2 Kings 1-3
New Living Translation
Elijah Confronts King Ahaziah
1 After King Ahab’s death, the land of Moab rebelled against Israel.
2 One day Israel’s new king, Ahaziah, fell through the latticework of an upper room at his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. So he sent messengers to the temple of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether he would recover.
3 But the angel of the Lord told Elijah, who was from Tishbe, “Go and confront the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is there no God in Israel? Why are you going to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether the king will recover? 4 Now, therefore, this is what the Lord says: You will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.’” So Elijah went to deliver the message.
5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you returned so soon?”
6 They replied, “A man came up to us and told us to go back to the king and give him this message. ‘This is what the Lord says: Is there no God in Israel? Why are you sending men to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.’”
7 “What sort of man was he?” the king demanded. “What did he look like?”
8 They replied, “He was a hairy man,[a] and he wore a leather belt around his waist.”
“Elijah from Tishbe!” the king exclaimed.
9 Then he sent an army captain with fifty soldiers to arrest him. They found him sitting on top of a hill. The captain said to him, “Man of God, the king has commanded you to come down with us.”
10 But Elijah replied to the captain, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and destroy you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and killed them all.
11 So the king sent another captain with fifty men. The captain said to him, “Man of God, the king demands that you come down at once.”
12 Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and destroy you and your fifty men!” And again the fire of God fell from heaven and killed them all.
13 Once more the king sent a third captain with fifty men. But this time the captain went up the hill and fell to his knees before Elijah. He pleaded with him, “O man of God, please spare my life and the lives of these, your fifty servants. 14 See how the fire from heaven came down and destroyed the first two groups. But now please spare my life!”
15 Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him, and don’t be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went with him to the king.
16 And Elijah said to the king, “This is what the Lord says: Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Is there no God in Israel to answer your question? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.”
17 So Ahaziah died, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah. Since Ahaziah did not have a son to succeed him, his brother Joram[b] became the next king. This took place in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.
18 The rest of the events in Ahaziah’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
Elijah Taken into Heaven
2 When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.”
But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” So they went down together to Bethel.
3 The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”
4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Jericho.”
But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together to Jericho.
5 Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”
6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River.”
But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together.
7 Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River. 8 Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!
9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.”
And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”
11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.
13 Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River. 14 He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.
15 When the group of prophets from Jericho saw from a distance what happened, they exclaimed, “Elijah’s spirit rests upon Elisha!” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 “Sir,” they said, “just say the word and fifty of our strongest men will search the wilderness for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has left him on some mountain or in some valley.”
“No,” Elisha said, “don’t send them.” 17 But they kept urging him until they shamed him into agreeing, and he finally said, “All right, send them.” So fifty men searched for three days but did not find Elijah. 18 Elisha was still at Jericho when they returned. “Didn’t I tell you not to go?” he asked.
Elisha’s First Miracles
19 One day the leaders of the town of Jericho visited Elisha. “We have a problem, my lord,” they told him. “This town is located in pleasant surroundings, as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive.”
20 Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl with salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring that supplied the town with water and threw the salt into it. And he said, “This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility.[c]” 22 And the water has remained pure ever since, just as Elisha said.
23 Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a group of boys from the town began mocking and making fun of him. “Go away, baldy!” they chanted. “Go away, baldy!” 24 Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them. 25 From there Elisha went to Mount Carmel and finally returned to Samaria.
War between Israel and Moab
3 Ahab’s son Joram[d] began to rule over Israel in the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twelve years. 2 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not to the same extent as his father and mother. He at least tore down the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had set up. 3 Nevertheless, he continued in the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had committed and led the people of Israel to commit.
4 King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel an annual tribute of 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. 5 But after Ahab’s death, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So King Joram promptly mustered the army of Israel and marched from Samaria. 7 On the way, he sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you join me in battle against him?”
And Jehoshaphat replied, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” 8 Then Jehoshaphat asked, “What route will we take?”
“We will attack from the wilderness of Edom,” Joram replied.
9 The king of Edom and his troops joined them, and all three armies traveled along a roundabout route through the wilderness for seven days. But there was no water for the men or their animals.
10 “What should we do?” the king of Israel cried out. “The Lord has brought the three of us here to let the king of Moab defeat us.”
11 But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord with us? If there is, we can ask the Lord what to do through him.”
One of King Joram’s officers replied, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah’s personal assistant.[e]”
12 Jehoshaphat said, “Yes, the Lord speaks through him.” So the king of Israel, King Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom went to consult with Elisha.
13 “Why are you coming to me?”[f] Elisha asked the king of Israel. “Go to the pagan prophets of your father and mother!”
But King Joram of Israel said, “No! For it was the Lord who called us three kings here—only to be defeated by the king of Moab!”
