Psalm 79:1-9

New International Version

Psalm 79

A psalm of Asaph.

¹O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;^(A)
    they have defiled^(B) your holy temple,
    they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.^(C)
²They have left the dead bodies of your servants
    as food for the birds of the sky,^(D)
    the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.^(E)
³They have poured out blood like water
    all around Jerusalem,
    and there is no one to bury^(F) the dead.^(G)
⁴We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
    of scorn^(H) and derision to those around us.^(I)

⁵How long,^(J) Lord? Will you be angry^(K) forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire?^(L)
⁶Pour out your wrath^(M) on the nations
    that do not acknowledge^(N) you,
on the kingdoms
    that do not call on your name;^(O)
⁷for they have devoured^(P) Jacob
    and devastated his homeland.

⁸Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;^(Q)
    may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
    for we are in desperate need.^(R)
⁹Help us,^(S) God our Savior,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
    for your name’s sake.^(T)

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Jeremiah 8:18-9:1

New International Version

¹⁸You who are my Comforter^[a] in sorrow,
    my heart is faint^(A) within me.
¹⁹Listen to the cry of my people
    from a land far away:^(B)
“Is the Lord not in Zion?
    Is her King^(C) no longer there?”

“Why have they aroused^(D) my anger with their images,
with their worthless^(E) foreign idols?”^(F)

²⁰“The harvest is past,
the summer has ended,
and we are not saved.”

²¹Since my people are crushed,^(G) I am crushed;
    I mourn,^(H) and horror grips me.
²²Is there no balm in Gilead?^(I)
    Is there no physician^(J) there?
Why then is there no healing^(K)
    for the wound of my people?

9 ^[b]¹Oh, that my head were a spring of water
and my eyes a fountain of tears!^(L)
I would weep^(M) day and night
for the slain of my people.^(N)

Footnotes

Jeremiah 8:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Jeremiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-26 is numbered 9:1-25.

1 Timothy 2:1-7

New International Version

Instructions on Worship

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers,^(A) intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ²for kings and all those in authority,^(B) that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness^(C) and holiness. ³This is good, and pleases^(D) God our Savior,^(E) ⁴who wants^(F) all people^(G) to be saved^(H) and to come to a knowledge of the truth.^(I) ⁵For there is one God^(J) and one mediator^(K) between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,^(L) ⁶who gave himself as a ransom^(M) for all people. This has now been witnessed to^(N) at the proper time.^(O) ⁷And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying^(P)—and a true and faithful teacher^(Q) of the Gentiles.^(R)

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Luke 16:1-13

New International Version

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.^(A) ²So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

³“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— ⁴I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

⁵“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

⁶“‘Nine hundred gallons^[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

⁷“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels^[b] of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

⁸“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world^(B) are more shrewd^(C) in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.^(D) ⁹I tell you, use worldly wealth^(E) to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.^(F)

¹⁰“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,^(G) and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth,^(H) who will trust you with true riches? ¹²And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

¹³“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”^(I)

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