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Psalm 35-36
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 35-36
New American Standard Bible
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.
A Psalm of David.
35 Contend, Lord, with those who (A)contend with me;
Fight against those who (B)fight against me.
2 Take hold of [a](C)buckler and shield
And rise up as (D)my help.
3 Draw also the spear and [b]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am (E)your salvation.”
4 Let those be (F)ashamed and dishonored who seek my [c]life;
Let those be (G)turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
5 Let them be (H)like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the Lord driving them on.
6 Let their way be dark and (I)slippery,
With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 For (J)they (K)hid their net for me without cause;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
8 Let (L)destruction come upon him when he is unaware,
And (M)let the net which he hid catch him;
Let him fall into that very (N)destruction.
9 So my soul shall (O)rejoice in the Lord;
It shall (P)rejoice in His salvation.
10 All my (Q)bones will say, “Lord, (R)who is like You,
Who rescues the afflicted from one (S)who is too strong for him,
And (T)the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”
11 (U)Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
12 They (V)repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
13 But as for me, (W)when they were sick, my (X)clothing was sackcloth;
I (Y)humbled my soul with fasting,
But my (Z)prayer kept returning to [d]me.
14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I (AA)bowed down [e]in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.
15 But (AB)at my [f]stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The [g](AC)afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They [h](AD)slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like godless jesters at a feast,
They (AE)gnashed at me with their teeth.
17 Lord, (AF)how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul (AG)from their ravages,
My (AH)only life from the lions.
18 I will (AI)give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will (AJ)praise You among a mighty people.
19 (AK)Do not let those who are wrongfully (AL)my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those (AM)who hate me for no reason [i](AN)wink maliciously.
20 For they do not speak peace,
But they devise (AO)deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 They (AP)opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, “(AQ)Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it!”
22 (AR)You have seen it, Lord, (AS)do not keep silent;
Lord, (AT)do not be far from me.
23 (AU)Stir Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 (AV)Judge me, Lord my God, according to Your righteousness,
And (AW)do not let them rejoice over me.
25 Do not let them say in their heart, “(AX)Aha, our desire!”
Do not let them say, “We have (AY)swallowed him up!”
26 May (AZ)those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress;
May those who (BA)exalt themselves over me be (BB)clothed with shame and dishonor.
27 May those (BC)shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in (BD)my vindication;
And (BE)may they say continually, “The Lord be exalted,
Who (BF)delights in the prosperity of His servant.”
28 And (BG)my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.
Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.
For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.
36 [j]Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within [k]his heart;
There is (BH)no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For it (BI)flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his wrongful deed and the hatred of it.
3 The (BJ)words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has (BK)ceased to [l]be wise and to do good.
4 He (BL)plans wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself on a (BM)path that is not good;
He (BN)does not reject evil.
5 Your (BO)mercy, Lord, [m]extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
6 Your (BP)righteousness is like the [n]mountains of God;
Your (BQ)judgments are like the great deep.
Lord, You [o](BR)protect mankind and animals.
7 How (BS)precious is Your mercy, God!
And the sons of mankind (BT)take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
8 They (BU)drink their fill of the [p]abundance of Your house;
And You allow them to drink from the (BV)river of Your delights.
9 For the (BW)fountain of life is with You;
In Your light we see light.
10 Prolong Your mercy to (BX)those who know You,
And Your (BY)righteousness to the upright of heart.
11 May the foot of pride not come upon me,
And may the hand of the wicked not drive me away.
12 Those who do injustice have fallen there;
They have been thrust down and (BZ)cannot rise.
Footnotes
- Psalm 35:2 I.e., small shield
- Psalm 35:3 Or close up the path against those
- Psalm 35:4 Or soul
- Psalm 35:13 Lit my chest
- Psalm 35:14 Or dressed for mourning
- Psalm 35:15 Or limping
- Psalm 35:15 Or struck ones
- Psalm 35:15 Lit tore
- Psalm 35:19 Or wink the eye
- Psalm 36:1 Or Rebellion
- Psalm 36:1 Another reading is my heart
- Psalm 36:3 Or understand to do good
- Psalm 36:5 Lit is in
- Psalm 36:6 Or mighty mountains
- Psalm 36:6 Or help
- Psalm 36:8 Lit fatness
Psalm 35-36
New International Version
Psalm 35-36
New International Version
Psalm 35
Of David.
1 Contend,(A) Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight(B) against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shield(C) and armor;
arise(D) and come to my aid.(E)
3 Brandish spear(F) and javelin[a](G)
against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
“I am your salvation.(H)”
4 May those who seek my life(I)
be disgraced(J) and put to shame;(K)
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back(L) in dismay.
5 May they be like chaff(M) before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord(N) driving them away;
6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 Since they hid their net(O) for me without cause(P)
and without cause dug a pit(Q) for me,
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—(R)
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit,(S) to their ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoice(T) in the Lord
and delight in his salvation.(U)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you,(V) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong(W) for them,
the poor and needy(X) from those who rob them.”
11 Ruthless witnesses(Y) come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good(Z)
and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth(AA)
and humbled myself with fasting.(AB)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14 I went about mourning(AC)
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;(AD)
assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slandered(AE) me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[b](AF)
they gnashed their teeth(AG) at me.
17 How long,(AH) Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life(AI) from these lions.(AJ)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;(AK)
among the throngs(AL) I will praise you.(AM)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies(AN) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason(AO)
maliciously wink the eye.(AP)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations(AQ)
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer(AR) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!(AS)
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
22 Lord, you have seen(AT) this; do not be silent.
Do not be far(AU) from me, Lord.
