Psalm 119:1-8

New International Version

Psalm 119^[a]

א Aleph

¹Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,^(A)
    who walk^(B) according to the law of the Lord.^(C)
²Blessed^(D) are those who keep his statutes^(E)
    and seek him^(F) with all their heart—^(G)
³they do no wrong^(H)
    but follow his ways.^(I)
⁴You have laid down precepts^(J)
    that are to be fully obeyed.^(K)
⁵Oh, that my ways were steadfast
    in obeying your decrees!^(L)
⁶Then I would not be put to shame^(M)
    when I consider all your commands.^(N)
⁷I will praise you with an upright heart
    as I learn your righteous laws.^(O)
⁸I will obey your decrees;
    do not utterly forsake me.^(P)

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Footnotes

Psalm 119:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet; moreover, the verses of each stanza begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

Proverbs 26:1-2

New International Version

26 Like snow in summer or rain^(A) in harvest,
honor is not fitting for a fool.^(B)
²Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.^(C)

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John 4:15-26

New International Version

¹⁵The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty^(A) and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

¹⁶He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

¹⁷“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

¹⁹“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.^(B) ²⁰Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain,^(C) but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”^(D)

²¹“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming^(E) when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.^(F) ²²You Samaritans worship what you do not know;^(G) we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.^(H) ²³Yet a time is coming and has now come^(I) when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit^(J) and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴God is spirit,^(K) and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

²⁵The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ)^(L) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

²⁶Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”^(M)

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1 Peter 4:12-19

New International Version

Suffering for Being a Christian

¹²Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you^(A) to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³But rejoice^(B) inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ,^(C) so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.^(D) ¹⁴If you are insulted because of the name of Christ,^(E) you are blessed,^(F) for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.^(G) ¹⁷For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household;^(H) and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?^(I) ¹⁸And,