14 Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I wouldn’t even bother with you except for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah. 15 Now bring me someone who can play the harp.”
While the harp was being played, the power[g] of the Lord came upon Elisha, 16 and he said, “This is what the Lord says: This dry valley will be filled with pools of water! 17 You will see neither wind nor rain, says the Lord, but this valley will be filled with water. You will have plenty for yourselves and your cattle and other animals. 18 But this is only a simple thing for the Lord, for he will make you victorious over the army of Moab! 19 You will conquer the best of their towns, even the fortified ones. You will cut down all their good trees, stop up all their springs, and ruin all their good land with stones.”
20 The next day at about the time when the morning sacrifice was offered, water suddenly appeared! It was flowing from the direction of Edom, and soon there was water everywhere.
21 Meanwhile, when the people of Moab heard about the three armies marching against them, they mobilized every man who was old enough to strap on a sword, and they stationed themselves along their border. 22 But when they got up the next morning, the sun was shining across the water, making it appear red to the Moabites—like blood. 23 “It’s blood!” the Moabites exclaimed. “The three armies must have attacked and killed each other! Let’s go, men of Moab, and collect the plunder!”
24 But when the Moabites arrived at the Israelite camp, the army of Israel rushed out and attacked them until they turned and ran. The army of Israel chased them into the land of Moab, destroying everything as they went.[h] 25 They destroyed the towns, covered their good land with stones, stopped up all the springs, and cut down all the good trees. Finally, only Kir-hareseth and its stone walls were left, but men with slings surrounded and attacked it.
26 When the king of Moab saw that he was losing the battle, he led 700 of his swordsmen in a desperate attempt to break through the enemy lines near the king of Edom, but they failed. 27 Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would have been the next king, and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the wall. So there was great anger against Israel,[i] and the Israelites withdrew and returned to their own land.
Footnotes
- 1:8 Or He was wearing clothing made of hair.
- 1:17 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant spelling of Joram.
- 2:21 Or or make the land unproductive; Hebrew reads or barrenness.
- 3:1 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant spelling of Joram; also in 3:6.
- 3:11 Hebrew He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.
- 3:13 Hebrew What is there in common between you and me?
- 3:15 Hebrew the hand.
- 3:24 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 3:27 Or So Israel’s anger was great. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
2 Kings 1-3
New American Standard Bible
Ahaziah’s Messengers Meet Elijah
1 Now (A)Moab broke with Israel after the death of Ahab. 2 And Ahaziah fell through the window lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, (B)inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, (C)whether I will recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to (D)Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of (E)Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Now therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘[a](F)You will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’” Then Elijah departed.
5 When the messengers returned to [b]Ahaziah, he said to them, “[c]Why have you returned?” 6 They said to him, “A man came up to meet us and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers (G)to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore [d]you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’”’” 7 Then he said to them, “What [e]did the man look like, who came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?” 8 And they said to him, “(H)He was a hairy man with a leather [f]belt worn around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
9 Then the king (I)sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, “You man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’” 10 But Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, (J)may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” (K)Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
11 So the king again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he said to him, “You man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down quickly!’” 12 But Elijah replied to them, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
13 So the king (L)again sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty men. When the third captain of fifty went up, he came and bowed down on his knees before Elijah, and begged him and said to him, “You man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my [g]life be precious in your sight.” 15 And (M)the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; (N)do not be afraid of him.” So he got up and went down with him to the king. 16 Then he said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Since you have sent messengers (O)to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore [h]you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’”
Jehoram Reigns over Israel
17 So Ahaziah died in accordance with the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place (P)in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. 18 Now as for the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
Elijah Taken to Heaven
2 Now it came about, when the Lord was about to (Q)bring Elijah up by a [i]whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left (R)Gilgal with (S)Elisha. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “(T)Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as (U)Bethel.” But Elisha said, “(V)As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Then (W)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over [j]you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”
4 And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please (X)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (Y)Jericho.” But he said, “(Z)As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 Then (AA)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “(AB)Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over [k]you today?” And he [l]answered, “Yes, I know; say nothing about it.” 6 And Elijah said to him, “Please (AC)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (AD)the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.
7 Now (AE)fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 And Elijah (AF)took his coat, folded it, and (AG)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a (AH)double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you (AI)see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they were walking along and talking, behold, (AJ)a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a [m]whirlwind to heaven. 12 And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “(AK)My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see [n]Elijah again. Then (AL)he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had (AM)struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
15 Now when (AN)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; please let them go and search for your master, in case (AO)the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” But he said, “You shall not send anyone.” 17 Yet when (AP)they urged him until he was ashamed to refuse, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but did not find him. 18 They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”
19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land [o]is unfruitful.” 20 And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt [p]in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring of water and (AQ)threw salt [q]in it and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have [r]purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or [s]unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22 So the waters have been [t]purified to this day, in accordance with the word of Elisha which he spoke.
