Psalm 99

Moses and the Glory of the Lord

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’^(A) but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name^(B) and you have found favor^(C) with me.’ ¹³ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways^(D) so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”^(E)

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “My Presence^(F) will go with you, and I will give you rest.”^(G)

¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence^(H) does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?^(I) What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”^(J)

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked,^(K) because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”^(L)

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”^(M)

¹⁹ And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass^(N) in front of you, and I will proclaim my name,^(O) the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.^{(P) 20} But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see^(Q) me and live.”

²¹ Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²² When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock^(R) and cover you with my hand^(S) until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

1 Paul, Silas^[a](A) and Timothy,^(B)

To the church of the Thessalonians^(C) in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.^(D)

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

² We always thank God for all of you^(E) and continually mention you in our prayers.^{(F) 3} We remember before our God and Father^(G) your work produced by faith,^(H) your labor prompted by love,^(I) and your endurance inspired by hope^(J) in our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ For we know, brothers and sisters^[b] loved by God,^(K) that he has chosen you, ⁵ because our gospel^(L) came to you not simply with words but also with power,^(M) with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know^(N) how we lived among you for your sake. ⁶ You became imitators of us^(O) and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering^(P) with the joy^(Q) given by the Holy Spirit.^{(R) 7} And so you became a model^(S) to all the believers in Macedonia^(T) and Achaia.^{(U) 8} The Lord’s message^(V) rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.^(W) Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, ⁹ for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned^(X) to God from idols^(Y) to serve the living and true God,^{(Z) 10} and to wait for his Son from heaven,^(AA) whom he raised from the dead^(AB)—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.^(AC)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar^(A)

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. ¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.^(B) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. ¹⁷ Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax^[a](C) to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,^(D) and to God what is God’s.”

²² When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.^(E)