Psalm 119:33-40

New International Version

ה He

³³Teach me,^(A) Lord, the way of your decrees,
    that I may follow it to the end.^[a]
³⁴Give me understanding,^(B) so that I may keep your law^(C)
    and obey it with all my heart.^(D)
³⁵Direct me^(E) in the path of your commands,^(F)
    for there I find delight.^(G)
³⁶Turn my heart^(H) toward your statutes
    and not toward selfish gain.^(I)
³⁷Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
    preserve my life^(J) according to your word.^[b]^(K)
³⁸Fulfill your promise^(L) to your servant,
    so that you may be feared.
³⁹Take away the disgrace^(M) I dread,
    for your laws are good.
⁴⁰How I long^(N) for your precepts!
    In your righteousness preserve my life.^(O)

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Footnotes

Psalm 119:33 Or follow it for its reward
Psalm 119:37 Two manuscripts of the Masoretic Text and Dead Sea Scrolls; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text life in your way

Ezekiel 24:1-14

New International Version

Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot

24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the Lord came to me:^(A) ²“Son of man, record^(B) this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.^(C) ³Tell this rebellious people^(D) a parable^(E) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Put on the cooking pot;^(F) put it on
    and pour water into it.
⁴Put into it the pieces of meat,
    all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;^(G)
⁵    take the pick of the flock.^(H)
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
    bring it to a boil
    and cook the bones in it.^(I)

⁶“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Woe^(J) to the city of bloodshed,^(K)
    to the pot now encrusted,
    whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
    in whatever order^(L) it comes.^(M)

⁷“‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
    She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
    where the dust would cover it.^(N)
⁸To stir up wrath and take revenge
    I put her blood on the bare rock,
    so that it would not be covered.

⁹“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
    I, too, will pile the wood high.
¹⁰So heap on the wood
    and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
    mixing in the spices;
    and let the bones be charred.
¹¹Then set the empty pot on the coals
    till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
    and its deposit burned away.^(O)
¹²It has frustrated all efforts;
    its heavy deposit has not been removed,
    not even by fire.

¹³“‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed^(P) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.^(Q)

¹⁴“‘I the Lord have spoken.^(R) The time has come for me to act.^(S) I will not hold back; I will not have pity,^(T) nor will I relent.^(U) You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,^(V) declares the Sovereign Lord.^(W)’”

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2 Corinthians 12:11-21

New International Version

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹I have made a fool of myself,^(A) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”^[a]^(B) even though I am nothing.^(C) ¹²I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.^(D) ¹³How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?^(E) Forgive me this wrong!^(F)

¹⁴Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,^(G) and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,^(H) but parents for their children.^(I) ¹⁵So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.^(J) If I love you more,^(K) will you love me less? ¹⁶Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.^(L) Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! ¹⁷Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? ¹⁸I urged^(M) Titus^(N) to go to you and I sent our brother^(O) with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

¹⁹Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God^(P) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,^(Q) is for your strengthening.^(R) ²⁰For I am afraid that when I come^(S) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.^(T) I fear that there may be discord,^(U) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,^(V) slander,^(W) gossip,^(X) arrogance^(Y) and disorder.^(Z) ²¹I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved^(AA) over many who have sinned earlier^(AB) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery^(AC) in which they have indulged.