Genesis 30-32

New International Version

30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,^(A) she became jealous of her sister.^(B) So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

²Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God,^(C) who has kept you from having children?”^(D)

³Then she said, “Here is Bilhah,^(E) my servant.^(F) Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”^(G)

⁴So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.^(H) Jacob slept with her,^(I) ⁵and she became pregnant and bore him a son. ⁶Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;^(J) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”^(K) Because of this she named him Dan.^[a]^(L)

⁷Rachel’s servant Bilhah^(M) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. ⁸Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”^(N) So she named him Naphtali.^[b]^(O)

⁹When Leah^(P) saw that she had stopped having children,^(Q) she took her servant Zilpah^(R) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.^(S) ¹⁰Leah’s servant Zilpah^(T) bore Jacob a son. ¹¹Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”^[c] So she named him Gad.^[d]^(U)

¹²Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. ¹³Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me^(V) happy.”^(W) So she named him Asher.^[e]^(X)

¹⁴During wheat harvest,^(Y) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,^(Z) which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

¹⁵But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough^(AA) that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”

“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”^(AB)

¹⁶So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”^(AC) So he slept with her that night.

¹⁷God listened to Leah,^(AD) and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. ¹⁸Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.”^(AE) So she named him Issachar.^[f]^(AF)

¹⁹Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. ²⁰Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor,^(AG) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.^[g]^(AH)

²¹Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.^(AI)

²²Then God remembered Rachel;^(AJ) he listened to her^(AK) and enabled her to conceive.^(AL) ²³She became pregnant and gave birth to a son^(AM) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”^(AN) ²⁴She named him Joseph,^[h]^(AO) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”^(AP)

Jacob’s Flocks Increase

²⁵After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way^(AQ) so I can go back to my own homeland.^(AR) ²⁶Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,^(AS) and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.”

²⁷But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(AT) please stay. I have learned by divination^(AU) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”^(AV) ²⁸He added, “Name your wages,^(AW) and I will pay them.”

²⁹Jacob said to him, “You know how I have worked for you^(AX) and how your livestock has fared under my care.^(AY) ³⁰The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been.^(AZ) But now, when may I do something for my own household?^(BA)”

³¹“What shall I give you?” he asked.

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: ³²Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat.^(BB) They will be my wages.^(BC) ³³And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored,^(BD) will be considered stolen.^(BE)”

³⁴“Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.” ³⁵That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs,^(BF) and he placed them in the care of his sons.^(BG) ³⁶Then he put a three-day journey^(BH) between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban’s flocks.

³⁷Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond^(BI) and plane trees^(BJ) and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.^(BK) ³⁸Then he placed the peeled branches^(BL) in all the watering troughs,^(BM) so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat^(BN) and came to drink, ³⁹they mated in front of the branches.^(BO) And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.^(BP) ⁴⁰Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals^(BQ) that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals. ⁴¹Whenever the stronger females were in heat,^(BR) Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,^(BS) ⁴²but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob.^(BT) ⁴³In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.^(BU)

Jacob Flees From Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons^(BV) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”^(BW) ²And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.^(BX)

³Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back^(BY) to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”^(BZ)

⁴So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. ⁵He said to them, “I see that your father’s^(CA) attitude toward me is not what it was before,^(CB) but the God of my father has been with me.^(CC) ⁶You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,^(CD) ⁷yet your father has cheated^(CE) me by changing my wages^(CF) ten times.^(CG) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.^(CH) ⁸If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’^(CI) then all the flocks bore streaked young. ⁹So God has taken away your father’s livestock^(CJ) and has given them to me.^(CK)

¹⁰“In breeding season I once had a dream^(CL) in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. ¹¹The angel of God^(CM) said to me in the dream,^(CN) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’^(CO) ¹²And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,^(CP) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.^(CQ) ¹³I am the God of Bethel,^(CR) where you anointed a pillar^(CS) and where you made a vow^(CT) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.^(CU)’”

¹⁴Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share^(CV) in the inheritance of our father’s estate? ¹⁵Does he not regard us as foreigners?^(CW) Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.^(CX) ¹⁶Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children.^(CY) So do whatever God has told you.”

