The law of the Lord(A) is perfect,(B)
    refreshing the soul.(C)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,(D)
    making wise the simple.(E)
The precepts of the Lord are right,(F)
    giving joy(G) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.(H)
The fear of the Lord(I) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.(J)

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

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing(R) in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock(S) and my Redeemer.(T)

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The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

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13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.(A) 16 Whenever they have a dispute,(B) it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”(C)

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.(D) 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.(E) You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes(F) to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions,(G) and show them the way they are to live(H) and how they are to behave.(I) 21 But select capable men(J) from all the people—men who fear(K) God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain(L)—and appoint them as officials(M) over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case(N) to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share(O) it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders(P) of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.(Q) 26 They served as judges(R) for the people at all times. The difficult cases(S) they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.(T)

27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.(U)

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13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

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13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John(A) and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,(B) they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.(C) 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin(D) and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?”(E) they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign,(F) and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.(G) 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him?(H) You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking(I) about what we have seen and heard.”(J)

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people(K) were praising God(L) for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

The Believers Pray

23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.(M) “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.(N) 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:(O)

“‘Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.[a][b](P)

27 Indeed Herod(Q) and Pontius Pilate(R) met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus,(S) whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.(T) 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.(U) 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders(V) through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”(W)

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.(X) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit(Y) and spoke the word of God(Z) boldly.(AA)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 4:26 That is, Messiah or Christ
  2. Acts 4:26 Psalm 2:1,2

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

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