Proverbs 8:22-36

New International Version

²²“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,^[a]^[b]
    before his deeds of old;
²³I was formed long ages ago,
    at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
²⁴When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
    when there were no springs overflowing with water;^(A)
²⁵before the mountains were settled in place,^(B)
    before the hills, I was given birth,^(C)
²⁶before he made the world or its fields
    or any of the dust of the earth.^(D)
²⁷I was there when he set the heavens in place,^(E)
    when he marked out the horizon^(F) on the face of the deep,
²⁸when he established the clouds above^(G)
    and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,^(H)
²⁹when 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,
³¹rejoicing 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)
³³Listen to my instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
³⁴Blessed are those who listen^(Q) to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway.
³⁵For those who find me^(R) find life^(S)
    and receive favor from the Lord.^(T)
³⁶But those who fail to find me harm themselves;^(U)
    all who hate me love death.”^(V)

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Footnotes

Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
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
Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child

3 John

New International Version

¹The elder,^(A)

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

²Dear 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. ³It 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) ⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children^(D) are walking in the truth.^(E)

⁵Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,^[a]^(F) even though they are strangers to you.^(G) ⁶They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way^(H) in a manner that honors^(I) God. ⁷It was for the sake of the Name^(J) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.^(K) ⁸We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

⁹I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. ¹⁰So 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)

¹¹Dear 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) ¹²Demetrius 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)

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

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

Footnotes

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.

Matthew 12:15-21

New International Version

God’s Chosen Servant

¹⁵Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill.^(A) ¹⁶He warned them not to tell others about him.^(B) ¹⁷This 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.
¹⁹He will not quarrel or cry out;
    no one will hear his voice in the streets.
²⁰A 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)