Titus 1
New American Standard Bible
Salutation
1 Paul, (A)a bond-servant of God and an (B)apostle of Jesus Christ, [a]for the faith of those (C)chosen of God and (D)the knowledge of the truth which is (E)according to godliness, 2 in (F)the hope of eternal life, which God, (G)who cannot lie, (H)promised [b](I)long ages ago, 3 but (J)at the proper time revealed His word in (K)the proclamation (L)with which I was entrusted (M)according to the commandment of (N)God our Savior;
4 To (O)Titus, (P)my true [c]son [d]in a (Q)common faith: (R)Grace and peace from God the Father and (S)Christ Jesus our Savior.
Qualifications of Elders
5 For this reason I left you in (T)Crete, that you would set in order what remains and (U)appoint (V)elders in every city as I directed you, 6 namely, (W)if any man is beyond reproach, the (X)husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of (Y)indecent behavior or (Z)rebellion. 7 For the [e](AA)overseer must be beyond reproach as (AB)God’s steward, not (AC)self-willed, not quick-tempered, not (AD)overindulging in wine, not [f]a bully, (AE)not greedy for money, 8 but (AF)hospitable, (AG)loving what is good, self-controlled, righteous, holy, disciplined, 9 (AH)holding firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to [g]exhort in (AI)sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.
10 (AJ)For there are many (AK)rebellious people, (AL)empty talkers and deceivers, especially (AM)those of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting (AN)whole families, teaching (AO)things they should not teach (AP)for the sake of [h]dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “(AQ)Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. For this reason (AR)reprimand them (AS)severely so that they may be (AT)sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish (AU)myths and (AV)commandments of men who (AW)turn away from the truth. 15 (AX)To the pure, all things are pure; but (AY)to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their (AZ)mind and their conscience are defiled. 16 (BA)They profess to know God, but by their deeds they (BB)deny Him, being (BC)detestable and (BD)disobedient and (BE)worthless (BF)for any good deed.
Proverbs 30
New American Standard Bible
The Words of Agur
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the pronouncement.
The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 I am certainly more (A)stupid than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of a man;
3 Nor have I learned wisdom,
Nor do I have the (B)knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has (C)ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the (D)wind in His fists?
Who has (E)wrapped the waters in [a]His garment?
Who has (F)established all the ends of the earth?
What is His (G)name or His [b]Son’s name?
Surely you know!
5 Every (H)word of God is [c]pure;
He is a (I)shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 (J)Do not add to His words
Or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.
7 Two things I have asked of You;
Do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep deception and [d]lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the (K)food that is my portion,
9 So that I will not be (L)full and deny (M)You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And that I will not become (N)impoverished and steal,
And (O)profane the name of my God.
10 Do not slander a slave to his master,
Or he will (P)curse you and you will be found guilty.
11 There is a [e]kind of person who (Q)curses his father
And does not bless his mother.
12 There is a [f]kind who is (R)pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
13 There is a [g]kind—oh how (S)lofty are his eyes!
And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
14 There is a [h]kind of person whose (T)teeth are like swords
And his (U)jaw teeth like knives,
To (V)devour the poor from the earth
And the needy from among mankind.
15 The leech has two daughters:
“Give” and “Give.”
There are three things that will not be satisfied,
Four that will not say, “Enough”:
16 [i](W)Sheol, the (X)infertile womb,
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, “Enough.”
17 The eye that (Y)mocks a father
And [j](Z)scorns a mother,
The (AA)ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young (AB)eagles will eat it.
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:
19 The way of the (AC)eagle in the sky,
The way of a snake on a rock,
The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a [k]virgin.
20 This is the way of an (AD)adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wrong.”
21 Under three things the earth quakes,
And under four, it cannot endure:
22 Under a (AE)slave when he becomes king,
And a fool when he is satisfied with food,
23 Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
And a female servant when she dispossesses her mistress.
24 Four things are small on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 The (AF)ants are not a strong people,
But they prepare their food in the summer;
26 The (AG)rock hyraxes are not a mighty people,
Yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet all of them go out in (AH)ranks;
28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands,
Yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29 There are three things which are stately in their march,
Even four which are stately when they walk:
30 The lion, which is (AI)mighty among animals
And does not [l](AJ)retreat from anything,
31 The [m]strutting rooster or the male goat,
And a king when his army is with him.
