Psalm 12^[a]

For the director of music. According to sheminith.^[b] A psalm of David.

¹⁴ This is what the Lord says:

¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live^(A)—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity,^(B) because the days are evil.^{(C) 17} Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.^{(D) 18} Do not get drunk on wine,^(E) which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,^{(F) 19} speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.^(G) Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks^(H) to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instructions for Christian Households^(I)

²¹ Submit to one another^(J) out of reverence for Christ.

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands^(K) as you do to the Lord.^{(L) 23} For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,^(M) his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands^(N) in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives,^(O) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her^{(P) 26} to make her holy,^(Q) cleansing^[a] her by the washing^(R) with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself^(S) as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.^{(T) 28} In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives^(U) as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body.^{(V) 31} “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”^{[b](W) 32} This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife^(X) as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

A Lamp on a Stand

²¹ He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?^{(A) 22} For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.^{(B) 23} If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”^(C)

²⁴ “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.^{(D) 25} Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”^(E)

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.^(F) A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”^(G)

The Parable of the Mustard Seed^(H)

³⁰ Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like,^(I) or what parable shall we use to describe it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. ³² Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

³³ With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.^{(J) 34} He did not say anything to them without using a parable.^(K) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.