Psalm 120

New International Version

Psalm 120

A song of ascents.

¹I call on the Lord^(A) in my distress,^(B)
    and he answers me.
²Save me, Lord,
    from lying lips^(C)
    and from deceitful tongues.^(D)

³What will he do to you,
    and what more besides,
    you deceitful tongue?
⁴He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,^(E)
    with burning coals of the broom bush.

⁵Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
    that I live among the tents of Kedar!^(F)
⁶Too long have I lived
    among those who hate peace.
⁷I am for peace;
    but when I speak, they are for war.

Proverbs 28:4-6

New International Version

⁴Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
but those who heed it resist them.

⁵Evildoers do not understand what is right,
but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

⁶Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than the rich whose ways are perverse.^(A)

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John 8:48-59

New International Version

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

⁴⁸The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan^(A) and demon-possessed?”^(B)

⁴⁹“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰I am not seeking glory for myself;^(C) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. ⁵¹Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”^(D)

⁵²At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!^(E) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. ⁵³Are you greater than our father Abraham?^(F) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

⁵⁴Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,^(G) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.^(H) ⁵⁵Though you do not know him,^(I) I know him.^(J) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.^(K) ⁵⁶Your father Abraham^(L) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it^(M) and was glad.”

⁵⁷“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

⁵⁸“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,^(N) I am!”^(O) ⁵⁹At this, they picked up stones to stone him,^(P) but Jesus hid himself,^(Q) slipping away from the temple grounds.

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Jude 1-7

New International Version

¹Jude,^(A) a servant of Jesus Christ^(B) and a brother of James,

To those who have been called,^(C) who are loved in God the Father and kept for^[a] Jesus Christ:^(D)

²Mercy, peace^(E) and love be yours in abundance.^(F)

The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People

³Dear friends,^(G) although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,^(H) I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend^(I) for the faith^(J) that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.^(K) ⁴For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about^[b] long ago have secretly slipped in among you.^(L) They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.^(M)

⁵Though you already know all this,^(N) I want to remind you^(O) that the Lord^[c] at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.^(P) ⁶And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.^(Q) ⁷In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah^(R) and the surrounding towns^(S) gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.^(T)