32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
Or if you have plotted evil, (AK)put your hand on your mouth.
33 For the [n]churning of milk produces butter,
And pressing the nose produces blood;
So the [o]churning of (AL)anger produces strife.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:4 Lit the
- Proverbs 30:4 Or son’s
- Proverbs 30:5 Lit refined
- Proverbs 30:8 Lit words of falsehood
- Proverbs 30:11 Or generation
- Proverbs 30:12 Or generation
- Proverbs 30:13 Or generation
- Proverbs 30:14 Or generation
- Proverbs 30:16 I.e., The netherworld
- Proverbs 30:17 Lit despises to obey
- Proverbs 30:19 Lit young unmarried woman
- Proverbs 30:30 Lit turn back
- Proverbs 30:31 Lit girt in the loins
- Proverbs 30:33 Lit pressing
- Proverbs 30:33 Lit pressing
Jeremiah 11-12
New American Standard Bible
The Broken Covenant
11 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “(A)Hear the words of this (B)covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3 and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: “(C)Cursed is the one who does not obey the words of this covenant 4 which I commanded your forefathers on the (D)day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the (E)iron furnace, saying, ‘(F)Listen to My voice, and [a]do according to all that I command you; so you shall be (G)My people, and I will be your God,’ 5 in order to confirm the (H)oath which I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.”’” Then I replied, “(I)Amen, Lord.”
6 And the Lord said to me, “(J)Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘(K)Hear the words of this covenant and (L)do them. 7 For I solemnly (M)warned your fathers on the (N)day I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even to this day, (O)warning them persistently, saying, “(P)Listen to My voice.” 8 Yet they (Q)did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in the stubbornness of their evil heart, each one of them; therefore I brought on them all the (R)words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’”
9 Then the Lord said to me, “A (S)conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have (T)turned back to the wrongdoings of their [b]ancestors who (U)refused to hear My words, and they (V)have followed other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have (W)broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.” 11 Therefore this is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am (X)bringing disaster on them which they will (Y)not be able to escape; though they will (Z)cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will (AA)go and cry out to the gods to whom they [c]burn incense, but they certainly will not save them in the time of their disaster. 13 For your gods are [d](AB)as many as your cities, Judah; and [e]as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to the (AC)shameful thing, altars for [f](AD)burning incense to Baal.
14 “So as for you, (AE)do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will (AF)not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster.
15 What right has My (AG)beloved in My house
When (AH)she has carried out many evil schemes?
Can the sacrificial flesh take away from you your disaster,
[g]So that you can rejoice?”
16 The Lord named you
“A (AI)green olive tree, beautiful in fruit and form”;
With the (AJ)noise of a great [h]tumult
He has (AK)set fire to it,
And its branches are worthless.
17 The Lord of armies, who (AL)planted you, has (AM)pronounced evil against you because of the evil of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, which they have [i]done to provoke Me by [j](AN)offering sacrifices to Baal.
Plots against Jeremiah
18 Moreover, the Lord (AO)made it known to me and I knew it;
Then You showed me their deeds.
19 But I was like a gentle (AP)lamb led to the slaughter;
And I did not know that they had (AQ)devised plots against me, saying,
“Let’s destroy the tree with its [k]fruit,
And (AR)let’s cut him off from the (AS)land of the living,
So that his (AT)name will no longer be remembered.”
20 But, Lord of armies, who (AU)judges righteously,
Who (AV)puts the [l]feelings and the heart to the test,
Let me see Your vengeance on them,
For to You I have [m]committed my cause.
21 Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the people of (AW)Anathoth, who are (AX)seeking your life, saying: “(AY)Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, so that you do not (AZ)die by our hand”; 22 therefore, this is what the Lord of armies says: “Behold, I am going to (BA)punish them! The (BB)young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters will die by famine; 23 and a remnant (BC)will not be left to them, because I will (BD)bring disaster on the people of Anathoth—(BE)the year of their punishment.”