23 Awake,(AV) and rise(AW) to my defense!
Contend(AX) for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
do not let them gloat(AY) over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha,(AZ) just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”(BA)
26 May all who gloat(BB) over my distress(BC)
be put to shame(BD) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me(BE)
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication(BF)
shout for joy(BG) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
who delights(BH) in the well-being of his servant.”(BI)
Psalm 36[c]
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.
1 I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:[d](BL)
There is no fear(BM) of God
before their eyes.(BN)
2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.(BO)
3 The words of their mouths(BP) are wicked and deceitful;(BQ)
they fail to act wisely(BR) or do good.(BS)
4 Even on their beds they plot evil;(BT)
they commit themselves to a sinful course(BU)
and do not reject what is wrong.(BV)
5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness(BW) to the skies.(BX)
6 Your righteousness(BY) is like the highest mountains,(BZ)
your justice like the great deep.(CA)
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.(CB)
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!(CC)
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.(CD)
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;(CE)
you give them drink from your river(CF) of delights.(CG)
9 For with you is the fountain of life;(CH)
in your light(CI) we see light.
Footnotes
- Psalm 35:3 Or and block the way
- Psalm 35:16 Septuagint; Hebrew may mean Like an ungodly circle of mockers,
- Psalm 36:1 In Hebrew texts 36:1-12 is numbered 36:2-13.
- Psalm 36:1 Or A message from God: The transgression of the wicked / resides in their hearts.
Acts 25
New American Standard Bible
Acts 25
New American Standard Bible
Paul before Festus
25 Festus, then, after arriving in (A)the province, went up to Jerusalem from (B)Caesarea three days later. 2 And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews (C)brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with [a]Festus, 3 requesting a [b]concession against [c]Paul, that he might [d]have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, (D)setting an ambush to kill him on the way). 4 Festus then (E)answered that Paul (F)was being kept in custody in (G)Caesarea, and that he himself was about to leave shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he *said, “have the influential men among you [e]go there with me, and if there is anything wrong [f]about the man, have them bring charges against him.”
6 After Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to (H)Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on (I)the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought. 7 After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing (J)many, and serious, charges against him (K)which they could not prove, 8 while Paul said in his own defense, “(L)I have not done anything wrong either against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar.” 9 But Festus, (M)wanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul and said, “(N)Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and [g]stand trial before me on these charges?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s (O)tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, therefore, I am in the wrong and have committed something deserving death, I am not trying to avoid execution; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I (P)appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with [h]his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”
13 Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in (Q)Caesarea, paying their respects to Festus. 14 And while they were spending many days there, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There is a man who was (R)left as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews (S)brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I (T)replied to them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any person before (U)the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17 So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on (V)the tribunal and ordered that the man be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they did not begin bringing any charges [i]against him of crimes that I suspected, 19 but they simply had some (W)points of disagreement with him about their own [j](X)religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 And (Y)being at a loss how to investigate [k]such matters, I [l]asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these matters. 21 But when Paul (Z)appealed to be held in custody for [m]the Emperor’s decision, I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” 22 Then (AA)Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”
Paul before Agrippa
23 So, on the next day when (AB)Agrippa and (AC)Bernice came amid great pomp and entered the auditorium, [n]accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them. 24 And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom (AD)all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that (AE)he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had committed (AF)nothing deserving death; and since he himself (AG)appealed to [o]the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 [p]Yet, I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore, I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”
Footnotes
- Acts 25:2 Lit him
- Acts 25:3 Or favor
- Acts 25:3 Lit him
- Acts 25:3 Lit summon him to Jerusalem
- Acts 25:5 Lit go down
- Acts 25:5 Lit in
- Acts 25:9 Lit be judged
- Acts 25:12 A different group from that mentioned in Acts 4:15 and 24:20
- Acts 25:18 Lit in regard to him
- Acts 25:19 Or superstition
- Acts 25:20 Lit these
- Acts 25:20 Lit said
- Acts 25:21 Lit the Augustus’ (in this case Nero)
- Acts 25:23 Lit and with
- Acts 25:25 See note v 21
- Acts 25:26 Lit About whom I
Acts 25
New International Version
Acts 25
New International Version
Paul’s Trial Before Festus
25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus(A) went up from Caesarea(B) to Jerusalem, 2 where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.(C) 3 They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.(D) 4 Festus answered, “Paul is being held(E) at Caesarea,(F) and I myself am going there soon. 5 Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”
6 After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court(G) and ordered that Paul be brought before him.(H) 7 When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him,(I) but they could not prove them.(J)
8 Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple(K) or against Caesar.”
9 Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor,(L) said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”(M)
10 Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews,(N) as you yourself know very well. 11 If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”(O)
12 After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
Festus Consults King Agrippa
13 A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea(P) to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.(Q) 15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him(R) and asked that he be condemned.
16 “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.(S) 17 When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.(T) 18 When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19 Instead, they had some points of dispute(U) with him about their own religion(V) and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20 I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.(W) 21 But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”(X)
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”
He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”(Y)
Paul Before Agrippa(Z)
23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice(AA) came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community(AB) has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.(AC) 25 I found he had done nothing deserving of death,(AD) but because he made his appeal to the Emperor(AE) I decided to send him to Rome. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. 27 For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”
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