were strangers and temporary residents on the earth.

¹ From where are conflicts and from where are quarrels among you? Is it not from this, from your pleasures that wage war among your members?

¹ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen* who are residing temporarily in the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

¹⁷ And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your temporary residence,

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, ¹⁶ because everything that is in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance of material possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and its desire,* but the one who does the will of God remains _⌊forever_⌋*.

⁷ And there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of the livestock of Abram and the herdsmen of the livestock of Lot. Now at that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land. ⁸ Then Abram said to Lot, "Please, let there not be quarreling between me and you, and between my shepherds and your shepherds, for we men are brothers.

¹⁴ The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow to throw down the poor and the needy, to kill those upright in their way.

³ And what will you do at the day of punishment, and at calamity? It comes from afar! To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth,

¹¹ Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me.

⁸ But when* the crowds saw this,* they were afraid and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

²⁵ It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household?

⁶⁸ "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited to help and _⌊has redeemed_⌋* his people,

²² Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.

⁴⁴ And they will raze you to the ground, you and your children within you, and will not leave a stone upon a stone within you, _⌊because_⌋* you did not recognize the time of your visitation."

¹⁴ Simeon has described how God first concerned himself to take from among the Gentiles a people for his name.

⁵ For we have found* this man to be a public menace and one who causes riots among all the Jews throughout the Roman Empire* and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, ⁶ who even attempted to desecrate the temple, and we arrested _⌊him*_⌋.*

¹³ Nor can they prove the things* to you concerning which they are now accusing me.

⁷ And when* he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges that they were not able to prove,

¹⁷ Pay back no one evil for evil. Take thought for what is good in the sight of all people.

¹³ Let us live decently, as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy.

⁹ and that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, just as it is written,
"Because of this, I will praise you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praise to your name."*

²⁵ the secret things of his heart become evident, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God, proclaiming, "God is truly among you!"

¹² For our reason for boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, in holiness* and purity of motive from God, not* in merely human wisdom, but by the grace of God.

²¹ For we are taking into consideration what is honorable not only before the Lord, but also before people.

⁷ Now we pray to God that you not do wrong in any way, not that we are seen as approved, but that you do what is good, even though we are seen as though unqualified.

³ among whom also we all formerly lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will* of the flesh and of the mind, and we were children of wrath* by nature, as also the rest of them were.

²² that you take off, according to your former way of life, the old man, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires,

²⁷ Only lead your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent I hear _⌊your circumstances_⌋*, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are pleasing, whatever things are commendable, if there is any excellence of character and if anything praiseworthy, think about these things.

¹² so that you may live decently toward those outside, and may have need of nothing.

² on behalf of kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

¹² Let no one look down on your youth, but be an example for the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

⁷ concerning everything showing yourself to be an example of good deeds, in your teaching demonstrating soundness, dignity, ⁸ a sound message beyond reproach, in order that _⌊an opponent_⌋* may be put to shame, because he* has nothing bad to say concerning us.

⁵ Your lifestyle must be free from the love of money, being content with what you have. For he himself has said, "I will never desert you, and I will never abandon you."*

¹⁸ Pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a good conscience, and want to conduct ourselves commendably in every way.

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his* good behavior his works, with the humility of wisdom.

¹ In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some are disobedient to the word, they may be won over without a word by the conduct of their wives, ² when they* see your respectful, pure conduct.

¹⁶ But do so with courtesy and respect, having a good conscience, so that in the things in which you are slandered, the ones who malign your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.

¹⁴ If you are reviled on account of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵ By all means do not let anyone of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. ¹⁶ But if someone suffers as a Christian, he must not be ashamed, but must glorify God with this name.

¹¹ Because* all these things are being destroyed in this way, what sort of people must you be in holy behavior and godliness,

¹¹ An evil person will seek only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

²¹ Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king; with those who change, do not associate.

⁷ And seek the prosperity of the city where I have deported you, and pray on behalf of it to Yahweh, for in its prosperity you will have prosperity.'

²¹ They said to him, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Therefore give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!"

¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!" And they were utterly amazed at him.

²⁵ So he said to them, "Well then, give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!"

¹ Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except by God, and those that exist are put in place by God. ² So then, the one who resists authority resists the ordinance which is from God, and those who resist will receive condemnation on themselves. ³ For rulers are not a cause of terror for a good deed, but for bad conduct. So do you want not to be afraid of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it, ⁴ for it is God's servant to you for what is good. But if you do what is bad, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword to no purpose. For it is God's servant, the one who avenges for punishment on the one who does what is bad. ⁵ Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities* are servants of God, busily engaged in this very thing. ⁷ Pay to everyone what is owed: pay taxes to whom taxes are due; pay customs duties to whom customs duties are due; pay respect to whom respect is due; pay honor to whom honor is due.*

²¹ being subject to one another _⌊out of reverence for_⌋* Christ

¹ Therefore, I urge first of all that petitions, prayers, requests, and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all people, ² on behalf of kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

¹ Remind them to be subject to the rulers and to the authorities, to obey, to be prepared for every good work,

¹⁰ and especially those who go after the flesh in defiling lust* and who despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, they do not tremble in awe as they* blaspheme majestic beings,

⁸ Despite that, in the same way also these men, because of their* dreams, defile the flesh and reject authority and blaspheme majestic beings. ⁹ But Michael the archangel, when he argued with the devil, disputing concerning the body of Moses, did not dare to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" ¹⁰ But these persons blaspheme all that they do not understand, and all that they understand by instinct like the irrational animals, by these things they are being destroyed.

³ For rulers are not a cause of terror for a good deed, but for bad conduct. So do you want not to be afraid of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it, ⁴ for it is God's servant to you for what is good. But if you do what is bad, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword to no purpose. For it is God's servant, the one who avenges for punishment on the one who does what is bad.

⁶ Like this do you treat Yahweh, foolish and _⌊unwise_⌋* people? Has he not, your father, created you? He made you, and he established you.

¹⁰ So* he said to her, "You speak like one of the foolish women speaks. Indeed, should we receive the good from God, but* not receive the evil?" In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

¹⁶ So* there is hope* for the powerless, and wickedness shuts its mouth.

⁵ The boastful do not stand before* your eyes. You hate all evildoers.

⁴² The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

⁶ Lay aside simplicity and live; walk in the way of understanding."

²² "For my people are foolish, they have not known me. They are foolish children, and they do not have insight. They are skillful at doing evil, and they do not know how to do good."

²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

² Now five of them were foolish and five were wise.

²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

¹ O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as having been crucified?

⁶ not _⌊while being watched_⌋*, as people pleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷ serving with goodwill as to the Lord and not to people,

³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

¹⁸ give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

⁸ a sound message beyond reproach, in order that _⌊an opponent_⌋* may be put to shame, because he* has nothing bad to say concerning us.

¹² maintaining your good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in the things in which they slander you as evildoers, by seeing your good deeds they may glorify God on the day of visitation.

¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, _⌊if God wills it_⌋*, than for doing evil.

¹² But these persons, like irrational animals born only with natural instincts for capture and killing, blaspheming _⌊about things_⌋* they do not understand, in their destruction will also be destroyed,

¹⁰ But these persons blaspheme all that they do not understand, and all that they understand by instinct like the irrational animals, by these things they are being destroyed.

¹³ "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you shut the kingdom of heaven before people! For you do not enter, nor permit those wanting to go in* to enter.*

³² and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ³³ They replied to him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have not been enslaved to anyone at any time. How do you say, 'You will become free'?" ³⁴ Jesus replied to them, "Truly, truly I say to you, that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And the slave does not remain in the household _⌊forever_⌋;* the son remains _⌊forever_⌋.* ³⁶ So if the son sets you free, you will be truly free.

²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin. But now they do not have a valid excuse for their sin.

¹⁸ and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.

²² But now, having been set free from sin and having been enslaved to God, you have your fruit leading to sanctification, and its end is eternal life.

