BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42^[a][b]

For the director of music. A maskil^[c] of the Sons of Korah.

Adam and Eve

⁴ This is the account^(A) of the heavens and the earth when they were created,^(B) when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

⁵ Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth^[a] and no plant had yet sprung up,^(C) for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth^(D) and there was no one to work the ground, ⁶ but streams^[b] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. ⁷ Then the Lord God formed^(E) a man^[c](F) from the dust^(G) of the ground^(H) and breathed into his nostrils the breath^(I) of life,^(J) and the man became a living being.^(K)

⁸ Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;^(L) and there he put the man he had formed. ⁹ The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees^(M) that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life^(N) and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.^(O)

¹⁰ A river^(P) watering the garden flowed from Eden;^(Q) from there it was separated into four headwaters. ¹¹ The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah,^(R) where there is gold. ¹² (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin^[d](S) and onyx are also there.) ¹³ The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.^{[e] 14} The name of the third river is the Tigris;^(T) it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.^(U)

¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden^(V) to work it and take care of it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;^{(W) 17} but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,^(X) for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”^(Y)

¹⁸ The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”^(Z)

¹⁹ Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals^(AA) and all the birds in the sky.^(AB) He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called^(AC) each living creature,^(AD) that was its name. ²⁰ So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

But for Adam^[f] no suitable helper^(AE) was found. ²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;^(AF) and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs^[g] and then closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib^[h](AG) he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

²³ The man said,

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united^(AK) to his wife, and they become one flesh.^(AL)

²⁵ Adam and his wife were both naked,^(AM) and they felt no shame.

¹⁸ Then after three years,^(A) I went up to Jerusalem^(B) to get acquainted with Cephas^[a] and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ I saw none of the other apostles—only James,^(C) the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ I assure you before God^(D) that what I am writing you is no lie.^(E)

²¹ Then I went to Syria^(F) and Cilicia.^{(G) 22} I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea^(H) that are in Christ.^{(I) 23} They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith^(J) he once tried to destroy.”^{(K) 24} And they praised God^(L) because of me.

Paul Accepted by the Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem,^(M) this time with Barnabas.^(N) I took Titus^(O) along also. ² I went in response to a revelation^(P) and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.^(Q) I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race^(R) in vain. ³ Yet not even Titus,^(S) who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.^{(T) 4} This matter arose because some false believers^(U) had infiltrated our ranks to spy on^(V) the freedom^(W) we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. ⁵ We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel^(X) might be preserved for you.

⁶ As for those who were held in high esteem^(Y)—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism^(Z)—they added nothing to my message.^{(AA) 7} On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task^(AB) of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,^[b](AC) just as Peter^(AD) had been to the circumcised.^{[c] 8} For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle^(AE) to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle^(AF) to the Gentiles. ⁹ James,^(AG) Cephas^[d](AH) and John, those esteemed as pillars,^(AI) gave me and Barnabas^(AJ) the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.^(AK) They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles,^(AL) and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor,^(AM) the very thing I had been eager to do all along.