¹⁷Then Jacob put his children and his wives^(CZ) on camels,^(DA) ¹⁸and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated^(DB) in Paddan Aram,^[i]^(DC) to go to his father Isaac^(DD) in the land of Canaan.^(DE)

¹⁹When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,^(DF) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.^(DG) ²⁰Moreover, Jacob deceived^(DH) Laban the Aramean^(DI) by not telling him he was running away.^(DJ) ²¹So he fled^(DK) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,^(DL) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.^(DM)

Laban Pursues Jacob

²²On the third day^(DN) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.^(DO) ²³Taking his relatives^(DP) with him^(DQ), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.^(DR) ²⁴Then God came to Laban the Aramean^(DS) in a dream at night and said to him,^(DT) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”^(DU)

²⁵Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead^(DV) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. ²⁶Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?^(DW) You’ve deceived me,^(DX) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.^(DY) ²⁷Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,^(DZ) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels^(EA) and harps?^(EB) ²⁸You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.^(EC) You have done a foolish thing. ²⁹I have the power to harm you;^(ED) but last night the God of your father^(EE) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’^(EF) ³⁰Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.^(EG) But why did you steal^(EH) my gods?^(EI)”

³¹Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.^(EJ) ³²But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.^(EK) In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.^(EL)

³³So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent^(EM) and into the tent of the two female servants,^(EN) but he found nothing.^(EO) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. ³⁴Now Rachel had taken the household gods^(EP) and put them inside her camel’s saddle^(EQ) and was sitting on them. Laban searched^(ER) through everything in the tent but found nothing.

³⁵Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence;^(ES) I’m having my period.^(ET)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.^(EU)

³⁶Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged^(EV) you that you hunt me down?^(EW) ³⁷Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household?^(EX) Put it here in front of your relatives^(EY) and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.^(EZ)

³⁸“I have been with you for twenty years now.^(FA) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,^(FB) nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. ³⁹I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen^(FC) by day or night.^(FD) ⁴⁰This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.^(FE) ⁴¹It was like this for the twenty years^(FF) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters^(FG) and six years for your flocks,^(FH) and you changed my wages^(FI) ten times.^(FJ) ⁴²If the God of my father,^(FK) the God of Abraham^(FL) and the Fear of Isaac,^(FM) had not been with me,^(FN) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,^(FO) and last night he rebuked you.^(FP)”

⁴³Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.^(FQ) All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? ⁴⁴Come now, let’s make a covenant,^(FR) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”^(FS)

⁴⁵So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.^(FT) ⁴⁶He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap,^(FU) and they ate there by the heap. ⁴⁷Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.^[j]^(FV)

⁴⁸Laban said, “This heap^(FW) is a witness between you and me today.”^(FX) That is why it was called Galeed. ⁴⁹It was also called Mizpah,^[k]^(FY) because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. ⁵⁰If you mistreat^(FZ) my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness^(GA) between you and me.”^(GB)

⁵¹Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,^(GC) and here is this pillar^(GD) I have set up between you and me. ⁵²This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,^(GE) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap^(GF) and pillar to my side to harm me.^(GG) ⁵³May the God of Abraham^(GH) and the God of Nahor,^(GI) the God of their father, judge between us.”^(GJ)

So Jacob took an oath^(GK) in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.^(GL) ⁵⁴He offered a sacrifice^(GM) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal.^(GN) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

⁵⁵Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters^(GO) and blessed^(GP) them. Then he left and returned home.^[l]^(GQ)

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

32 ^[m]Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God^(GR) met him. ²When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!”^(GS) So he named that place Mahanaim.^[n]^(GT)

³Jacob sent messengers^(GU) ahead of him to his brother Esau^(GV) in the land of Seir,^(GW) the country of Edom.^(GX) ⁴He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my lord^(GY) Esau: ‘Your servant^(GZ) Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban^(HA) and have remained there till now. ⁵I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants.^(HB) Now I am sending this message to my lord,^(HC) that I may find favor in your eyes.^(HD)’”

⁶When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”^(HE)

⁷In great fear^(HF) and distress^(HG) Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups,^[o]^(HH) and the flocks and herds and camels as well. ⁸He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group,^[p] the group^[q] that is left may escape.”