²² For the one who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedperson. Likewise the one who is called while free is a slave of Christ.

¹ For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

⁶ not _⌊while being watched_⌋*, as people pleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart,

²⁴ because you* know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve* the Lord Christ.

⁵ _⌊For never_⌋* did we come with a word of flattery, just as you know, nor with a pretext of greediness (God is witness),

²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues to do it, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer who acts, this one will be blessed _⌊in what he does_⌋*.

¹² Thus speak and thus act as those who are going to be judged by the law of liberty.

¹⁹ promising them freedom although they* themselves are slaves of depravity. For to whatever someone succumbs, by this he is also* enslaved.

¹¹ And Abraham said, "Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place; they will kill me on account of the matter of my wife.

¹² And he said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the boy; do not do anything to him. For now I know that you are _⌊one who fears_⌋* God, since you have not withheld your son, your only child, from me."

¹⁸ On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live; I fear God.

¹² "Honor your father and your mother, so that your days can be long on the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.

³² " '_⌊Before_⌋* old age you* shall get up, and you* shall show respect for an old person; and you* shall revere your God; I am Yahweh.

³⁰ Then he* said, "I have sinned! Now please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me _⌊so that I can worship_⌋* Yahweh your God."

²⁰ And David said to all the assembly, "Bless Yahweh your God!" And all the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.* And they bowed down and prostrated themselves before Yahweh and the king.

¹⁰ The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom; all who do them* have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

⁷ Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction, fools despise.

¹⁷ May your heart* not envy the sinners, but live in fear of Yahweh _⌊all day_⌋.*

² Keep the command of the king* _⌊because of your oath to God_⌋.*

¹⁴ Then I broke my second staff Unity to break the family ties between Judah and Israel.

³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another."

¹⁰ being devoted to one another in brotherly love, esteeming one another more highly in honor,

⁷ Pay to everyone what is owed: pay taxes to whom taxes are due; pay customs duties to whom customs duties are due; pay respect to whom respect is due; pay honor to whom honor is due.*

³ Do nothing according to selfish ambition or according to empty conceit, but in humility considering one another better than yourselves,

¹ All those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, lest the name of God and the teaching be slandered.

¹ Brotherly love must continue.

²² Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love, love one another fervently from the heart,*

⁵ In the same way, younger men, be subject to the elders, and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

⁴ A perverse heart will depart from me; I will not know evil.

³² for he who is perverse is an abomination of Yahweh, but those who are upright are his confidence.

¹³ The fear of Yahweh is hatred of evil, pride, and arrogance and an evil way. And I hate a mouth of perversity.

³² The lips of the righteous know the acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, the perverse.

²⁰ An abomination of Yahweh are the _⌊crooked of heart_⌋,* but his delight are _⌊those with blameless ways_⌋.*

¹ Now I, Paul, appeal to you myself by the humility and gentleness of Christ, who _⌊when I am present in person_⌋* am humble among you, but when I* am absent am bold toward you—

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ,

²² Slaves, obey your _⌊human_⌋* masters in everything, not _⌊while being watched_⌋*, as people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, accomplish it from the soul, as to the Lord, and not to people, ²⁴ because you* know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve* the Lord Christ. ²⁵ For the one who does wrong will receive back whatever wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

¹ All those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, lest the name of God and the teaching be slandered. ² And those who have believing masters must not look down on them because they are brothers, but rather they must serve, because those who benefit by their service are believers and dearly loved. ³ If anyone teaches other doctrine and does not devote himself to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness,

⁹ Slaves must be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not to talk back, ¹⁰ not stealing, but demonstrating all good faith, in order that they may do credit to the teaching of God our Savior in everything.

² to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all courtesy to all people.

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, nonjudgmental, without hypocrisy,

²⁷ "Look, I know your* thoughts and the schemes you devise against me.

¹⁹ Let not those who are wrongfully my enemies* rejoice over me. Nor let those who hate me without cause wink the eye.

¹⁹ And my enemies without cause* are numerous, and those who hate me wrongfully* are many.

