Proverbs 14:9-27
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,[a]
but the upright enjoy God’s favor.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked is destroyed,
but the tent of the upright flourishes.(A)
12 There is a way that seems right to a person,
but its end is the way to death.[b](B)
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad,
and the end of joy is grief.(C)
14 The perverse get what their ways deserve,
and the good, what their deeds deserve.[c](D)
15 The simple believe everything,
but the clever consider their steps.
16 The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.(E)
17 One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
and the schemer is hated.(F)
18 The simple are adorned with[d] folly,
but the clever are crowned with knowledge.(G)
19 The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.(H)
20 The poor are disliked even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.(I)
21 Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
but happy are those who are kind to the poor.(J)
22 Do not those who plan evil err?
Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but folly is the garland[e] of fools.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who utters lies is a betrayer.(K)
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and one’s children will have a refuge.(L)
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
so that one may avoid the snares of death.(M)
Romans 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Salutation
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,(A) 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh(B) 4 and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit[a] of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,(C) 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the gentiles for the sake of his name,(D) 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
7 To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(E)
Prayer of Thanksgiving
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world.(F) 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel[b] of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers,(G) 10 asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift so that you may be strengthened— 12 or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you, as I have among the rest of the gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish, 15 hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
The Power of the Gospel
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is God’s saving power for everyone who believes,[c] for the Jew first and also for the Greek.(H) 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith, as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”[d](I)
The Guilt of Humankind
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those who by their injustice suppress the truth.(J) 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world God’s eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been seen and understood through the things God has made. So they are without excuse,(K) 21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless hearts were darkened.(L) 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.(M)
24 Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.(N) 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.(O)
26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Their females exchanged natural intercourse[e] for unnatural,(P) 27 and in the same way also the males, giving up natural intercourse[f] with females, were consumed with their passionate desires for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.(Q)
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to an unfit mind and to do things that should not be done.(R) 29 They were filled with every kind of injustice, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters,[g] insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents,(S) 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.(T) 32 They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die, yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.(U)
Proverbs 15:18-33
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
18 Those who are hot-tempered stir up strife,
but those who are slow to anger calm contention.(A)
19 The way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.(B)
20 A wise child makes a glad father,
but the foolish despise their mothers.(C)
21 Folly is a joy to one who has no sense,
but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.(D)
22 Without counsel, plans go wrong,
but with many advisers they succeed.(E)
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone,
and a word in season, how good it is!(F)
24 For the wise the path of life leads upward,
in order to avoid Sheol below.(G)
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud
but maintains the widow’s boundaries.(H)
26 Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
but gracious words are pure.(I)
27 Those greedy for unjust gain make trouble for their households,
but those who hate bribes will live.(J)
28 The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.(K)
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.(L)
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes the body.
31 The ear that heeds wholesome admonition
will lodge among the wise.
32 Those who ignore instruction despise themselves,
but those who heed admonition gain understanding.(M)
33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility goes before honor.(N)
Mark 14:53-72
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jesus before the Council
53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. 54 Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest, and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire.(A) 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. 57 Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ ”(B) 59 But even on this point their testimony did not agree. 60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?” 61 But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah,[a] the Son of the Blessed One?”(C) 62 Jesus said, “I am, and
‘you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power’
and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven.’ ”(D)
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses?(E) 64 You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” All of them condemned him as deserving death.(F) 65 Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him and beat him.(G)
Peter Denies Jesus
66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the female servants of the high priest came by.(H) 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.”(I) 68 But he denied it, saying, “I do not know or understand what you are talking about.” And he went out into the forecourt.[b] Then the cock crowed.[c](J) 69 And the female servant, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and you talk like one.”[d](K) 71 But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about.” 72 At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.(L)
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