23 Now he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the road, some young boys came out from the city and (AR)ridiculed him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he (AS)cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two [u]of the boys. 25 He then went on from there to (AT)Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
Jehoram Meets Moabite Rebellion
3 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria (AU)in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned for twelve years. 2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and his mother; for (AV)he removed the memorial stone of Baal (AW)which his father had made. 3 Nevertheless, (AX)he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into (AY)which he misled Israel; he did not abandon them.
4 Now Mesha the king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he (AZ)used to make tribute payments to the king of Israel of a hundred thousand lambs, and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 However, (BA)when King Ahab died, the king of Moab broke with the [v]king of Israel. 6 So King Jehoram left Samaria for battle [w]at that time and mustered all Israel. 7 Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has broken away from me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And he said, “I will go up. [x](BB)Consider me yours, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he [y]answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”
9 So (BC)the king of Israel went with (BD)the king of Judah and (BE)the king of Edom, and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey. But there was no water for the army or for the cattle that [z]followed them. 10 Then the king of Israel said, “It is hopeless! For the Lord has called these three kings to hand them over to Moab!” 11 But Jehoshaphat said, “(BF)Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “(BG)Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, (BH)who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” 12 And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “[aa]What business do you have with me? (BI)Go to your father’s prophets and your mother’s prophets.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to hand them over to Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “(BJ)As surely as the Lord of armies lives, before whom I stand, if I did not respect Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you. 15 But now (BK)bring me a [ab]musician.” And it came about, when the [ac]musician played, that (BL)the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Make this valley [ad]full of trenches.’ 17 For the Lord says this: ‘You will not see wind, nor will you see rain; yet that valley (BM)shall be filled with water, so that you will drink, you, your livestock, and your other animals. 18 And this is an (BN)insignificant thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also give the Moabites into your hand. 19 (BO)Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and [ae]cut down every good tree and stop up all the springs of water, and spoil every good plot of land with stones.’” 20 And it happened in the morning (BP)about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came from the direction of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
21 Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to [af]put on armor and older were summoned and they took their positions on the border. 22 Then they got up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. 23 So they said, “This is blood; the kings must have fought each other, and they have killed one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoils!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled from them; and the Israelites invaded [ag]the land, [ah]killing the Moabites. 25 (BQ)So they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every plot of good land and filled it. So they stopped up every spring of water and [ai]cut down every good tree, until in (BR)Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the rock slingers surrounded it and struck it. 26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. 27 Then the king of Moab took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and (BS)offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And great anger came upon Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 1:4 Lit The bed where you went up, you will not come down from it
- 2 Kings 1:5 Lit him
- 2 Kings 1:5 Lit What is this that you have returned?
- 2 Kings 1:6 See note v 4
- 2 Kings 1:7 Lit was the appearance of
- 2 Kings 1:8 Lit loincloth
- 2 Kings 1:14 Lit soul
- 2 Kings 1:16 See note v 4
- 2 Kings 2:1 Or windstorm
- 2 Kings 2:3 Lit your head
- 2 Kings 2:5 Lit your head
- 2 Kings 2:5 Lit said
- 2 Kings 2:11 Or windstorm
- 2 Kings 2:12 Lit him
- 2 Kings 2:19 Lit causes miscarriages
- 2 Kings 2:20 Lit there
- 2 Kings 2:21 Lit there
- 2 Kings 2:21 Lit healed
- 2 Kings 2:21 Lit anything causing miscarriages
- 2 Kings 2:22 Lit healed
- 2 Kings 2:24 Lit boys from them
- 2 Kings 3:5 I.e., Jehoram, the new king
- 2 Kings 3:6 Lit in that day
- 2 Kings 3:7 Lit As I, as you, as my people...
- 2 Kings 3:8 Lit said
- 2 Kings 3:9 Lit were in their footsteps
- 2 Kings 3:13 Lit What to me and to you, an ancient idiom
- 2 Kings 3:15 Lit string player
- 2 Kings 3:15 Lit string player
- 2 Kings 3:16 Lit trenches, trenches
- 2 Kings 3:19 Lit fell
- 2 Kings 3:21 Lit strap on a belt (for weapons)
- 2 Kings 3:24 Lit it
- 2 Kings 3:24 Lit striking
- 2 Kings 3:25 Lit felled
Psalm 82
New Living Translation
Psalm 82
A psalm of Asaph.
1 God presides over heaven’s court;
he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings:
2 “How long will you hand down unjust decisions
by favoring the wicked? Interlude
3 “Give justice to the poor and the orphan;
uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
4 Rescue the poor and helpless;
deliver them from the grasp of evil people.