⁴ More numerous than the hairs of my head are those hating me without a cause. Those who are destroying me—my enemies wrongfully*— are mighty. What I did not steal, I then must restore.

⁸⁶ All your commands are faithful. They persecute me deceitfully; help me!

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

³² "And if you love those who love you, what kind of credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them!

²¹ But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

²³ who, when he* arrived and saw the grace of God, rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with _⌊devoted hearts_⌋,*

⁵ Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain, but I labored even more than all of them, and not I, but the grace of God with me.

¹ Now we make known to you, brothers, the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,

¹² for which reason also I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know in whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted until that day.

²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you* sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if you endure when you* do good and suffer for it, this finds favor with God.

¹⁴ But even if you might suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their intimidation or be disturbed,* ¹⁵ but set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts, always ready to make a defense to anyone who asks you for an accounting concerning the hope that is in you. ¹⁶ But do so with courtesy and respect, having a good conscience, so that in the things in which you are slandered, the ones who malign your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, _⌊if God wills it_⌋*, than for doing evil.

⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing that is remarkable? Do not the Gentiles also do the same?

⁶⁷ Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists, and they slapped him,*

⁶⁵ And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him with their fists, and to say to him "Prophesy!" And the officers received him with slaps in the face.*

¹ Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

¹¹ Until the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty and poorly clothed and roughly treated and homeless,

¹⁰ trying to learn what is well-pleasing to the Lord.

¹⁹ For this finds favor, if because of consciousness of God someone endures sorrows while* suffering unjustly.

¹⁴ But even if you might suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their intimidation or be disturbed,*

¹³ Righteousness will go before him, and it will make his steps a pathway.

³⁸ And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

²⁹ Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

³⁴ And summoning the crowd together with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone wants to come* after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me and of the gospel will save it.

²³ And he said to them all, "If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me, this person will save it. ²⁵ For what is a person benefited if he* gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself?

²⁶ "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and furthermore, even his own life, _⌊he cannot be_⌋* my disciple. ²⁷ Whoever does not carry his own cross and _⌊follow_⌋* me _⌊cannot be_⌋* my disciple.

²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ suffer these things and enter into his glory?"

¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that just as I have done for you, you also do.

³³ I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world."

¹⁶ For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them* to continue in the faith and saying,* "Through many persecutions* it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God."

³ explaining and demonstrating that it was necessary for the Christ* to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ."*

²⁹ because those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers.

¹ Become imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

² and live in love, just as also Christ loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant smell.*

⁵ Think this in* yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

³ so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed for this,

² For you know what commands we gave to you through the Lord Jesus.

¹² And indeed, all those who want to live in a godly manner in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

¹⁰ For it was fitting for him for whom are all things and through whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to perfect the originator of their salvation through sufferings.

²⁰ who was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has been revealed in these last times for you

²⁴ who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we may die to sins and live to righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed.

⁹ not repaying evil for evil or insult for insult, but on the other hand blessing others, because for this reason you were called, so that you could inherit a blessing.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, in order that he could bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,

¹ Therefore, because* Christ suffered in the flesh, you also equip yourselves with the same way of thinking, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

⁶ The one who says that he resides in him ought also to walk* just as that one walked.

¹⁶ We have come to know love by this: that _⌊he_⌋* laid down his life on behalf of us, and we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers.

¹¹ And they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives until death.

⁹ He made* his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

⁴ saying, "I have sinned by* betraying innocent blood!" But they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!"*

¹⁹ And while* he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message* to him, saying, "_⌊Have nothing to do with that righteous man_⌋,* for I have suffered much as a result of a dream today because of him.")

²³ And he said, "Why? What wrong has he done?" But they began to shout* even louder, saying, "Let him be crucified!" ²⁴ So Pilate, when he* saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but instead an uproar was developing, took water and* washed his* hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to it!"*

⁴¹ And we indeed justly, for we are receiving _⌊what we deserve_⌋* for what we have done. But this man has done nothing wrong!"

