15 Lord, you understand;
    remember me and care for me.
    Avenge me on my persecutors.(A)
You are long-suffering(B)—do not take me away;
    think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.(C)
16 When your words came, I ate(D) them;
    they were my joy and my heart’s delight,(E)
for I bear your name,(F)
    Lord God Almighty.
17 I never sat(G) in the company of revelers,
    never made merry with them;
I sat alone because your hand(H) was on me
    and you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unending
    and my wound grievous and incurable?(I)
You are to me like a deceptive brook,
    like a spring that fails.(J)

19 Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“If you repent, I will restore you
    that you may serve(K) me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
    you will be my spokesman.(L)
Let this people turn to you,
    but you must not turn to them.
20 I will make you a wall(M) to this people,
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
    but will not overcome(N) you,
for I am with you
    to rescue and save you,”(O)
declares the Lord.
21 “I will save(P) you from the hands of the wicked(Q)
    and deliver(R) you from the grasp of the cruel.”(S)

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15 O Lord, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?

19 Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.

20 And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.

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Love in Action

Love must be sincere.(A) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.(B) 10 Be devoted to one another in love.(C) Honor one another above yourselves.(D) 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,(E) serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope,(F) patient in affliction,(G) faithful in prayer.(H) 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.(I) Practice hospitality.(J)

14 Bless those who persecute you;(K) bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.(L) 16 Live in harmony with one another.(M) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[a] Do not be conceited.(N)

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.(O) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.(P) 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.(Q) 19 Do not take revenge,(R) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[b](S) says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[c](T)

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 12:16 Or willing to do menial work
  2. Romans 12:19 Deut. 32:35
  3. Romans 12:20 Prov. 25:21,22

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

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Jesus Predicts His Death(A)

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem(B) and suffer many things(C) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,(D) and that he must be killed(E) and on the third day(F) be raised to life.(G)

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!(H) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.(I) 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.(J) 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man(K) is going to come(L) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.(M)

28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 16:25 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verse 26.

21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

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