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Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?
    Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
    speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
Those who refuse to gossip
    or harm their neighbors
    or speak evil of their friends.
Those who despise flagrant sinners,
    and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,
    and keep their promises even when it hurts.
Those who lend money without charging interest,
    and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.

Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?

A Psalm of David.

15 O Lord, (A)who shall sojourn in your (B)tent?
    Who shall dwell on your (C)holy hill?

He who (D)walks blamelessly and (E)does what is right
    and (F)speaks truth in his heart;
who (G)does not slander with his tongue
    and does no evil to his neighbor,
    nor (H)takes up a reproach against his friend;
(I)in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
    but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who (J)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
who (K)does not put out his money at interest
    and (L)does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be (M)moved.

17 “True justice must be given to foreigners living among you and to orphans, and you must never accept a widow’s garment as security for her debt. 18 Always remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God redeemed you from your slavery. That is why I have given you this command.

19 “When you are harvesting your crops and forget to bring in a bundle of grain from your field, don’t go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all you do. 20 When you beat the olives from your olive trees, don’t go over the boughs twice. Leave the remaining olives for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. 21 When you gather the grapes in your vineyard, don’t glean the vines after they are picked. Leave the remaining grapes for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. 22 Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. That is why I am giving you this command.

25 “Suppose two people take a dispute to court, and the judges declare that one is right and the other is wrong. If the person in the wrong is sentenced to be flogged, the judge must command him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of lashes appropriate to the crime. But never give more than forty lashes; more than forty lashes would publicly humiliate your neighbor.

“You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.

17 (A)“You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, (B)or take a widow's garment in pledge, 18 but (C)you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.

19 (D)“When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, (E)that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 22 (F)You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.

25 “If there is a (G)dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, (H)acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty, then if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with a number of stripes in proportion to his offense. (I)Forty stripes may be given him, but not more, lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight.

(J)“You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.

17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well,[a] especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”[b]

19 Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others.

21 I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the highest angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone.

22 Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader.[c] Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

23 Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.

24 Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:17 Greek should be worthy of double honor.
  2. 5:18 Deut 25:4; Luke 10:7.
  3. 5:22 Greek about the laying on of hands.

17 Let the elders (A)who rule well be considered worthy of (B)double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, (C)“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, (D)“The laborer deserves his wages.” 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except (E)on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, (F)rebuke them in the presence of all, (G)so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels (H)I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, (I)doing nothing from partiality. 22 (J)Do not be hasty in the (K)laying on of hands, nor (L)take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 (No longer drink only water, but (M)use a little wine (N)for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.

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