⁴⁷ Now when* the centurion saw what had happened, he began to praise* God, saying, "Certainly this man was righteous!"

⁴⁶ Who among you convicts me concerning sin? If I am telling the truth, _⌊why_⌋* do you not believe me?

²¹ He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but who has been tempted in all things in the same way, without sin.

²⁶ For a high priest such as this indeed is fitting for us, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and having become exalted above the heavens, ²⁷ who does not _⌊need every day_⌋* like the former high priests to offer up sacrifices for his own sins and then for the sins of the people, because he did this once for all when he* offered up himself.

²⁸ thus also Christ, having been offered once in order to bear the sins of many, will appear for the second time without reference to sin to those who eagerly await him for salvation.

¹ My little children, I am writing these things to you in order that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one,

⁵ And you know that that one was revealed in order that he might take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

²⁵ Far be it from you to do such a thing as this, to kill the righteous with the wicked, that* the righteous would be as the wicked! Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do justice?"

¹¹ God is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day.

¹⁴ But you have seen; indeed you have noted trouble and grief to take it into your hand. The helpless abandons himself upon you; you have been the helper for the orphan.

⁵ Into your hand I commit my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Yahweh, faithful God.*

⁵ _⌊Commit to_⌋* Yahweh your way; Trust also on him and he will act.

¹² Those who seek my life lay snares as well, and those intent on my harm speak threats. They also plot deceit all day. ¹³ But as for me, like the deaf I cannot hear, and I am like the mute who cannot open his mouth. ¹⁴ And so I am like a man who hears not, and in whose mouth there are no retorts.

¹³ before Yahweh, for he is coming; for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his faithfulness.

⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted, yet* he did not open his mouth; he was brought like a lamb to the slaughter, and like a sheep is dumb before its shearers, so* he did not open his mouth.

³⁹ And those who passed by reviled him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, "The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it* in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!" ⁴¹ In the same way also the chief priests, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him,* saying, ⁴² "He saved others; he is not able to save himself! He is the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him! ⁴³ He trusts in God; let him deliver him now if he wants to,* because he said, 'I am the Son of God'!" ⁴⁴ And in the same way even the robbers who were crucified with him were reviling him.

⁶⁰ And the high priest stood up in the midst of them and* asked Jesus, saying, "Do you not reply anything? What are these people testifying against you?" ⁶¹ But he was silent and did not reply anything. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"

²⁹ And those who passed by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it* in three days, ³⁰ save yourself by* coming down from the cross!" ³¹ In the same way also the chief priests, along with the scribes, were mocking him* to one another, saying, "He saved others; he is not able to save himself! ³² Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe! Even those who were crucified with him were reviling him.

⁶⁴ and after* blindfolding him they repeatedly asked* him,* saying, "Prophesy! Who is the one who struck you?" ⁶⁵ And they were saying many other things against him, reviling him.*

⁹ So he questioned him _⌊at considerable length_⌋,* but he answered nothing to him.

³⁴ But Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."* And they cast lots to divide his clothes. ³⁵ And the people stood there watching, but the rulers also ridiculed him,* saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if this man is the Christ* of God, the Chosen One!" ³⁶ And the soldiers also mocked him, coming up and* offering him sour wine ³⁷ and saying, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!" ³⁸ And there was also an inscription over him, "This is the king of the Jews." ³⁹ And one of the criminals who were hanged there reviled him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself—and us!"

⁴⁶ And Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit!"* And after he* said this, he expired.

⁴⁸ The Jews answered and said to him, "Do we not correctly say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?" ⁴⁹ Jesus replied, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me!

⁹ and he entered into the governor's residence again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus did not give him an answer. ¹⁰ So Pilate said to him, "Will you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you, and I have authority to crucify you?" ¹¹ Jesus replied to him, "You would not have any authority over me unless it was given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has greater sin."

