Proverbs 8:22-36
English Standard Version
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.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created
- Proverbs 8:22 Hebrew way
- Proverbs 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:30 Or daily filled with
3 John
English Standard Version
Greeting
1 (A)The elder to the beloved Gaius, (B)whom I love in truth.
2 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. 3 For (C)I rejoiced greatly when the brothers[a] came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that (D)my children are walking in the truth.
Support and Opposition
5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for (E)these brothers, (F)strangers as they are, 6 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. 7 For they have gone out for the sake of (H)the name, (I)accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
9 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
- 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
Matthew 12:15-21
English Standard Version
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.”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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