Jeremiah 23:1-6

English Standard Version

The Righteous Branch

23 ^(A)“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. ²Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning ^(B)the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. ^(C)Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. ³^(D)Then I will gather the remnant of my flock ^(E)out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, ^(F)and they shall be fruitful and multiply. ⁴^(G)I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

⁵^(H)“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous ^(I)Branch, and ^(J)he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶In his days Judah will be saved, and ^(K)Israel will ^(L)dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ^(M)‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

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Psalm 46

English Standard Version

God Is Our Fortress

To the choirmaster. Of ^(A)the Sons of Korah. According to ^(B)Alamoth.^[a] A Song.

46 God is our ^(C)refuge and strength,
    a very ^(D)present^[b] help in ^(E)trouble.
²Therefore we will not fear ^(F)though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into ^(G)the heart of the sea,
³though ^(H)its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

⁴There is ^(I)a river whose streams make glad ^(J)the city of God,
    the holy ^(K)habitation of the Most High.
⁵^(L)God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶^(M)The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he ^(N)utters his voice, the earth ^(O)melts.
⁷^(P)The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

⁸^(Q)Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
⁹^(R)He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he ^(S)breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    ^(T)he burns the chariots with fire.
¹⁰^(U)“Be still, and know that I am God.
    ^(V)I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
¹¹^(W)The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Footnotes

Psalm 46:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
Psalm 46:1 Or well proved

Colossians 1:9-20

English Standard Version

⁹And so, ^(A)from the day we heard, ^(B)we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that ^(C)you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all ^(D)spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰so as ^(E)to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^(F)fully pleasing to him: ^(G)bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ¹¹^(H)being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for ^(I)all endurance and patience ^(J)with joy; ¹²^(K)giving thanks^[a] to the Father, who has qualified you^[b] to share in ^(L)the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³He ^(M)has delivered us from ^(N)the domain of darkness and transferred us to ^(O)the kingdom of ^(P)his beloved Son, ¹⁴^(Q)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Preeminence of Christ

¹⁵^(R)He is the image of ^(S)the invisible God, ^(T)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by^[c] him all things were created, ^(U)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(V)thrones or ^(W)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(X)through him and for him. ¹⁷And ^(Y)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(Z)hold together. ¹⁸And ^(AA)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(AB)the beginning, ^(AC)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹For ^(AD)in him all the ^(AE)fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and ^(AF)through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, ^(AG)making peace ^(AH)by the blood of his cross.

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Footnotes

Colossians 1:12 Or patience, with joy giving thanks
Colossians 1:12 Some manuscripts us
Colossians 1:16 That is, by means of; or in

John 18:33-37

English Standard Version

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

³³^(A)So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, ^(B)“Are you the King of the Jews?” ³⁴Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶Jesus answered, ^(C)“My kingdom ^(D)is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, ^(E)my servants would have been fighting, that ^(F)I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ³⁷Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, ^(G)“You say that I am a king. ^(H)For this purpose I was born and for this purpose ^(I)I have come into the world—^(J)to bear witness to the truth. ^(K)Everyone who is ^(L)of the truth ^(M)listens to my voice.”