Elkanah and His Wives

Now there was a man from (A)Ramathaim-zophim from the (B)hill country of Ephraim, and his name was (C)Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. And he had (D)two wives: the name of one was (E)Hannah and the name of the [a]other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

Now this man would go up from his city (F)yearly (G)to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of armies in (H)Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there. When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he (I)would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he would give a double portion, because he loved Hannah, (J)but the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival, moreover, (K)would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. And it happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, that she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. Then Elkanah her husband would say to her, “Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you not eat, and why is your heart sad? (L)Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Then Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of (M)the [b]temple of the Lord. 10 She, [c]greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she (N)made a vow and said, “Lord of armies, if You will indeed (O)look on the affliction of Your bond-servant and remember me, and not forget Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a [d]son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and (P)a razor shall never come on his head.”

12 Now it came about, as she [e]continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, (Q)she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were quivering, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought that she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “(R)How long will you behave like a drunk? Get rid of your wine!” 15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman [f]despairing in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I (S)have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not [g]consider your bond-servant a useless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “(T)Go in peace; and may the God of Israel (U)grant your request that you have asked of Him.” 18 She said, “(V)Let your bond-servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went on her way and ate, and (W)her face was no longer sad.

Samuel Is Born to Hannah

19 Then they got up early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in (X)Ramah. And Elkanah [h]had relations with Hannah his wife, and (Y)the Lord remembered her. 20 It came about [i]in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “(Z)Because I have asked for him of the Lord.”

21 Then the man Elkanah (AA)went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “I will not go until the child is weaned; then I will (AB)bring him, so that he may appear before the Lord and (AC)stay there for life.” 23 (AD)Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do [j]what seems best to you. Stay until you have weaned him; only (AE)may the Lord confirm His word.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 Now when she had weaned him, (AF)she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull, one ephah of flour, and a jug of wine, and brought him to (AG)the house of the Lord in Shiloh, although the child was young. 25 Then (AH)they [k]slaughtered the bull, and (AI)brought the boy to Eli. 26 And she said, “Pardon me, my lord! (AJ)As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. 27 (AK)For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my request which I asked of Him. 28 (AL)So I have also [l]dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is [m]dedicated to the Lord.” And (AM)he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving

Then Hannah (AN)prayed and said,

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
(AO)My [n]horn is exalted in the Lord,
My mouth [o]speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because (AP)I rejoice in Your salvation.
(AQ)There is no one holy like the Lord,
Indeed, (AR)there is no one besides You,
(AS)Nor is there any rock like our God.
Do not go on [p]boasting so very proudly,
(AT)Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;
(AU)For the Lord is a God of knowledge,
(AV)And [q]with Him actions are weighed.
(AW)The bows of the mighty are broken to pieces,
(AX)But those who have stumbled strap on strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to be hungry.
(AY)Even the infertile woman gives birth to seven,
But (AZ)she who has many children languishes.
(BA)The Lord puts to death and makes alive;
(BB)He brings down to [r]Sheol and brings up.
(BC)The Lord makes poor and rich;
(BD)He humbles, He also exalts.
(BE)He raises the poor from the dust,
(BF)He lifts the needy from the garbage heap
(BG)To seat them with nobles,
And He gives them a seat of honor as an inheritance;
(BH)For the pillars of the earth are the Lords,
And He set the world on them.
(BI)He watches over the feet of His godly ones,
(BJ)But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
(BK)For not by might shall a person prevail.
10 (BL)Those who contend with the Lord will be terrified;
(BM)Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
(BN)The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
(BO)And He will give strength to His king,
(BP)And will exalt the [s]horn of His anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went to his home at (BQ)Ramah. (BR)But the boy continued to attend to the service of the Lord before Eli the priest.

The Sin of Eli’s Sons

12 Now the sons of Eli were [t](BS)useless men; they did not know the Lord. 13 (BT)And this was the custom of the priests with the people: when anyone was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was cooking, with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14 And he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; everything that the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself. They did so in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Also, before (BU)they [u]burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat for roasting, as he will not take cooked meat from you, only raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “They must [v]burn the fat [w]first, then take as much as [x]you desire,” then he would say, “No, but you must give it to me now; and if not, I am taking it by force!” 17 And so the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for the men (BV)treated the offering of the Lord disrespectfully.

Samuel before the Lord as a Boy

18 Now (BW)Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy (BX)wearing a linen ephod. 19 And his mother would make for him a little (BY)robe and bring it up to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer (BZ)the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would (CA)bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you [y]children from this woman in place of the [z]one she (CB)requested of the Lord.” And they went to their own [aa]home.