Jeremiah’s Prayer
12 (BF)Righteous are You, Lord, when I plead my case with You;
Nevertheless I would (BG)discuss matters of justice with You:
Why has the (BH)way of the wicked prospered?
Why are all those who (BI)deal in treachery at ease?
2 You have (BJ)planted them, they have also taken root;
They grow, they have also produced fruit.
You are (BK)near [n]to their lips
But far from their [o]mind.
3 But You (BL)know me, Lord;
You see me
And (BM)examine my heart’s attitude toward You.
Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter,
And [p]set them apart for a (BN)day of slaughter!
4 How long is the (BO)land to mourn,
And the (BP)vegetation of the [q]countryside to dry up?
Due to the (BQ)wickedness of those who live in it,
(BR)Animals and birds have been snatched away,
Because people have said, “He will not see our final (BS)end.”
5 “If you have run with infantrymen and they have tired you out,
How can you compete with horses?
If you fall down in a land of peace,
How will you do in the (BT)thicket by the Jordan?
6 For even your (BU)brothers and the household of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you,
Even they have called aloud after you.
Do not believe them, though they say (BV)nice things to you.”
God’s Answer
7 “I have (BW)forsaken My house,
I have abandoned My inheritance;
I have handed the (BX)beloved of My soul
Over to her enemies.
8 My inheritance has become to Me
Like a lion in the forest;
She has [r](BY)roared against Me;
Therefore I have come to (BZ)hate her.
9 Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me?
Are the (CA)birds of prey against her on every side?
Go, gather all the (CB)animals of the field,
Bring them to devour!
10 Many (CC)shepherds have ruined My (CD)vineyard,
They have (CE)trampled down My field;
They have made My (CF)pleasant field
A desolate wilderness.
11 [s]It has been made a desolation;
Desolate, it (CG)mourns [t]before Me;
The (CH)whole land has been made desolate,
Because no one (CI)takes it to heart.
12 On all the [u](CJ)bare heights in the wilderness
Destroyers have come,
For the (CK)sword of the Lord is devouring
From one end of the land even to the [v]other;
There is (CL)no peace for [w]anyone.
13 They have (CM)sown wheat but have harvested thorns,
They have (CN)strained themselves [x]to no profit.
So be ashamed of your (CO)produce
Because of the (CP)fierce anger of the Lord.”
14 This is what the Lord says concerning all My (CQ)wicked neighbors who (CR)do harm to the inheritance with which I have endowed My people Israel: “Behold, I am going to drive them out of their land, and I will (CS)drive the house of Judah out from among them. 15 And it will come about that after I have driven them out, I will (CT)again have compassion on them; and I will (CU)bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. 16 Then, if they will really (CV)learn the ways of My people, to (CW)swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ just as they taught My people to (CX)swear by Baal, they will be (CY)built up in the midst of My people. 17 But if they do not listen, then I will (CZ)drive out that nation, drive it out and destroy it,” declares the Lord.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 11:4 Lit do them
- Jeremiah 11:10 Lit former fathers
- Jeremiah 11:12 Or offer sacrifices
- Jeremiah 11:13 Lit the number of
- Jeremiah 11:13 Lit the number of
- Jeremiah 11:13 Or offering sacrifices to
- Jeremiah 11:15 Lit Then
- Jeremiah 11:16 I.e., confused noise
- Jeremiah 11:17 Or done for themselves
- Jeremiah 11:17 Or burning incense
- Jeremiah 11:19 Lit bread
- Jeremiah 11:20 Lit kidneys
- Jeremiah 11:20 Lit rolled
- Jeremiah 12:2 Lit in their mouth
- Jeremiah 12:2 Lit kidneys
- Jeremiah 12:3 Lit sanctify them
- Jeremiah 12:4 Lit whole field
- Jeremiah 12:8 Lit raised her voice
- Jeremiah 12:11 Lit One has made it
- Jeremiah 12:11 Or upon
- Jeremiah 12:12 Or caravan trails
- Jeremiah 12:12 Lit other end of the land
- Jeremiah 12:12 Lit all flesh
- Jeremiah 12:13 Lit they do not profit
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