Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:(A) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world(B) to be rich in faith(C) and to inherit the kingdom(D) he promised those who love him?(E)

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The Year of the Lord’s Favor

61 The Spirit(A) of the Sovereign Lord(B) is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed(C) me
    to proclaim good news(D) to the poor.(E)
He has sent me to bind up(F) the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom(G) for the captives(H)
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,(A) for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.(B)

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Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.(A)

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The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 11:5 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.

Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.(A)

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He guides(A) the humble in what is right
    and teaches them(B) his way.

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“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(A)

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11 But the meek will inherit the land(A)
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.(B)

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Therefore, rid yourselves(A) of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander(B) of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,(C) so that by it you may grow up(D) in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.(E)

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Two Kinds of Wisdom

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it(A) by their good life, by deeds(B) done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition(C) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.(D) 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven(E) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.(F) 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition,(G) there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven(H) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,(I) considerate, submissive, full of mercy(J) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.(K) 18 Peacemakers(L) who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.(M)

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21 Therefore, get rid of(A) all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,(B) which can save you.

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Final Exhortations

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!(A)

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No Confidence in the Flesh

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,(A) and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs,(B) those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision,(C) we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,(D) and who put no confidence in the flesh—

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Imitating Christ’s Humility

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,(A) if any tenderness and compassion,(B) then make my joy complete(C) by being like-minded,(D) having the same love, being one(E) in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.(F) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,(G)

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Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another(A) in love.(B)

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22 But the fruit(A) of the Spirit is love,(B) joy, peace,(C) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.(D) Against such things there is no law.(E)

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26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.(A) Not many of you were wise(B) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose(C) the foolish(D) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not(E)—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.(F)

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12 But I will leave within you
    the meek(A) and humble.
The remnant of Israel
    will trust(B) in the name of the Lord.
13 They(C) will do no wrong;(D)
    they will tell no lies.(E)
A deceitful tongue
    will not be found in their mouths.(F)
They will eat and lie down(G)
    and no one will make them afraid.(H)

14 Sing, Daughter Zion;(I)
    shout aloud,(J) Israel!
Be glad and rejoice(K) with all your heart,
    Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
    he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;(L)
    never again will you fear(M) any harm.(N)
16 On that day
    they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
    do not let your hands hang limp.(O)
17 The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.(P)
He will take great delight(Q) in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,(R)
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”(S)

18 “I will remove from you
    all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
    which is a burden and reproach for you.

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Seek(A) the Lord, all you humble of the land,
    you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness,(B) seek humility;(C)
    perhaps you will be sheltered(D)
    on the day of the Lord’s anger.

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18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,(A)
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.(B)

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Has not my hand made all these things,(A)
    and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
    those who are humble and contrite in spirit,(B)
    and who tremble at my word.(C)

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10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices(A) in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,(B)
as a bridegroom adorns his head(C) like a priest,
    and as a bride(D) adorns herself with her jewels.

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15 For this is what the high and exalted(A) One says—
    he who lives forever,(B) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high(C) and holy place,
    but also with the one who is contrite(D) and lowly in spirit,(E)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.(F)

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