2 Peter 1:2-7

Common English Bible

²May you have more and more grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.

Christian life in outline

³By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. ⁴Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces.

⁵This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love.

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Psalm 91

Common English Bible

Psalm 91

91 Living in the Most High’s shelter,
camping in the Almighty’s^[a] shade,
²I say to the Lord, “You are my refuge, my stronghold!
You are my God—the one I trust!”

³God will save you from the hunter’s trap
    and from deadly sickness.
⁴God will protect you with his pinions;
    you’ll find refuge under his wings.
    His faithfulness is a protective shield.
⁵Don’t be afraid of terrors at night,
    arrows that fly in daylight,
⁶    or sickness that prowls in the dark,
    destruction that ravages at noontime.
⁷Even if one thousand people fall dead next to you,
    ten thousand right beside you—
    it won’t happen to you.
⁸Just look with your eyes,
    and you will see the wicked punished.
⁹Because you’ve made the Lord my refuge,
    the Most High, your place of residence—
¹⁰        no evil will happen to you;
        no disease will come close to your tent.
¹¹Because he will order his messengers to help you,
    to protect you wherever you go.
¹²They will carry you with their own hands
    so you don’t bruise your foot on a stone.
¹³You’ll march on top of lions and vipers;
    you’ll trample young lions and serpents underfoot.

¹⁴God says,^[b] “Because you are devoted to me,
    I’ll rescue you.
    I’ll protect you because you know my name.
¹⁵Whenever you cry out to me, I’ll answer.
    I’ll be with you in troubling times.
    I’ll save you and glorify you.
¹⁶    I’ll fill you full with old age.
    I’ll show you my salvation.”

Footnotes

Psalm 91:1 Heb Shaddai
Psalm 91:14 Heb lacks God says.

Mark 12:1-12

Common English Bible

Parable of the tenant farmers

12 Jesus spoke to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant farmers and took a trip. ²When it was time, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants his share of the fruit of the vineyard. ³But they grabbed the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴Again the landowner sent another servant to them, but they struck him on the head and treated him disgracefully. ⁵He sent another one; that one they killed. The landlord sent many other servants, but the tenants beat some and killed others. ⁶Now the landowner had one son whom he loved dearly. He sent him last, thinking, They will respect my son. ⁷But those tenant farmers said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

⁹“So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰Haven’t you read this scripture, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ¹¹The Lord has done this, and it’s amazing in our eyes?”^[a]

¹²They wanted to arrest Jesus because they knew that he had told the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

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