BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one(A)
    who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
    or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
    and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
    which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.(P)

Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff(Q)
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand(R) in the judgment,(S)
    nor sinners in the assembly(T) of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over(U) the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(V)

Restitution for Wrongs

The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way[a] and so is unfaithful(A) to the Lord is guilty(B) and must confess(C) the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution(D) for the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged. But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the Lord and must be given to the priest, along with the ram(E) with which atonement is made for the wrongdoer.(F) All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him.(G) 10 Sacred things belong to their owners, but what they give to the priest will belong to the priest.(H)’”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 5:6 Or woman who commits any wrong common to mankind

Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good(A)

The reason I left you in Crete(B) was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint[a] elders(C) in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless,(D) faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe[b] and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer(E) manages God’s household,(F) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.(G) Rather, he must be hospitable,(H) one who loves what is good,(I) who is self-controlled,(J) upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly(K) to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine(L) and refute those who oppose it.

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk(M) and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.(N) 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households(O) by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets(P) has said it: “Cretans(Q) are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”[c] 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke(R) them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith(S) 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths(T) or to the merely human commands(U) of those who reject the truth.(V) 15 To the pure, all things are pure,(W) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.(X) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.(Y) 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.(Z) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.(AA)

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Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:5 Or ordain
  2. Titus 1:6 Or children are trustworthy
  3. Titus 1:12 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides

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