21 [ab](CC)The Lord indeed visited Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And (CD)the boy Samuel grew up [ac]before the Lord.

Eli Rebukes His Sons

22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard about (CE)everything that his sons were doing to all Israel, and that they slept with (CF)the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why are you doing such things as these, the evil things that I hear from all these people? 24 No, my sons; for the report is not good (CG)which I hear the Lords people circulating. 25 If one person sins against another, (CH)God will mediate for him; but (CI)if a person sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the (CJ)Lord desired to put them to death.

26 Now the boy (CK)Samuel was continuing to grow and to be in favor both with the Lord and with people.

27 Then (CL)a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘(CM)Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? 28 (CN)Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me? And did I not (CO)give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel? 29 Why are you [ad](CP)showing contempt for My sacrifice and My offering (CQ)which I have commanded for My (CR)dwelling, and why are you (CS)honoring your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the [ae]choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’ 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘(CT)I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father was to walk before Me forever’; but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for (CU)those who honor Me I will honor, and those (CV)who despise Me will be insignificant. 31 Behold, (CW)the days are coming when I will eliminate your [af]strength and the [ag]strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 And you will look at (CX)the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all the good that [ah]I do for Israel; and there will never be an (CY)old man in your house. 33 Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar, [ai]so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the [aj]increase of your house will die [ak]in the prime of life. 34 And this will be (CZ)the sign to you which will come in regard to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: (DA)on the same day both of them will die. 35 But (DB)I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and My soul; and (DC)I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before (DD)My anointed always. 36 And everyone who is left in your house will come to bow down to him for a [al]silver coin or a loaf of bread and say, “Please [am]assign me to one of the priest’s offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.”’”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 1:2 Or second
  2. 1 Samuel 1:9 I.e., tabernacle
  3. 1 Samuel 1:10 Lit bitter of soul
  4. 1 Samuel 1:11 Lit seed of men
  5. 1 Samuel 1:12 Lit multiplied
  6. 1 Samuel 1:15 Lit hard
  7. 1 Samuel 1:16 Lit give
  8. 1 Samuel 1:19 Lit knew Hannah
  9. 1 Samuel 1:20 Lit at the circuit of the days
  10. 1 Samuel 1:23 Lit the good in your eyes
  11. 1 Samuel 1:25 I.e., for sacrifice
  12. 1 Samuel 1:28 Or lent
  13. 1 Samuel 1:28 Or lent
  14. 1 Samuel 2:1 I.e., strength
  15. 1 Samuel 2:1 Lit is enlarged
  16. 1 Samuel 2:3 Lit talk much
  17. 1 Samuel 2:3 Or disgraceful actions have no place
  18. 1 Samuel 2:6 I.e., the netherworld
  19. 1 Samuel 2:10 I.e., strength
  20. 1 Samuel 2:12 Lit sons of Belial
  21. 1 Samuel 2:15 Lit offered up in smoke
  22. 1 Samuel 2:16 Lit offer up in smoke
  23. 1 Samuel 2:16 Lit as the day
  24. 1 Samuel 2:16 Lit your soul desires
  25. 1 Samuel 2:20 Lit seed
  26. 1 Samuel 2:20 Lit request
  27. 1 Samuel 2:20 Lit place
  28. 1 Samuel 2:21 Or When the Lord visited...then she; DSS And the Lord visited
  29. 1 Samuel 2:21 Lit with
  30. 1 Samuel 2:29 Lit giving a kick to
  31. 1 Samuel 2:29 Or first
  32. 1 Samuel 2:31 Lit arm
  33. 1 Samuel 2:31 Lit arm
  34. 1 Samuel 2:32 Lit He does
  35. 1 Samuel 2:33 Lit to make your eyes fail and to grieve your soul
  36. 1 Samuel 2:33 I.e., new children
  37. 1 Samuel 2:33 Lit as men
  38. 1 Samuel 2:36 Or payment
  39. 1 Samuel 2:36 Lit attach

The Birth of Samuel

There was a certain man from Ramathaim,(A) a Zuphite[a](B) from the hill country(C) of Ephraim,(D) whose name was Elkanah(E) son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives;(F) one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

Year after year(G) this man went up from his town to worship(H) and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh,(I) where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli,(J) were priests of the Lord. Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice,(K) he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.(L) But to Hannah he gave a double portion(M) because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.(N) Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.(O) This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.(P) Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?(Q)

Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.(R) 10 In her deep anguish(S) Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow,(T) saying, “Lord Almighty(U), if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember(V) me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,(W) and no razor(X) will ever be used on his head.”