⁹Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham,^(HI) God of my father Isaac,^(HJ) Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’^(HK) ¹⁰I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness^(HL) you have shown your servant. I had only my staff^(HM) when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.^(HN) ¹¹Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid^(HO) he will come and attack me,^(HP) and also the mothers with their children.^(HQ) ¹²But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand^(HR) of the sea, which cannot be counted.^(HS)’”

¹³He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift^(HT) for his brother Esau: ¹⁴two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,^(HU) ¹⁵thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.^(HV) ¹⁶He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.”^(HW)

¹⁷He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ ¹⁸then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant^(HX) Jacob. They are a gift^(HY) sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’”

¹⁹He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: “You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. ²⁰And be sure to say, ‘Your servant^(HZ) Jacob is coming behind us.’” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts^(IA) I am sending on ahead;^(IB) later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.”^(IC) ²¹So Jacob’s gifts^(ID) went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp.

Jacob Wrestles With God

²²That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons^(IE) and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.^(IF) ²³After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.^(IG) ²⁴So Jacob was left alone,^(IH) and a man^(II) wrestled with him till daybreak. ²⁵When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip^(IJ) so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. ²⁶Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”^(IK)

²⁷The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,”^(IL) he answered.

²⁸Then the man said, “Your name^(IM) will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,^[r]^(IN) because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”^(IO)

²⁹Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”^(IP)

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?”^(IQ) Then he blessed^(IR) him there.

³⁰So Jacob called the place Peniel,^[s] saying, “It is because I saw God face to face,^(IS) and yet my life was spared.”

³¹The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel,^[t]^(IT) and he was limping because of his hip. ³²Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip,^(IU) because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Footnotes

Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.
Genesis 31:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
Genesis 31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchtower.
Genesis 31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.
Genesis 32:1 In Hebrew texts 32:1-32 is numbered 32:2-33.
Genesis 32:2 Mahanaim means two camps.
Genesis 32:7 Or camps
Genesis 32:8 Or camp
Genesis 32:8 Or camp
Genesis 32:28 Israel probably means he struggles with God.
Genesis 32:30 Peniel means face of God.
Genesis 32:31 Hebrew Penuel, a variant of Peniel

Matthew 17:14-18:9

New International Version

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy^(A)

¹⁴When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. ¹⁵“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures^(B) and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. ¹⁶I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

¹⁷“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” ¹⁸Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

¹⁹Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁰He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith^(C) as small as a mustard seed,^(D) you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.^(E) Nothing will be impossible for you.” ^[21]^[a]

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

²²When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man^(F) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. ²³They will kill him,^(G) and on the third day^(H) he will be raised to life.”^(I) And the disciples were filled with grief.

The Temple Tax

²⁴After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax^(J) came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

²⁵“Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes^(K)—from their own children or from others?”

²⁶“From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. ²⁷“But so that we may not cause offense,^(L) go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven^(M)

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

²He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,^(N) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.^(O) ⁴Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.^(P) ⁵And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.^(Q)

Causing to Stumble

⁶“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.^(R) ⁷Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!^(S) ⁸If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,^(T) cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. ⁹And if your eye causes you to stumble,^(U) gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.^(V)

Footnotes

Matthew 17:21 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 9:29.

Psalm 119:33-104

New International Version

ה He

³³Teach me,^(A) Lord, the way of your decrees,
    that I may follow it to the end.^[a]
³⁴Give me understanding,^(B) so that I may keep your law^(C)
    and obey it with all my heart.^(D)
³⁵Direct me^(E) in the path of your commands,^(F)
    for there I find delight.^(G)
³⁶Turn my heart^(H) toward your statutes
    and not toward selfish gain.^(I)
³⁷Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
    preserve my life^(J) according to your word.^[b]^(K)
³⁸Fulfill your promise^(L) to your servant,
    so that you may be feared.
³⁹Take away the disgrace^(M) I dread,
    for your laws are good.
⁴⁰How I long^(N) for your precepts!
    In your righteousness preserve my life.^(O)

