Psalm 117

²⁷ “The days are coming,”^(A) declares the Lord, “when I will plant^(B) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. ²⁸ Just as I watched^(C) over them to uproot^(D) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster,^(E) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,”^(F) declares the Lord. ²⁹ “In those days people will no longer say,

³⁰ Instead, everyone will die for their own sin;^(I) whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

³⁵ This is what the Lord says,

³⁷ This is what the Lord says:

³⁸ “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this city will be rebuilt^(AE) for me from the Tower of Hananel^(AF) to the Corner Gate.^{(AG) 39} The measuring line^(AH) will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. ⁴⁰ The whole valley^(AI) where dead bodies^(AJ) and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley^(AK) on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate,^(AL) will be holy^(AM) to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”

Jeremiah Buys a Field

32 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth^(AN) year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth^(AO) year of Nebuchadnezzar. ² The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging^(AP) Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined^(AQ) in the courtyard of the guard^(AR) in the royal palace of Judah.

³ Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, “Why do you prophesy^(AS) as you do? You say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will capture^(AT) it. ⁴ Zedekiah^(AU) king of Judah will not escape^(AV) the Babylonians^[c](AW) but will certainly be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him with his own eyes. ⁵ He will take^(AX) Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will remain until I deal with him,^(AY) declares the Lord. If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not succeed.’”^(AZ)

⁶ Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: ⁷ Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth,^(BA) because as nearest relative it is your right and duty^(BB) to buy it.’

⁸ “Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and said, ‘Buy my field^(BC) at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Since it is your right to redeem it and possess it, buy it for yourself.’

“I knew that this was the word of the Lord; ⁹ so I bought the field^(BD) at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels^[d] of silver.^{(BE) 10} I signed and sealed the deed,^(BF) had it witnessed,^(BG) and weighed out the silver on the scales. ¹¹ I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy— ¹² and I gave this deed to Baruch^(BH) son of Neriah,^(BI) the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

¹³ “In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: ¹⁴ ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed^(BJ) and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. ¹⁵ For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’^(BK)

¹⁶ “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch^(BL) son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:

²⁶ Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁷ “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.^(CO) Is anything too hard for me?^{(CP) 28} Therefore this is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar^(CQ) king of Babylon, who will capture it.^{(CR) 29} The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down,^(CS) along with the houses^(CT) where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings^(CU) to other gods.^(CV)

³⁰ “The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth;^(CW) indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger^(CX) with what their hands have made,^(CY) declares the Lord. ³¹ From the day it was built until now, this city^(CZ) has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove^(DA) it from my sight. ³² The people of Israel and Judah have provoked^(DB) me by all the evil^(DC) they have done—they, their kings and officials,^(DD) their priests and prophets, the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. ³³ They turned their backs^(DE) to me and not their faces; though I taught^(DF) them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.^{(DG) 34} They set up their vile images^(DH) in the house that bears my Name^(DI) and defiled^(DJ) it. ³⁵ They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom^(DK) to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek,^(DL) though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind^(DM)—that they should do such a detestable^(DN) thing and so make Judah sin.^(DO)

³⁶ “You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague^(DP) it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ³⁷ I will surely gather^(DQ) them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger^(DR) and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.^{(DS) 38} They will be my people,^(DT) and I will be their God. ³⁹ I will give them singleness^(DU) of heart and action, so that they will always fear^(DV) me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. ⁴⁰ I will make an everlasting covenant^(DW) with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire^(DX) them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.^{(DY) 41} I will rejoice^(DZ) in doing them good^(EA) and will assuredly plant^(EB) them in this land with all my heart and soul.^(EC)

⁴² “This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity^(ED) on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised^(EE) them. ⁴³ Once more fields will be bought^(EF) in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate^(EG) waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ ⁴⁴ Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds^(EH) will be signed, sealed and witnessed^(EI) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(EJ) because I will restore^(EK) their fortunes,^[e] declares the Lord.”

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

3 Here is a trustworthy saying:^(A) Whoever aspires to be an overseer^(B) desires a noble task. ² Now the overseer is to be above reproach,^(C) faithful to his wife,^(D) temperate,^(E) self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,^(F) able to teach,^{(G) 3} not given to drunkenness,^(H) not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome,^(I) not a lover of money.^{(J) 4} He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full^[a] respect.^{(K) 5} (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)^{(L) 6} He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited^(M) and fall under the same judgment^(N) as the devil. ⁷ He must also have a good reputation with outsiders,^(O) so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.^(P)

⁸ In the same way, deacons^[b](Q) are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine,^(R) and not pursuing dishonest gain. ⁹ They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.^{(S) 10} They must first be tested;^(T) and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

¹¹ In the same way, the women^[c] are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers^(U) but temperate^(V) and trustworthy in everything.

¹² A deacon must be faithful to his wife^(W) and must manage his children and his household well.^{(X) 13} Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Reasons for Paul’s Instructions

¹⁴ Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, ¹⁵ if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church^(Y) of the living God,^(Z) the pillar and foundation of the truth. ¹⁶ Beyond all question, the mystery^(AA) from which true godliness^(AB) springs is great: