Deuteronomy 30
New King James Version
The Blessing of Returning to God
30 “Now (A)it shall come to pass, when (B)all these things come upon you, the blessing and the (C)curse which I have set before you, and (D)you [a]call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, 2 and you (E)return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 (F)that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and (G)gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. 4 (H)If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 5 Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. 6 And (I)the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
7 “Also the Lord your God will put all these (J)curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 And you will (K)again obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command you today. 9 (L)The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the [b]fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For the Lord will again (M)rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, 10 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
The Choice of Life or Death
11 “For this commandment which I command you today (N)is [c]not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 (O)It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, (P)in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.
15 “See, (Q)I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 (R)I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 (S)I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that (T)I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your (U)life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 30:1 Lit. cause them to return to your heart
- Deuteronomy 30:9 offspring
- Deuteronomy 30:11 not hidden from
Psalm 119:73-96
New King James Version
י YOD
73 (A)Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74 (B)Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
75 I know, O Lord, (C)that Your judgments are [a]right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
78 Let the proud (D)be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
79 Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
80 Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.
כ KAPH
81 (E)My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
82 My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
83 For (F)I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
84 (G)How many are the days of Your servant?
(H)When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
85 (I)The proud have dug pits for me,
Which is not according to Your law.
86 All Your commandments are faithful;
They persecute me (J)wrongfully;
Help me!
87 They almost made an end of me on earth,
But I did not forsake Your precepts.
88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
ל LAMED
89 (K)Forever, O Lord,
Your word [b]is settled in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it [c]abides.
91 They continue this day according to (L)Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
92 Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
94 I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
95 The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will [d]consider Your testimonies.
96 (M)I have seen the consummation of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.
Footnotes
- Psalm 119:75 Lit. righteous
- Psalm 119:89 Lit. stands firm
- Psalm 119:90 Lit. stands
- Psalm 119:95 give attention to
Isaiah 57
New King James Version
Israel’s Futile Idolatry
57 The righteous perishes,
And no man takes it to heart;
(A)Merciful men are taken away,
(B)While no one considers
That the righteous is taken away from [a]evil.
2 He shall enter into peace;
They shall rest in (C)their beds,
Each one walking in his uprightness.
3 “But come here,
(D)You sons of the sorceress,
You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!
4 Whom do you ridicule?
Against whom do you make a wide mouth
And stick out the tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
Offspring of falsehood,
5 Inflaming yourselves with gods (E)under every green tree,
(F)Slaying the children in the valleys,
Under the clefts of the rocks?
6 Among the smooth (G)stones of the stream
Is your portion;
They, they, are your lot!
Even to them you have poured a drink offering,
You have offered a grain offering.
Should I receive comfort in (H)these?
7 “On(I) a lofty and high mountain
You have set (J)your bed;
Even there you went up
To offer sacrifice.
8 Also behind the doors and their posts
You have set up your remembrance;
For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me,
And have gone up to them;
You have enlarged your bed
And [b]made a covenant with them;
(K)You have loved their bed,
Where you saw their [c]nudity.
9 (L)You went to the king with ointment,
And increased your perfumes;
You sent your (M)messengers far off,
And even descended to Sheol.
10 You are wearied in the length of your way;
(N)Yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’
You have found the life of your hand;
Therefore you were not grieved.
11 “And (O)of whom have you been afraid, or feared,
That you have lied
And not remembered Me,
Nor taken it to your heart?
Is it not because (P)I have [d]held My peace from of old
That you do not fear Me?
12 I will declare your righteousness
And your works,
For they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out,
Let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will carry them all away,
A breath will take them.
But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land,
And shall inherit My holy mountain.”
Healing for the Backslider
14 And one shall say,
(Q)“Heap it up! Heap it up!
Prepare the way,
Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.”
15 For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, (R)whose name is Holy:
(S)“I dwell in the high and holy place,
(T)With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
(U)To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16 (V)For I will not contend forever,
Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would fail before Me,
And the souls (W)which I have made.
