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)

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

12 If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors.(A) 13 He will love you and bless you(B) and increase your numbers.(C) He will bless the fruit of your womb,(D) the crops of your land—your grain, new wine(E) and olive oil(F)—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.(G) 14 You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young.(H) 15 The Lord will keep you free from every disease.(I) He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt,(J) but he will inflict them on all who hate you.(K) 16 You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you.(L) Do not look on them with pity(M) and do not serve their gods,(N) for that will be a snare(O) to you.

17 You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?(P) 18 But do not be afraid(Q) of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.(R) 19 You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand(S) and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.(T) 20 Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet(U) among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. 21 Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you,(V) is a great and awesome God.(W) 22 The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little.(X) You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. 23 But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed.(Y) 24 He will give their kings(Z) into your hand,(AA) and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you;(AB) you will destroy them.(AC) 25 The images of their gods you are to burn(AD) in the fire. Do not covet(AE) the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared(AF) by it, for it is detestable(AG) to the Lord your God. 26 Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction.(AH) Regard it as vile and utterly detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.

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12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:

13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.

15 And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.

16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.

17 If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?

18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;

19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the Lord thy God brought thee out: so shall the Lord thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.

20 Moreover the Lord thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.

21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.

22 And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

23 But the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.

24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.

25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.

26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

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Final Greetings

Tychicus(A) will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant[a](B) in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our[b] circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.(C) He is coming with Onesimus,(D) our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you.(E) They will tell you everything that is happening here.

10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus(F) sends you his greetings, as does Mark,(G) the cousin of Barnabas.(H) (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews[c] among my co-workers(I) for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras,(J) who is one of you(K) and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you,(L) that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature(M) and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea(N) and Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke,(O) the doctor, and Demas(P) send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea,(Q) and to Nympha and the church in her house.(R)

16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read(S) in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.

17 Tell Archippus:(T) “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”(U)

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 4:7 Or slave; also in verse 12
  2. Colossians 4:8 Some manuscripts that he may know about your
  3. Colossians 4:11 Greek only ones of the circumcision group

All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)

11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

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