ו Waw

⁴¹May your unfailing love^(P) come to me, Lord,
    your salvation, according to your promise;^(Q)
⁴²then I can answer^(R) anyone who taunts me,^(S)
    for I trust in your word.
⁴³Never take your word of truth from my mouth,^(T)
    for I have put my hope^(U) in your laws.
⁴⁴I will always obey your law,^(V)
    for ever and ever.
⁴⁵I will walk about in freedom,
    for I have sought out your precepts.^(W)
⁴⁶I will speak of your statutes before kings^(X)
    and will not be put to shame,^(Y)
⁴⁷for I delight^(Z) in your commands
    because I love them.^(AA)
⁴⁸I reach out for your commands, which I love,
    that I may meditate^(AB) on your decrees.

ז Zayin

⁴⁹Remember your word^(AC) to your servant,
    for you have given me hope.^(AD)
⁵⁰My comfort in my suffering is this:
    Your promise preserves my life.^(AE)
⁵¹The arrogant mock me^(AF) unmercifully,
    but I do not turn^(AG) from your law.
⁵²I remember,^(AH) Lord, your ancient laws,
    and I find comfort in them.
⁵³Indignation grips me^(AI) because of the wicked,
    who have forsaken your law.^(AJ)
⁵⁴Your decrees are the theme of my song^(AK)
    wherever I lodge.
⁵⁵In the night, Lord, I remember^(AL) your name,
    that I may keep your law.^(AM)
⁵⁶This has been my practice:
    I obey your precepts.^(AN)

ח Heth

⁵⁷You are my portion,^(AO) Lord;
    I have promised to obey your words.^(AP)
⁵⁸I have sought^(AQ) your face with all my heart;
    be gracious to me^(AR) according to your promise.^(AS)
⁵⁹I have considered my ways^(AT)
    and have turned my steps to your statutes.
⁶⁰I will hasten and not delay
    to obey your commands.^(AU)
⁶¹Though the wicked bind me with ropes,
    I will not forget^(AV) your law.
⁶²At midnight^(AW) I rise to give you thanks
    for your righteous laws.^(AX)
⁶³I am a friend to all who fear you,^(AY)
    to all who follow your precepts.^(AZ)
⁶⁴The earth is filled with your love,^(BA) Lord;
    teach me your decrees.^(BB)

ט Teth

⁶⁵Do good^(BC) to your servant
    according to your word,^(BD) Lord.
⁶⁶Teach me knowledge^(BE) and good judgment,
    for I trust your commands.
⁶⁷Before I was afflicted^(BF) I went astray,^(BG)
    but now I obey your word.^(BH)
⁶⁸You are good,^(BI) and what you do is good;
    teach me your decrees.^(BJ)
⁶⁹Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,^(BK)
    I keep your precepts with all my heart.
⁷⁰Their hearts are callous^(BL) and unfeeling,
    but I delight in your law.
⁷¹It was good for me to be afflicted^(BM)
    so that I might learn your decrees.
⁷²The law from your mouth is more precious to me
    than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.^(BN)

י Yodh

⁷³Your hands made me^(BO) and formed me;
    give me understanding to learn your commands.
⁷⁴May those who fear you rejoice^(BP) when they see me,
    for I have put my hope in your word.^(BQ)
⁷⁵I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,^(BR)
    and that in faithfulness^(BS) you have afflicted me.
⁷⁶May your unfailing love^(BT) be my comfort,
    according to your promise^(BU) to your servant.
⁷⁷Let your compassion^(BV) come to me that I may live,
    for your law is my delight.^(BW)
⁷⁸May the arrogant^(BX) be put to shame for wronging me without cause;^(BY)
    but I will meditate on your precepts.
⁷⁹May those who fear you turn to me,
    those who understand your statutes.^(BZ)
⁸⁰May I wholeheartedly follow^(CA) your decrees,^(CB)
    that I may not be put to shame.^(CC)