12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.(Y) I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring(Z) out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”(AA)

17 Eli answered, “Go in peace,(AB) and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.(AC)

18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.(AD)” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.(AE)

19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.(AF) Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered(AG) her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(AH) She named(AI) him Samuel,[b](AJ) saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual(AK) sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow,(AL) 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present(AM) him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”[c]

23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good(AN) his[d] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned(AO) him.

24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e](AP) an ephah[f] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed(AQ) for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life(AR) he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s Prayer

Then Hannah prayed and said:(AS)

“My heart rejoices(AT) in the Lord;
    in the Lord my horn[g](AU) is lifted high.
My mouth boasts(AV) over my enemies,(AW)
    for I delight in your deliverance.

“There is no one holy(AX) like(AY) the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock(AZ) like our God.

“Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,(BA)
for the Lord is a God who knows,(BB)
    and by him deeds(BC) are weighed.(BD)

“The bows of the warriors are broken,(BE)
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.(BF)
Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
    but those who were hungry(BG) are hungry no more.
She who was barren(BH) has borne seven children,
    but she who has had many sons pines away.

“The Lord brings death and makes alive;(BI)
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.(BJ)
The Lord sends poverty and wealth;(BK)
    he humbles and he exalts.(BL)
He raises(BM) the poor(BN) from the dust(BO)
    and lifts the needy(BP) from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.(BQ)

“For the foundations(BR) of the earth are the Lord’s;
    on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet(BS) of his faithful servants,(BT)
    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.(BU)

“It is not by strength(BV) that one prevails;
10     those who oppose the Lord will be broken.(BW)
The Most High will thunder(BX) from heaven;
    the Lord will judge(BY) the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength(BZ) to his king
    and exalt the horn(CA) of his anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah,(CB) but the boy ministered(CC) before the Lord under Eli the priest.

Eli’s Wicked Sons

12 Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard(CD) for the Lord. 13 Now it was the practice(CE) of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat(CF) was being boiled 14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”

16 If the person said to him, “Let the fat(CG) be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”

17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they[h] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.(CH)

18 But Samuel was ministering(CI) before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod.(CJ) 19 Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual(CK) sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed(CL) for and gave to[i] the Lord.” Then they would go home. 21 And the Lord was gracious to Hannah;(CM) she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew(CN) up in the presence of the Lord.

22 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything(CO) his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women(CP) who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. 24 No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. 25 If one person sins against another, God[j] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will(CQ) intercede(CR) for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.

26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow(CS) in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.(CT)

Prophecy Against the House of Eli

27 Now a man of God(CU) came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? 28 I chose(CV) your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense,(CW) and to wear an ephod(CX) in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings(CY) presented by the Israelites. 29 Why do you[k] scorn my sacrifice and offering(CZ) that I prescribed for my dwelling?(DA) Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’

30 “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.(DB)’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor,(DC) but those who despise(DD) me will be disdained.(DE) 31 The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age,(DF) 32 and you will see distress(DG) in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age.(DH) 33 Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants(DI) will die in the prime of life.

34 “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign(DJ) to you—they will both die(DK) on the same day.(DL) 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest,(DM) who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed(DN) one always. 36 Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead,(DO) “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.(DP)”’”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 1:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 6:26-27,33-35; or from Ramathaim Zuphim.
  2. 1 Samuel 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard by God.
  3. 1 Samuel 1:22 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls always. I have dedicated him as a Nazirite—all the days of his life.”
  4. 1 Samuel 1:23 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac your
  5. 1 Samuel 1:24 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text with three bulls
  6. 1 Samuel 1:24 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
  7. 1 Samuel 2:1 Horn here symbolizes strength; also in verse 10.
  8. 1 Samuel 2:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text people
  9. 1 Samuel 2:20 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text and asked from
  10. 1 Samuel 2:25 Or the judges
  11. 1 Samuel 2:29 The Hebrew is plural.

Praise for God’s Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.

For the music director. A Song. A Psalm.

66 (A)Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
Sing the (B)glory of His name;
Make His (C)praise glorious.
Say to God, “How (D)awesome are Your works!
Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will (E)pretend to obey You.
(F)All the earth will worship You,
And will (G)sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name.” Selah

(H)Come and see the works of God,
Who is (I)awesome in His deeds toward the sons of mankind.
He (J)turned the sea into dry land;
They passed through (K)the river on foot;
Let’s (L)rejoice there, in Him!
He (M)rules by His might forever;
His (N)eyes keep watch on the nations;
The rebellious shall not (O)exalt themselves! Selah

