Psalm 119:1-48

New International Version

Psalm 119^[a]

א Aleph

¹Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,^(A)
    who walk^(B) according to the law of the Lord.^(C)
²Blessed^(D) are those who keep his statutes^(E)
    and seek him^(F) with all their heart—^(G)
³they do no wrong^(H)
    but follow his ways.^(I)
⁴You have laid down precepts^(J)
    that are to be fully obeyed.^(K)
⁵Oh, that my ways were steadfast
    in obeying your decrees!^(L)
⁶Then I would not be put to shame^(M)
    when I consider all your commands.^(N)
⁷I will praise you with an upright heart
    as I learn your righteous laws.^(O)
⁸I will obey your decrees;
    do not utterly forsake me.^(P)

ב Beth

⁹How can a young person stay on the path of purity?^(Q)
    By living according to your word.^(R)
¹⁰I seek you with all my heart;^(S)
    do not let me stray from your commands.^(T)
¹¹I have hidden your word in my heart^(U)
    that I might not sin^(V) against you.
¹²Praise be^(W) to you, Lord;
    teach me^(X) your decrees.^(Y)
¹³With my lips I recount
    all the laws that come from your mouth.^(Z)
¹⁴I rejoice in following your statutes^(AA)
    as one rejoices in great riches.
¹⁵I meditate on your precepts^(AB)
    and consider your ways.
¹⁶I delight^(AC) in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.

ג Gimel

¹⁷Be good to your servant^(AD) while I live,
    that I may obey your word.^(AE)
¹⁸Open my eyes that I may see
    wonderful things in your law.
¹⁹I am a stranger on earth;^(AF)
    do not hide your commands from me.
²⁰My soul is consumed^(AG) with longing
    for your laws^(AH) at all times.
²¹You rebuke the arrogant,^(AI) who are accursed,^(AJ)
    those who stray^(AK) from your commands.
²²Remove from me their scorn^(AL) and contempt,
    for I keep your statutes.^(AM)
²³Though rulers sit together and slander me,
    your servant will meditate on your decrees.
²⁴Your statutes are my delight;
    they are my counselors.

ד Daleth

²⁵I am laid low in the dust;^(AN)
    preserve my life^(AO) according to your word.^(AP)
²⁶I gave an account of my ways and you answered me;
    teach me your decrees.^(AQ)
²⁷Cause me to understand the way of your precepts,
    that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.^(AR)
²⁸My soul is weary with sorrow;^(AS)
    strengthen me^(AT) according to your word.^(AU)
²⁹Keep me from deceitful ways;^(AV)
    be gracious to me^(AW) and teach me your law.
³⁰I have chosen^(AX) the way of faithfulness;^(AY)
    I have set my heart^(AZ) on your laws.
³¹I hold fast^(BA) to your statutes, Lord;
    do not let me be put to shame.
³²I run in the path of your commands,
    for you have broadened my understanding.

ה He

³³Teach me,^(BB) Lord, the way of your decrees,
    that I may follow it to the end.^[b]
³⁴Give me understanding,^(BC) so that I may keep your law^(BD)
    and obey it with all my heart.^(BE)
³⁵Direct me^(BF) in the path of your commands,^(BG)
    for there I find delight.^(BH)
³⁶Turn my heart^(BI) toward your statutes
    and not toward selfish gain.^(BJ)
³⁷Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
    preserve my life^(BK) according to your word.^[c]^(BL)
³⁸Fulfill your promise^(BM) to your servant,
    so that you may be feared.
³⁹Take away the disgrace^(BN) I dread,
    for your laws are good.
⁴⁰How I long^(BO) for your precepts!
    In your righteousness preserve my life.^(BP)

ו Waw

⁴¹May your unfailing love^(BQ) come to me, Lord,
    your salvation, according to your promise;^(BR)
⁴²then I can answer^(BS) anyone who taunts me,^(BT)
    for I trust in your word.
⁴³Never take your word of truth from my mouth,^(BU)
    for I have put my hope^(BV) in your laws.
⁴⁴I will always obey your law,^(BW)
    for ever and ever.
⁴⁵I will walk about in freedom,
    for I have sought out your precepts.^(BX)
⁴⁶I will speak of your statutes before kings^(BY)
    and will not be put to shame,^(BZ)
⁴⁷for I delight^(CA) in your commands
    because I love them.^(CB)
⁴⁸I reach out for your commands, which I love,
    that I may meditate^(CC) on your decrees.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Psalm 119:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet; moreover, the verses of each stanza begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 119:33 Or follow it for its reward
Psalm 119:37 Two manuscripts of the Masoretic Text and Dead Sea Scrolls; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text life in your way

1 Corinthians 3

New International Version

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit^(A) but as people who are still worldly^(B)—mere infants^(C) in Christ. ²I gave you milk, not solid food,^(D) for you were not yet ready for it.^(E) Indeed, you are still not ready. ³You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling^(F) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? ⁴For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”^(G) are you not mere human beings?

⁵What, after all, is Apollos?^(H) And what is Paul? Only servants,^(I) through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶I planted the seed,^(J) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.^(K) ⁹For we are co-workers in God’s service;^(L) you are God’s field,^(M) God’s building.^(N)

¹⁰By the grace God has given me,^(O) I laid a foundation^(P) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^(Q) ¹²If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³their work will be shown for what it is,^(R) because the Day^(S) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.^(T) ¹⁴If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.^(U) ¹⁵If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.^(V)

¹⁶Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple^(W) and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?^(X) ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

¹⁸Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise^(Y) by the standards of this age,^(Z) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(AA) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”^[a];^(AB) ²⁰and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”^[b]^(AC) ²¹So then, no more boasting about human leaders!^(AD) All things are yours,^(AE) ²²whether Paul or Apollos^(AF) or Cephas^[c]^(AG) or the world or life or death or the present or the future^(AH)—all are yours, ²³and you are of Christ,^(AI) and Christ is of God.