John 4:15-26

New International Version

¹⁵The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty^(A) and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

¹⁶He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

¹⁷“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

¹⁹“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.^(B) ²⁰Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain,^(C) but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”^(D)

²¹“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming^(E) when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.^(F) ²²You Samaritans worship what you do not know;^(G) we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.^(H) ²³Yet a time is coming and has now come^(I) when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit^(J) and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴God is spirit,^(K) and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

²⁵The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ)^(L) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

²⁶Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”^(M)

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James 5:13-20

New International Version

The Prayer of Faith

¹³Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.^(A) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.^(B) ¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders^(C) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil^(D) in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And the prayer offered in faith^(E) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶Therefore confess your sins^(F) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(G) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(H)

¹⁷Elijah was a human being, even as we are.^(I) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.^(J) ¹⁸Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.^(K)

¹⁹My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth^(L) and someone should bring that person back,^(M) ²⁰remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save^(N) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.^(O)

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Ecclesiastes 9

New International Version

A Common Destiny for All

9 So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.^(A) ²All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,^[a] the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.

As it is with the good,
so with the sinful;
as it is with those who take oaths,
so with those who are afraid to take them.^(B)

³This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all.^(C) The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,^(D) and afterward they join the dead.^(E) ⁴Anyone who is among the living has hope^[b]—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

⁵For the living know that they will die,
    but the dead know nothing;^(F)
they have no further reward,
    and even their name^(G) is forgotten.^(H)
⁶Their love, their hate
    and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
    in anything that happens under the sun.^(I)

⁷Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine^(J) with a joyful heart,^(K) for God has already approved what you do. ⁸Always be clothed in white,^(L) and always anoint your head with oil. ⁹Enjoy life with your wife,^(M) whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot^(N) in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. ¹⁰Whatever^(O) your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,^(P) for in the realm of the dead,^(Q) where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.^(R)

¹¹I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
    or the battle to the strong,^(S)
nor does food come to the wise^(T)
    or wealth to the brilliant
    or favor to the learned;
but time and chance^(U) happen to them all.^(V)

¹²Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:

As fish are caught in a cruel net,
or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times^(W)
that fall unexpectedly upon them.^(X)

Wisdom Better Than Folly

¹³I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom^(Y) that greatly impressed me: ¹⁴There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. ¹⁵Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.^(Z) ¹⁶So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.^(AA)

¹⁷The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
¹⁸Wisdom^(AB) is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.

Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 9:2 Septuagint (Aquila), Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew does not have and the bad.
Ecclesiastes 9:4 Or What then is to be chosen? With all who live, there is hope

Jeremiah 30-31

New International Version

Restoration of Israel

30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ²“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write^(A) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. ³The days^(B) are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring^(C) my people Israel and Judah back from captivity^[a] and restore^(D) them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”

⁴These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: ⁵“This is what the Lord says:

“‘Cries of fear^(E) are heard—
    terror, not peace.
⁶Ask and see:
    Can a man bear children?
Then why do I see every strong man
    with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor,^(F)
    every face turned deathly pale?^(G)
⁷How awful that day^(H) will be!
    No other will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble^(I) for Jacob,
    but he will be saved^(J) out of it.

⁸“‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,
    ‘I will break the yoke^(K) off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;^(L)
    no longer will foreigners enslave them.^(M)
⁹Instead, they will serve the Lord their God
    and David^(N) their king,^(O)
    whom I will raise up for them.