²⁹ And now, Lord, concern yourself with their threats and grant your slaves to speak your message with all boldness,

⁵⁹ And they kept on stoning Stephen as he* was calling out and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"

³² Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this:
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ³³ In his* humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his _⌊descendants_⌋?* For his life was taken away from the earth."* ³⁴ And the eunuch answered and* said to Philip, "I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this—about himself or about someone else?" ³⁵ So Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, proclaimed the good news to him about Jesus.

¹ But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

³¹ because he has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man who he has appointed, having provided proof to everyone by* raising him from the dead."

⁵ But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, giving up threats, knowing that both their Lord and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.

⁵ a proof of the righteous judgment of God, so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, on behalf of which also you are suffering,

⁸ Finally, the crown of righteousness is reserved for me, that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

³ For consider the one who endured such hostility by sinners against himself,* so that you will not grow weary in your souls and give up.

¹⁹ So then also those who suffer according to the will of God must entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good.

¹¹ And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and the one seated on it was called "Faithful" and "True," and with justice* he judges and makes war.

³⁸ And it will be on the forehead of Aaron, and Aaron will bear the guilt of the holy objects that the _⌊Israelites_⌋* will consecrate for all their holy gifts, and it will be on his forehead continually for acceptance for them before Yahweh.

²² Thus* the goat shall bear on it to _⌊a barren region_⌋* all their guilt, and he shall send the goat away into the desert.

⁹ " 'And they shall keep my obligation, and they shall not incur guilt because of it, so that* they die through it, because they have profaned it; I am Yahweh who consecrates them.

²² The _⌊Israelites_⌋* will not come near again to the tent of assembly, or _⌊they will bear sin_⌋* and die.

²² "And _⌊if a man commits a sin punishable by death_⌋,* and so he is put to death and you hang him on a tree, ²³ his dead body shall not hang on the tree, but certainly you shall bury him on that day, for cursed by God is one that is being hung; so you shall not defile your land* that Yahweh your God is giving to you as an inheritance."

⁴ For my iniquities have passed over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

³ He is the one who heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.

⁴ However, he was the one who lifted up our sicknesses, and he carried our pain, yet* we ourselves assumed him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. ⁵ But* he was pierced* because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; the chastisement for* our peace* was upon him, and by his wounds* _⌊we were healed_⌋.* ⁶ All of us have wandered about like sheep; we each have turned to his own way; and Yahweh let fall on him the iniquity of us all.

¹¹ From the trouble of his life* he will see;* he will be satisfied. In his knowledge, the righteous one, my servant, shall declare many righteous,* and he is the one who will bear their iniquities.

²⁰ For I say to you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.

¹⁷ in order that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,
"He himself took away our sicknesses, and carried away our diseases."*

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas for them, but after* he had Jesus flogged, he handed him* over so that he could be crucified.

¹⁵ So Pilate, because he* wanted _⌊to satisfy_⌋* the crowd, released for them Barabbas. And after* he had Jesus flogged, he handed him* over so that he could be crucified.

⁷⁴ that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, could serve him without fear ⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

¹⁸ "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because of which he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to send out in freedom those who are oppressed,

²⁹ On the next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

¹ So then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.*

³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed by* hanging him* on a tree.

³⁵ but in every nation the one who fears him and who does what is right is acceptable to him.

³⁹ And we are witnesses of all the things that he did both in the land of the Judeans and in Jerusalem, whom they also executed by* hanging him* on a tree.

²⁹ And when they had carried out all the things that were written about him, they took him* down from the tree and* placed him* in a tomb.

² May it never be! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

⁷ For the one who has died has been freed from sin.

¹¹ So also you, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

¹³ and do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness.

¹⁶ Do you not know that to whomever you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to whomever you obey, whether sin, leading to death, or obedience, leading to righteousness?

⁶ But now we have been released from the law, because we* have died to that by which we were bound, so that we may serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter of the law.

¹⁷ Therefore "come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord, "and do not touch what is unclean,* and I will welcome you,*

¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by* becoming a curse for us, because it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,"*

⁹ (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

²⁰ If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as if living in the world?

³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

²⁶ For a high priest such as this indeed is fitting for us, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and having become exalted above the heavens,

¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame will not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much.

