Ezra 9:5-9

New International Version

⁵Then, at the evening sacrifice,^(A) I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands^(B) spread out to the Lord my God ⁶and prayed:

“I am too ashamed^(C) and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.^(D) ⁷From the days of our ancestors^(E) until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword^(F) and captivity,^(G) to pillage and humiliation^(H) at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

⁸“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious^(I) in leaving us a remnant^(J) and giving us a firm place^[a]^(K) in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes^(L) and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹Though we are slaves,^(M) our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness^(N) in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,^(O) and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

Ezra 9:8 Or a foothold

Psalm 48

New International Version

Psalm 48^[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

¹Great is the Lord,^(A) and most worthy of praise,^(B)
in the city of our God,^(C) his holy mountain.^(D)

²Beautiful^(E) in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon^[b]^(F) is Mount Zion,^(G)
    the city of the Great King.^(H)
³God is in her citadels;^(I)
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.^(J)

⁴When the kings joined forces,
    when they advanced together,^(K)
⁵they saw her and were astounded;
    they fled in terror.^(L)
⁶Trembling seized^(M) them there,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.^(N)
⁷You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish^(O)
    shattered by an east wind.^(P)

⁸As we have heard,
    so we have seen
in the city of the Lord Almighty,
    in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
    forever.^[c]^(Q)

⁹Within your temple, O God,
    we meditate^(R) on your unfailing love.^(S)
¹⁰Like your name,^(T) O God,
    your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;^(U)
    your right hand is filled with righteousness.
¹¹Mount Zion rejoices,
    the villages of Judah are glad
    because of your judgments.^(V)

¹²Walk about Zion, go around her,
    count her towers,^(W)
¹³consider well her ramparts,^(X)
    view her citadels,^(Y)
that you may tell of them
    to the next generation.^(Z)

¹⁴For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide^(AA) even to the end.

Footnotes

Psalm 48:1 In Hebrew texts 48:1-14 is numbered 48:2-15.
Psalm 48:2 Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
Psalm 48:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Luke 9:1-6

New International Version

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve^(A)^(B)

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons^(C) and to cure diseases,^(D) ²and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God^(E) and to heal the sick. ³He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.^(F) ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”^(G) ⁶So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.