17 For the iniquity of (X)his covetousness
I was angry and struck him;
(Y)I hid and was angry,
(Z)And he went on [e]backsliding in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, and (AA)will heal him;
I will also lead him,
And restore comforts to him
And to (AB)his mourners.
19 “I create (AC)the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace (AD)to him who is far off and to him who is near,”
Says the Lord,
“And I will heal him.”
20 (AE)But the wicked are like the troubled sea,
When it cannot rest,
Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 “There(AF) is no peace,”
Says my God, “for the wicked.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 57:1 Lit. the face of evil
- Isaiah 57:8 Lit. cut
- Isaiah 57:8 Lit. hand, a euphemism
- Isaiah 57:11 remained silent
- Isaiah 57:17 Or turning back
Matthew 5
New King James Version
The Beatitudes(A)
5 And seeing the multitudes, (B)He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and (C)taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed(D) are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 (E)Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 (F)Blessed are the meek,
For (G)they shall inherit the [a]earth.
6 Blessed are those who (H)hunger and thirst for righteousness,
(I)For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
(J)For they shall obtain mercy.
8 (K)Blessed are the pure in heart,
For (L)they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 (M)Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 (N)Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of (O)evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 (P)Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for (Q)so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Believers Are Salt and Light(R)
13 “You are the salt of the earth; (S)but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 (T)“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they (U)light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, (V)that they may see your good works and (W)glorify your Father in heaven.
Christ Fulfills the Law
17 (X)“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, (Y)till heaven and earth pass away, one [b]jot or one [c]tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 (Z)Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds (AA)the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart(AB)
21 “You have heard that it was said to those [d]of old, (AC)‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that (AD)whoever is angry with his brother [e]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, (AE)‘Raca!’[f] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, [g]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of [h]hell fire. 23 Therefore (AF)if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 (AG)leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 (AH)Agree with your adversary quickly, (AI)while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Adultery in the Heart
27 “You have heard that it was said [i]to those of old, (AJ)‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever (AK)looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 (AL)If your right eye causes you to [j]sin, (AM)pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to [k]sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Marriage Is Sacred and Binding(AN)
31 “Furthermore it has been said, (AO)‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that (AP)whoever divorces his wife for any reason except [l]sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Jesus Forbids Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that (AQ)it was said to those of [m]old, (AR)‘You shall not swear falsely, but (AS)shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, (AT)do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is (AU)God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of (AV)the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 (AW)But let [n]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Go the Second Mile(AX)
38 “You have heard that it was said, (AY)‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 (AZ)But I tell you not to resist an evil person. (BA)But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever (BB)compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and (BC)from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
Love Your Enemies(BD)
43 “You have heard that it was said, (BE)‘You shall love your neighbor (BF)and hate your enemy.’ 44 [o]But I say to you, (BG)love your enemies, bless those who curse you, (BH)do good to those who hate you, and pray (BI)for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for (BJ)He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 (BK)For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your [p]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the [q]tax collectors do so? 48 (BL)Therefore you shall be perfect, just (BM)as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Footnotes
- Matthew 5:5 Or land
- Matthew 5:18 Gr. iota, Heb. yod, the smallest letter
- Matthew 5:18 The smallest stroke in a Heb. letter
- Matthew 5:21 in ancient times
- Matthew 5:22 NU omits without a cause
- Matthew 5:22 Lit., in Aram., Empty head
- Matthew 5:22 Gr. More
- Matthew 5:22 Gr. Gehenna
- Matthew 5:27 NU, M omit to those of old
- Matthew 5:29 Lit. stumble or offend
- Matthew 5:30 Lit. stumble or offend
- Matthew 5:32 Or fornication
- Matthew 5:33 ancient times
- Matthew 5:37 Lit. your word be yes yes
- Matthew 5:44 NU But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
- Matthew 5:47 M friends
- Matthew 5:47 NU Gentiles
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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