¹⁰“‘So do not be afraid,^(P) Jacob my servant;^(Q)
    do not be dismayed, Israel,’
declares the Lord.
‘I will surely save^(R) you out of a distant place,
    your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,^(S)
    and no one will make him afraid.^(T)
¹¹I am with you^(U) and will save you,’
    declares the Lord.
‘Though I completely destroy all the nations
    among which I scatter you,
    I will not completely destroy^(V) you.
I will discipline^(W) you but only in due measure;
    I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’^(X)

¹²“This is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wound^(Y) is incurable,
    your injury beyond healing.^(Z)
¹³There is no one to plead your cause,^(AA)
    no remedy for your sore,
    no healing^(AB) for you.
¹⁴All your allies^(AC) have forgotten you;
    they care nothing for you.
I have struck you as an enemy^(AD) would
    and punished you as would the cruel,^(AE)
because your guilt is so great
    and your sins^(AF) so many.
¹⁵Why do you cry out over your wound,
    your pain that has no cure?^(AG)
Because of your great guilt and many sins
    I have done these things to you.^(AH)

¹⁶“‘But all who devour^(AI) you will be devoured;
    all your enemies will go into exile.^(AJ)
Those who plunder^(AK) you will be plundered;
    all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
¹⁷But I will restore you to health
    and heal^(AL) your wounds,’
declares the Lord,
‘because you are called an outcast,^(AM)
    Zion for whom no one cares.’^(AN)

¹⁸“This is what the Lord says:

“‘I will restore the fortunes^(AO) of Jacob’s tents^(AP)
    and have compassion^(AQ) on his dwellings;
the city will be rebuilt^(AR) on her ruins,
    and the palace will stand in its proper place.
¹⁹From them will come songs^(AS) of thanksgiving^(AT)
    and the sound of rejoicing.^(AU)
I will add to their numbers,^(AV)
    and they will not be decreased;
I will bring them honor,^(AW)
    and they will not be disdained.
²⁰Their children^(AX) will be as in days of old,
    and their community will be established^(AY) before me;
    I will punish^(AZ) all who oppress them.
²¹Their leader^(BA) will be one of their own;
    their ruler will arise from among them.^(BB)
I will bring him near^(BC) and he will come close to me—
    for who is he who will devote himself
    to be close to me?’
declares the Lord.
²²“‘So you will be my people,^(BD)
    and I will be your God.^(BE)’”

²³See, the storm^(BF) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a driving wind swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
²⁴The fierce anger^(BG) of the Lord will not turn back^(BH)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand^(BI) this.

31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God^(BJ) of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”

²This is what the Lord says:

“The people who survive the sword
will find favor^(BK) in the wilderness;
I will come to give rest^(BL) to Israel.”

³The Lord appeared to us in the past,^[b] saying:

“I have loved^(BM) you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn^(BN) you with unfailing kindness.
⁴I will build you up again,
    and you, Virgin^(BO) Israel, will be rebuilt.^(BP)
Again you will take up your timbrels^(BQ)
    and go out to dance^(BR) with the joyful.^(BS)
⁵Again you will plant^(BT) vineyards
    on the hills of Samaria;^(BU)
the farmers will plant them
    and enjoy their fruit.^(BV)
⁶There will be a day when watchmen^(BW) cry out
    on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
    to the Lord our God.’”^(BX)

⁷This is what the Lord says:

“Sing^(BY) with joy for Jacob;
    shout for the foremost^(BZ) of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
    ‘Lord, save^(CA) your people,
    the remnant^(CB) of Israel.’
⁸See, I will bring them from the land of the north^(CC)
    and gather^(CD) them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind^(CE) and the lame,^(CF)
    expectant mothers and women in labor;
    a great throng will return.
⁹They will come with weeping;^(CG)
    they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead^(CH) them beside streams of water^(CI)
    on a level^(CJ) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,^(CK)
    and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

¹⁰“Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
    proclaim it in distant coastlands:^(CL)
‘He who scattered^(CM) Israel will gather^(CN) them
    and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’^(CO)
¹¹For the Lord will deliver Jacob
    and redeem^(CP) them from the hand of those stronger^(CQ) than they.
¹²They will come and shout for joy^(CR) on the heights^(CS) of Zion;
    they will rejoice in the bounty^(CT) of the Lord—
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,^(CU)
    the young of the flocks^(CV) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,^(CW)
    and they will sorrow^(CX) no more.
¹³Then young women will dance and be glad,
    young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning^(CY) into gladness;
    I will give them comfort^(CZ) and joy^(DA) instead of sorrow.
¹⁴I will satisfy^(DB) the priests^(DC) with abundance,
    and my people will be filled with my bounty,^(DD)”
declares the Lord.