Bless our God, you peoples,
And [a](P)sound His praise abroad,
Who [b](Q)keeps us in life,
And (R)does not allow our feet to [c]slip.
10 For You have (S)put us to the test, God;
You have (T)refined us as silver is refined.
11 You (U)brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon [d]us.
12 You made men (V)ride over our heads;
We went through (W)fire and through water.
Yet You (X)brought us out into a place of abundance.
13 I shall (Y)come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall (Z)pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was (AA)in distress.
15 I shall (AB)offer to You burnt offerings of fat animals,
With the smoke of (AC)rams;
I shall make an offering of [e]bulls with male goats. Selah

16 (AD)Come and hear, all who [f]fear God,
And I will (AE)tell of what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And [g]He was (AF)exalted with my tongue.
18 If I [h](AG)regard wickedness in my heart,
The (AH)Lord will not hear;
19 But (AI)God has heard;
He has given attention to the sound of my prayer.
20 (AJ)Blessed be God,
Who (AK)has not turned away my prayer
Nor His favor from me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 66:8 Lit cause to hear the sound of His praise
  2. Psalm 66:9 Lit puts our soul in life
  3. Psalm 66:9 Or dodder, stumble
  4. Psalm 66:11 Lit our loins
  5. Psalm 66:15 Or cattle
  6. Psalm 66:16 Or revere
  7. Psalm 66:17 Or praise was under my tongue
  8. Psalm 66:18 Or had regarded

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!(A)
    Sing the glory of his name;(B)
    make his praise glorious.(C)
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!(D)
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe(E) before you.
All the earth bows down(F) to you;
    they sing praise(G) to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”[a]

Come and see what God has done,
    his awesome deeds(H) for mankind!
He turned the sea into dry land,(I)
    they passed through(J) the waters on foot—
    come, let us rejoice(K) in him.
He rules forever(L) by his power,
    his eyes watch(M) the nations—
    let not the rebellious(N) rise up against him.

Praise(O) our God, all peoples,
    let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives(P)
    and kept our feet from slipping.(Q)
10 For you, God, tested(R) us;
    you refined us like silver.(S)
11 You brought us into prison(T)
    and laid burdens(U) on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;(V)
    we went through fire and water,
    but you brought us to a place of abundance.(W)

13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings(X)
    and fulfill my vows(Y) to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
    when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
    and an offering of rams;
    I will offer bulls and goats.(Z)

16 Come and hear,(AA) all you who fear God;
    let me tell(AB) you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
    his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened;(AC)
19 but God has surely listened
    and has heard(AD) my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
    who has not rejected(AE) my prayer
    or withheld his love from me!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 66:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 15.

Paul Reveals His Heart

Therefore, having these promises, (A)beloved, (B)let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

(C)Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said (D)before that you are (E)in our hearts, to die together and to live together. My (F)confidence [a]in you is great; my (G)boasting in your behalf is great. I am filled with (H)comfort; I am overflowing with (I)joy in all our affliction.

For even when we came into (J)Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were (K)afflicted on every side: (L)conflicts on the outside, fears inside. But (M)God, who comforts the [b]discouraged, (N)comforted us by the arrival of (O)Titus; and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted among you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. For though I (P)caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything [c]through us. 10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a (Q)repentance [d]without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this [e]godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what (R)longing, what zeal, what (S)punishment of wrong! In everything you (T)demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 12 So although (U)I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of (V)the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness in our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. 13 Because of this, we have been (W)comforted.

And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of (X)Titus, because his (Y)spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For if I have (Z)boasted to him about you regarding anything, I was not put to shame. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before (AA)Titus proved to be the truth. 15 His [f]affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the (AB)obedience of you all, how you received him with (AC)fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice that in everything (AD)I have confidence in you.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:4 Lit toward
  2. 2 Corinthians 7:6 Or lowly
  3. 2 Corinthians 7:9 Lit from
  4. 2 Corinthians 7:10 Or leading to a salvation without regret
  5. 2 Corinthians 7:11 Lit sorrow according to God
  6. 2 Corinthians 7:15 Lit inward parts

Therefore, since we have these promises,(A) dear friends,(B) let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness(C) out of reverence for God.

Paul’s Joy Over the Church’s Repentance

Make room for us in your hearts.(D) We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts(E) that we would live or die with you. I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you.(F) I am greatly encouraged;(G) in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.(H)

For when we came into Macedonia,(I) we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn(J)—conflicts on the outside, fears within.(K) But God, who comforts the downcast,(L) comforted us by the coming of Titus,(M) and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.

Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter,(N) I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation(O) and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern,(P) what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you,(Q) it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong(R) nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. 13 By all this we are encouraged.

In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus(S) was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 I had boasted to him about you,(T) and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus(U) has proved to be true as well. 15 And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient,(V) receiving him with fear and trembling.(W) 16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.(X)