Psalm 19

New International Version

Psalm 19^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹The heavens^(A) declare^(B) the glory of God;^(C)
    the skies^(D) proclaim the work of his hands.^(E)
²Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.^(F)
³They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.^(G)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent^(H) for the sun.^(I)
⁵    It is like a bridegroom^(J) coming out of his chamber,^(K)
    like a champion^(L) rejoicing to run his course.
⁶It rises at one end of the heavens^(M)
    and makes its circuit to the other;^(N)
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷The law of the Lord^(O) is perfect,^(P)
    refreshing the soul.^(Q)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,^(R)
    making wise the simple.^(S)
⁸The precepts of the Lord are right,^(T)
    giving joy^(U) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.^(V)
⁹The fear of the Lord^(W) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.^(X)

¹⁰They are more precious than gold,^(Y)
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,^(Z)
    than honey from the honeycomb.^(AA)
¹¹By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
¹²But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.^(AB)
¹³Keep your servant also from willful sins;^(AC)
    may they not rule over me.^(AD)
Then I will be blameless,^(AE)
    innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing^(AF) in your sight,
Lord, my Rock^(AG) and my Redeemer.^(AH)

Footnotes

Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line

Proverbs 19:24-29

New International Version

²⁴A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!^(A)

²⁵Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning,^(B) and they will gain knowledge.^(C)

²⁶Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother^(D)
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

²⁷Stop listening to instruction, my son,^(E)
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.^(F)

²⁹Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.^(G)

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James 2:17-26

New International Version

¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.^(A)

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds,^(B) and I will show you my faith^(C) by my deeds.^(D) ¹⁹You believe that there is one God.^(E) Good! Even the demons believe that^(F)—and shudder.

²⁰You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^[a]?^(G) ²¹Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?^(H) ²²You see that his faith and his actions were working together,^(I) and his faith was made complete by what he did.^(J) ²³And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^[b]^(K) and he was called God’s friend.^(L) ²⁴You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

²⁵In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?^(M) ²⁶As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.^(N)

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