כ Kaph

⁸¹My soul faints^(CD) with longing for your salvation,^(CE)
    but I have put my hope^(CF) in your word.
⁸²My eyes fail,^(CG) looking for your promise;^(CH)
    I say, “When will you comfort me?”
⁸³Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
    I do not forget^(CI) your decrees.
⁸⁴How long^(CJ) must your servant wait?
    When will you punish my persecutors?^(CK)
⁸⁵The arrogant^(CL) dig pits^(CM) to trap me,
    contrary to your law.
⁸⁶All your commands are trustworthy;^(CN)
    help me,^(CO) for I am being persecuted^(CP) without cause.^(CQ)
⁸⁷They almost wiped me from the earth,
    but I have not forsaken^(CR) your precepts.
⁸⁸In your unfailing love^(CS) preserve my life,^(CT)
    that I may obey the statutes^(CU) of your mouth.

ל Lamedh

⁸⁹Your word, Lord, is eternal;^(CV)
    it stands firm in the heavens.
⁹⁰Your faithfulness^(CW) continues through all generations;^(CX)
    you established the earth, and it endures.^(CY)
⁹¹Your laws endure^(CZ) to this day,
    for all things serve you.^(DA)
⁹²If your law had not been my delight,^(DB)
    I would have perished in my affliction.^(DC)
⁹³I will never forget^(DD) your precepts,
    for by them you have preserved my life.^(DE)
⁹⁴Save me,^(DF) for I am yours;
    I have sought out your precepts.^(DG)
⁹⁵The wicked are waiting to destroy me,^(DH)
    but I will ponder your statutes.^(DI)
⁹⁶To all perfection I see a limit,
    but your commands are boundless.^(DJ)

מ Mem

⁹⁷Oh, how I love your law!^(DK)
    I meditate^(DL) on it all day long.
⁹⁸Your commands are always with me
    and make me wiser^(DM) than my enemies.
⁹⁹I have more insight than all my teachers,
    for I meditate on your statutes.^(DN)
¹⁰⁰I have more understanding than the elders,
    for I obey your precepts.^(DO)
¹⁰¹I have kept my feet^(DP) from every evil path
    so that I might obey your word.^(DQ)
¹⁰²I have not departed from your laws,^(DR)
    for you yourself have taught^(DS) me.
¹⁰³How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey^(DT) to my mouth!^(DU)
¹⁰⁴I gain understanding^(DV) from your precepts;
    therefore I hate every wrong path.^(DW)

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Footnotes

Psalm 119:33 Or follow it for its reward
Psalm 119:37 Two manuscripts of the Masoretic Text and Dead Sea Scrolls; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text life in your way

Proverbs 25

New International Version

More Proverbs of Solomon

25 These are more proverbs^(A) of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:^(B)

²It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.^(C)
³As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

⁴Remove the dross from the silver,
and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
⁵remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,^(D)
and his throne will be established^(E) through righteousness.^(F)

⁶Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
and do not claim a place among his great men;
⁷it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”^(G)
than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes
⁸ do not bring^[a] hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
if your neighbor puts you to shame?^(H)

⁹If you take your neighbor to court,
do not betray another’s confidence,
¹⁰or the one who hears it may shame you
and the charge against you will stand.

¹¹Like apples^[b] of gold in settings of silver^(I)
is a ruling rightly given.
¹²Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.^(J)

¹³Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time
    is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;
    he refreshes the spirit of his master.^(K)
¹⁴Like clouds and wind without rain
    is one who boasts of gifts never given.

¹⁵Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,^(L)
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.^(M)

¹⁶If you find honey, eat just enough—
too much of it, and you will vomit.^(N)
¹⁷Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you.

¹⁸Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
    is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.^(O)
¹⁹Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
    is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
²⁰Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
    or like vinegar poured on a wound,
    is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
²²In doing this, you will heap burning coals^(P) on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.^(Q)

²³Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

²⁴Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.^(R)

²⁵Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.^(S)

Footnotes

Proverbs 25:8 Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / ⁸Do not go
Proverbs 25:11 Or possibly apricots

New International Version (NIV)