5 But these oppressors know nothing;
they are so ignorant!
They wander about in darkness,
while the whole world is shaken to the core.
6 I say, ‘You are gods;
you are all children of the Most High.
7 But you will die like mere mortals
and fall like every other ruler.’”
8 Rise up, O God, and judge the earth,
for all the nations belong to you.
Psalm 82
New American Standard Bible
Unjust Judgments Rebuked.
A Psalm of Asaph.
82 God takes His (A)position in [a]His assembly;
He (B)judges in the midst of the (C)gods.
2 How long will you (D)judge unjustly
And (E)show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 (F)Vindicate the weak and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.
4 (G)Rescue the weak and needy;
Save them from the hand of the wicked.
5 They (H)do not know nor do they understand;
They (I)walk around in darkness;
All the (J)foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 [b]I (K)said, “You are gods,
And all of you are (L)sons of the Most High.
7 Nevertheless (M)you will die like men,
And fall like (N)one of the princes.”
8 (O)Arise, God, (P)judge the earth!
For You (Q)possess all the nations.
Footnotes
- Psalm 82:1 Lit the assembly of God
- Psalm 82:6 Lit I, on my part
1 Timothy 1
New Living Translation
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.
2 I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith.
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.
Warnings against False Teachings
3 When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. 4 Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations,[a] which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.[b]
5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. 6 But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. 7 They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently.
8 We know that the law is good when used correctly. 9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders,[c] liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.
Paul’s Gratitude for God’s Mercy
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
Timothy’s Responsibility
18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. 19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.
1 Timothy 1
New American Standard Bible
Correcting False Teaching
1 Paul, (A)an apostle of (B)Christ Jesus (C)according to the commandment of (D)God our Savior, and of (E)Christ Jesus, who is our (F)hope,
2 To (G)Timothy, (H)my true [a]son in the faith: (I)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and (J)Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 Just as I urged you [b]upon my departure for (K)Macedonia, to remain on at (L)Ephesus so that you would instruct certain people not to (M)teach strange doctrines, 4 nor to [c]pay attention to (N)myths and endless (O)genealogies, which give rise to useless (P)speculation rather than (Q)advance [d]the plan of God, which is by faith, so I urge you now. 5 But the goal of our [e](R)instruction is love (S)from a pure heart, from a (T)good conscience, and from a sincere (U)faith. 6 Some people have strayed from these things and have turned aside to (V)fruitless discussion, 7 (W)wanting to be (X)teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.
8 But we know that (Y)the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that (Z)law is not made for a righteous person but for those who are lawless and (AA)rebellious, for the (AB)ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and (AC)worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the [f](AD)sexually immoral, (AE)homosexuals, [g](AF)slave traders, (AG)liars, (AH)perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to (AI)sound teaching, 11 according to (AJ)the glorious gospel of (AK)the blessed God, with which I have been (AL)entrusted.
Paul’s Testimony
12 I thank (AM)Christ Jesus our Lord, who has (AN)strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, (AO)putting me into service, 13 even though I was previously a blasphemer and a (AP)persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was (AQ)shown mercy because (AR)I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the (AS)grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the (AT)faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15 (AU)It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that (AV)Christ Jesus came into the world to (AW)save sinners, among whom (AX)I am foremost. 16 Yet for this reason I (AY)found mercy, so that in me as the foremost sinner Jesus Christ might (AZ)demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those [h]who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the (BA)King [i]eternal, (BB)immortal, (BC)invisible, the (BD)only God, (BE)be honor and glory [j]forever and ever. Amen.
18 This (BF)command I entrust to you, Timothy, (BG)my [k]son, in accordance with the (BH)prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you (BI)fight the good fight, 19 keeping (BJ)faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to [l](BK)their faith. 20 [m]Among these are (BL)Hymenaeus and (BM)Alexander, whom I have (BN)handed over to Satan, so that they will be (BO)taught not to blaspheme.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 1:2 Or child
- 1 Timothy 1:3 Lit while going to
- 1 Timothy 1:4 Or occupy themselves with
- 1 Timothy 1:4 I.e., prob. the plan of salvation
- 1 Timothy 1:5 Lit commandment
- 1 Timothy 1:10 Or fornicators
- 1 Timothy 1:10 Or kidnappers
- 1 Timothy 1:16 Or destined to
- 1 Timothy 1:17 Lit of the ages
- 1 Timothy 1:17 Lit to the ages of the ages
- 1 Timothy 1:18 Or child
- 1 Timothy 1:19 Or the
- 1 Timothy 1:20 Lit Of
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