¹⁵This is what the Lord says:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,^(DE)
    mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,^(DF)
    because they are no more.”^(DG)

¹⁶This is what the Lord says:

“Restrain your voice from weeping
    and your eyes from tears,^(DH)
for your work will be rewarded,^(DI)”
declares the Lord.
    “They will return^(DJ) from the land of the enemy.
¹⁷So there is hope^(DK) for your descendants,”
declares the Lord.
    “Your children^(DL) will return to their own land.

¹⁸“I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
    ‘You disciplined^(DM) me like an unruly calf,^(DN)
    and I have been disciplined.
Restore^(DO) me, and I will return,
    because you are the Lord my God.
¹⁹After I strayed,^(DP)
    I repented;
after I came to understand,
    I beat^(DQ) my breast.
I was ashamed^(DR) and humiliated
    because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’^(DS)
²⁰Is not Ephraim my dear son,
    the child^(DT) in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
    I still remember^(DU) him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
    I have great compassion^(DV) for him,”
declares the Lord.

²¹“Set up road signs;
    put up guideposts.^(DW)
Take note of the highway,^(DX)
    the road that you take.
Return,^(DY) Virgin^(DZ) Israel,
    return to your towns.
²²How long will you wander,^(EA)
    unfaithful^(EB) Daughter Israel?
The Lord will create a new thing^(EC) on earth—
    the woman will return to^[c]^(ED) the man.”

²³This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,^[d]^(EE) the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless^(EF) you, you prosperous city,^(EG) you sacred mountain.’^(EH) ²⁴People will live^(EI) together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks.^(EJ) ²⁵I will refresh the weary^(EK) and satisfy the faint.”^(EL)

²⁶At this I awoke^(EM) and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

²⁷“The days are coming,”^(EN) declares the Lord, “when I will plant^(EO) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. ²⁸Just as I watched^(EP) over them to uproot^(EQ) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster,^(ER) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,”^(ES) declares the Lord. ²⁹“In those days people will no longer say,

‘The parents^(ET) have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’^(EU)

³⁰Instead, everyone will die for their own sin;^(EV) whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

³¹“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will make a new covenant^(EW)
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
³²It will not be like the covenant^(EX)
    I made with their ancestors^(EY)
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,^(EZ)
because they broke my covenant,
    though I was a husband^(FA) to^[e] them,^[f]”
declares the Lord.
³³“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds^(FB)
    and write it on their hearts.^(FC)
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.^(FD)
³⁴No longer will they teach^(FE) their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know^(FF) me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive^(FG) their wickedness
    and will remember their sins^(FH) no more.”

³⁵This is what the Lord says,

he who appoints^(FI) the sun
    to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
    to shine by night,^(FJ)
who stirs up the sea^(FK)
    so that its waves roar^(FL)—
    the Lord Almighty is his name:^(FM)
³⁶“Only if these decrees^(FN) vanish from my sight,”
    declares the Lord,
“will Israel^(FO) ever cease
    being a nation before me.”

³⁷This is what the Lord says:

“Only if the heavens above can be measured^(FP)
and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject^(FQ) all the descendants of Israel
because of all they have done,”
declares the Lord.

³⁸“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this city will be rebuilt^(FR) for me from the Tower of Hananel^(FS) to the Corner Gate.^(FT) ³⁹The measuring line^(FU) will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. ⁴⁰The whole valley^(FV) where dead bodies^(FW) and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley^(FX) on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate,^(FY) will be holy^(FZ) to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”