¹ Therefore, because* Christ suffered in the flesh, you also equip yourselves with the same way of thinking, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God.

²⁹ If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone* who practices righteousness has been fathered by him.

⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you: the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous.

² in the middle of its street, and _⌊on both sides of the river_⌋* is the tree of life, producing twelve fruits—yielding its fruit according to every month—and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

¹ A psalm of David.*
Yahweh is my shepherd; I will not lack for anything. ² In grassy pastures he makes me lie down; by quiet waters he leads me. ³ He restores my life.* He leads me in _⌊correct paths_⌋* for the sake of his name.

¹ For the music director, according to The Lilies. A testimony. Of Asaph. A psalm.*
Give ear, O shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock. Shine forth, you who sits enthroned above the cherubim.

¹⁷⁶ I have wandered like a lost sheep; seek your servant, because I do not forget your commands.

⁷ Tell me, you whom my _⌊heart_⌋* loves, where do you pasture your flock, where do your sheep lie down at the noon? _⌊For why should I be like_⌋* one who is veiled* beside the flocks of your companions? ⁸ If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow _⌊the tracks_⌋* of the flock, and pasture your little lambs* beside the tents of the shepherds.

¹¹ He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arm, and he will carry them in his bosom; he will lead those who nurse.

⁶ All of us have wandered about like sheep; we each have turned to his own way; and Yahweh let fall on him the iniquity of us all.

² _⌊Therefore_⌋* thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people, "You yourselves have scattered my flock, and you have driven them away, and you do not attend to them. Look, I will punish you for the evil of your deeds," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

⁶ My flock went astray upon all of the mountains and on every high hill, and so upon all the surface of the world* my flock were scattered, and _⌊there was no one seeking them_⌋,* and _⌊there was no one searching for them_⌋."*

¹¹ " 'For thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Look! I, even I, will seek my flock, and I will look after them, ¹² just like the caring of a shepherd for his herd on* the day when he is in the midst of his scattered flock. Thus I will look after my flock, and I will deliver them from all the places _⌊to which they were scattered_⌋* on the day _⌊of storm and stress_⌋.* ¹³ And I will bring them out from the peoples, and I will gather them from the countries, and I will bring them to their soil, and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all of the settlements of the land. ¹⁴ I will feed them in good pasture, and their pasture will be on the mountains of the heights of Israel; there they will lie down in good pasture, and on lush pasture they will feed on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵ _⌊I myself_⌋* will feed my flock and _⌊I myself_⌋* will allow them to lie down," _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh. ¹⁶ "I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the scattered, and I will bind up the one hurt, and I will strengthen the sick; and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed her with justice."

²³ And I will set up over them one shepherd, and he will feed them; that is, my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be for them as* a shepherd. ²⁴ And I, Yahweh, I will be for them _⌊as God_⌋,* and my servant David will be a leader in the midst of them. I, Yahweh, I have spoken.

²⁴ " '"And my servant David will be king over them, and one shepherd will be for all of them, and in my regulations they will go, and my statutes they will observe, and they will do them.

⁷ "O sword, awake against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh of hosts. "Strike the shepherd, so that the sheep* may be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the small ones.

³⁶ And when he* saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were weary and dejected, like sheep that did not have a shepherd.

¹² What do you think? If _⌊a certain man has_⌋* a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and* look for the one that wandered away?

⁴ "What man of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the grassland and go after the one that was lost until he finds it? ⁵ And when he* has found it,* he places it* on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he* returns to his* home, he calls together his* friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!'

¹¹ "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand, who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf approaching and abandons the sheep and runs away—and the wolf seizes them and scatters them*— ¹³ because he is a hired hand and _⌊he is not concerned_⌋* about the sheep. ¹⁴ "I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And I have other sheep which are not from this fold. I must bring these also, and they will hear my voice, and they will become one flock—one shepherd.

¹ Therefore, holy brothers, sharers in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

²⁰ Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,

⁴ And when* the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.