Psalm 60^[a](A)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam^[b] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim^[c] and Aram Zobah,^[d] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.^(B)

³² And on the two olive-wood doors^(A) he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold. ³³ In the same way, for the entrance to the main hall he made doorframes out of olive wood that were one fourth of the width of the hall. ³⁴ He also made two doors out of juniper wood, each having two leaves that turned in sockets. ³⁵ He carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers on them and overlaid them with gold hammered evenly over the carvings.

³⁶ And he built the inner courtyard^(B) of three courses^(C) of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams.

³⁷ The foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv. ³⁸ In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details^(D) according to its specifications.^(E) He had spent seven years building it.

Solomon Builds His Palace

7 It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.^{(F) 2} He built the Palace^(G) of the Forest of Lebanon^(H) a hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high,^[a] with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams. ³ It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the columns—forty-five beams, fifteen to a row. ⁴ Its windows were placed high in sets of three, facing each other. ⁵ All the doorways had rectangular frames; they were in the front part in sets of three, facing each other.^[b]

⁶ He made a colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty wide.^[c] In front of it was a portico, and in front of that were pillars and an overhanging roof.

⁷ He built the throne hall, the Hall of Justice, where he was to judge,^(I) and he covered it with cedar from floor to ceiling.^[d](J)

Favoritism Forbidden

2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious^(A) Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.^{(B) 2} Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. ³ If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges^(C) with evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:^(D) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world^(E) to be rich in faith^(F) and to inherit the kingdom^(G) he promised those who love him?^{(H) 6} But you have dishonored the poor.^(I) Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?^{(J) 7} Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸ If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”^[a](K) you are doing right. ⁹ But if you show favoritism,^(L) you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.^{(M) 10} For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles^(N) at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.^{(O) 11} For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”^[b](P) also said, “You shall not murder.”^[c](Q) If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged^(R) by the law that gives freedom,^{(S) 13} because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.^(T) Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin^(A)(B)

⁵³ They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. ⁵⁴ Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.^(C) There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.^(D)

⁵⁵ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(E) were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. ⁵⁶ Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

⁵⁷ Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another,^(F) not made with hands.’” ⁵⁹ Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

⁶⁰ Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶¹ But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.^(G)

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”^(H)

⁶² “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^(I)

⁶³ The high priest tore his clothes.^(J) “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. ⁶⁴ “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

They all condemned him as worthy of death.^{(K) 65} Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.^(L)