22 (A)“The Lord (B)possessed[a] me at the beginning of his work,[b]
    the first of his acts (C)of old.
23 Ages ago I was (D)set up,
    at the first, (E)before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no (F)depths I was (G)brought forth,
    when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains (H)had been shaped,
    (I)before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
    or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he (J)established the heavens, I was there;
    when he drew (K)a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he (L)made firm the skies above,
    when he established[c] the fountains of the deep,
29 when he (M)assigned to the sea its (N)limit,
    so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out (O)the foundations of the earth,
30     then (P)I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his[d] (Q)delight,
    rejoicing before him always,
31 (R)rejoicing in his (S)inhabited world
    and delighting in the children of man.

32 “And now, (T)O sons, listen to me:
    (U)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 (V)Hear instruction and be wise,
    and do not neglect it.
34 (W)Blessed is the one who listens to me,
    watching daily at my gates,
    waiting beside my doors.
35 For (X)whoever finds me (Y)finds life
    and (Z)obtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me (AA)injures himself;
    all who (AB)hate me (AC)love death.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created
  2. Proverbs 8:22 Hebrew way
  3. Proverbs 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  4. Proverbs 8:30 Or daily filled with

22 “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,[a][b]
    before his deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
    at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
    when there were no springs overflowing with water;(A)
25 before the mountains were settled in place,(B)
    before the hills, I was given birth,(C)
26 before he made the world or its fields
    or any of the dust of the earth.(D)
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,(E)
    when he marked out the horizon(F) on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above(G)
    and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,(H)
29 when he gave the sea its boundary(I)
    so the waters would not overstep his command,(J)
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.(K)
30     Then I was constantly[c] at his side.(L)
I was filled with delight day after day,
    rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
    and delighting in mankind.(M)

32 “Now then, my children, listen(N) to me;
    blessed are(O) those who keep my ways.(P)
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen(Q) to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me(R) find life(S)
    and receive favor from the Lord.(T)
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;(U)
    all who hate me love death.”(V)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
  2. Proverbs 8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
  3. Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child

Greeting

(A)The elder to the beloved Gaius, (B)whom I love in truth.

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For (C)I rejoiced greatly when the brothers[a] came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that (D)my children are walking in the truth.

Support and Opposition

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for (E)these brothers, (F)strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner (G)worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of (H)the name, (I)accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

11 Beloved, (J)do not imitate evil but imitate good. (K)Whoever does good is from God; (L)whoever does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius (M)has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and (N)you know that our testimony is true.

Final Greetings

13 (O)I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, (P)each by name.

Footnotes

  1. 3 John 1:3 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 5, 10

The elder,(A)

To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers(B) came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.(C) I have no greater joy than to hear that my children(D) are walking in the truth.(E)

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[a](F) even though they are strangers to you.(G) They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way(H) in a manner that honors(I) God. It was for the sake of the Name(J) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.(K) We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come,(L) I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers.(M) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.(N)

11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.(O) Anyone who does what is good is from God.(P) Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.(Q) 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone(R)—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.(S)

13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.(T)

15 Peace to you.(U) The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 3 John 1:5 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.

God's Chosen Servant

15 Jesus, aware of this, (A)withdrew from there. And (B)many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and (C)ordered them not to make him known. 17 (D)This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

18 (E)“Behold, my (F)servant whom I have chosen,
    my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
(G)I will put my Spirit upon him,
    and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
    nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
20 a bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
21     (H)and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

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God’s Chosen Servant

15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill.(A) 16 He warned them not to tell others about him.(B) 17 This was to fulfill(C) what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
    the one I love, in whom I delight;(D)
I will put my Spirit on him,(E)
    and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out;
    no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
21     In his name the nations will put their hope.”[a](F)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 12:21 Isaiah 42:1-4