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Sirach 15:11-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Sirach 15:11-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Freedom of Choice
11 Do not say, “It was the Lord’s doing that I fell away,”
for he does not do[a] what he hates.(A)
12 Do not say, “It was he who led me astray,”
for he has no need of the sinful.(B)
13 The Lord hates all abominations;
such things are not loved by those who fear him.
14 It was he who created humans in the beginning,
and he left them in the power of their own inclinations.[b](C)
15 If you choose, you can keep the commandments,
and to act faithfully is a matter of your choice.
16 He has placed before you fire and water;
stretch out your hand for whichever you choose.
17 Before each person are life and death,
and whichever one chooses will be given.(D)
18 For great is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power and sees everything;(E)
19 his eyes are on those who fear him,
and he knows every human action.(F)
20 He has not commanded anyone to be ungodly,
and he has not given anyone permission to sin.(G)
1 Maccabees 14:4-15
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 Maccabees 14:4-15
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Eulogy of Simon
4 The land[a] had rest all the days of Simon.
He sought the good of his nation;
his rule was pleasing to them,
as was the honor shown him all his days.(A)
5 To crown all his honors he took Joppa for a harbor
and opened a way to the isles of the sea.(B)
6 He extended the borders of his nation
and gained full control of the country.
7 He gathered a host of captives;
he ruled over Gazara and Beth-zur and the citadel,
and he removed its uncleanness from it,
and there was none to oppose him.(C)
8 They tilled their land in peace;
the ground gave its increase
and the trees of the plains their fruit.(D)
9 Old men sat in the streets;
they all talked together of good things,
and the youths put on splendid military attire.
10 He supplied the towns with food
and furnished them with the means of defense,
until his renown spread to the ends of the earth.(E)
11 He established peace in the land,
and Israel rejoiced with great joy.
12 All the people sat under their own vines and fig trees,
and there was none to make them afraid.(F)
13 No one was left in the land to fight them,
and the kings were crushed in those days.
14 He gave help to all the humble among his people;
he sought out the law
and did away with all the renegades and outlaws.
15 He made the sanctuary glorious
and added to the vessels of the sanctuary.
Footnotes
- 14.4 Other ancient authorities add of Judah
Matthew 21:12-32
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Matthew 21:12-32
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12 Then Jesus entered the temple[a] and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.(A) 13 He said to them, “It is written,
‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’
but you are making it a den of robbers.”(B)
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did and heard[b] the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became angry(C) 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise for yourself’?”(D)
17 He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
18 In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done.(E) 22 Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”(F)
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”(G) 24 Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for all regard John as a prophet.”(H) 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’(I) 29 He answered, ‘I will not,’ but later he changed his mind and went. 30 The father[c] went to the second and said the same, and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.(J) 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him, and even after you saw it you did not change your minds and believe him.(K)
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Matthew 21:12-32
New International Version
Matthew 21:12-32
New International Version
Jesus at the Temple(A)
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying(B) and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers(C) and the benches of those selling doves.(D) 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[a](E) but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’[b]”(F)
14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.(G) 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,”(H) they were indignant.(I)
16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany,(K) where he spent the night.
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree(L)
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.(M)
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt,(N) not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for(O) in prayer.”
The Authority of Jesus Questioned(P)
23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority(Q) are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”(R)
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’(S)
29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors(T) and the prostitutes(U) are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,(V) and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors(W) and the prostitutes(X) did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent(Y) and believe him.
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:13 Isaiah 56:7
- Matthew 21:13 Jer. 7:11
- Matthew 21:16 Psalm 8:2 (see Septuagint)
2 Corinthians 9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
2 Corinthians 9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Collection for Christians at Jerusalem
9 Now it is not necessary for me to write you about the ministry to the saints, 2 for I know your eagerness, which is the subject of my boasting about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them.(A) 3 But I am sending[a] the brothers in order that our boasting about you may not prove to have been empty in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be;(B) 4 otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be put to shame—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking.[b] 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for this bountiful gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a bountiful gift and not as an extortion.
6 The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.(C) 7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.(D) 8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing[c] in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.(E) 9 As it is written,
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.[e] 11 You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us, 12 for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. 13 Through the testing of this ministry you[f] glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your partnership with them and with all others,(G) 14 while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!(H)
2 Corinthians 9
New International Version
2 Corinthians 9
New International Version
9 There is no need(A) for me to write to you about this service(B) to the Lord’s people.(C) 2 For I know your eagerness to help,(D) and I have been boasting(E) about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year(F) you in Achaia(G) were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers(H) in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.(I) 4 For if any Macedonians(J) come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers(K) to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift,(L) not as one grudgingly given.(M)
Generosity Encouraged
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.(N) 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,(O) not reluctantly or under compulsion,(P) for God loves a cheerful giver.(Q) 8 And God is able(R) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,(S) you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food(V) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.(W) 11 You will be enriched(X) in every way so that you can be generous(Y) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.(Z)
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs(AA) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(AB) 13 Because of the service(AC) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God(AD) for the obedience that accompanies your confession(AE) of the gospel of Christ,(AF) and for your generosity(AG) in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God(AH) for his indescribable gift!(AI)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9
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