Psalm 43

New International Version

Psalm 43^[a]

¹Vindicate me, my God,
    and plead my cause^(A)
    against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me^(B) from those who are
    deceitful and wicked.^(C)
²You are God my stronghold.
    Why have you rejected^(D) me?
Why must I go about mourning,^(E)
    oppressed by the enemy?^(F)
³Send me your light^(G) and your faithful care,^(H)
    let them lead me;^(I)
let them bring me to your holy mountain,^(J)
    to the place where you dwell.^(K)
⁴Then I will go^(L) to the altar^(M) of God,
    to God, my joy^(N) and my delight.^(O)
I will praise you with the lyre,^(P)
    O God, my God.

⁵Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.^(Q)

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Footnotes

Psalm 43:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.

Proverbs 10:17-18

New International Version

¹⁷Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,^(A)
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

¹⁸Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips^(B)
and spreads slander is a fool.

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Matthew 27:45-56

New International Version

The Death of Jesus^(A)

⁴⁵From noon until three in the afternoon darkness^(B) came over all the land. ⁴⁶About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,^[a] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).^[b]^(C)

⁴⁷When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar,^(D) put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.^(E)

⁵¹At that moment the curtain of the temple^(F) was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split^(G) ⁵²and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and^[c] went into the holy city^(H) and appeared to many people.

⁵⁴When the centurion and those with him who were guarding^(I) Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”^(J)

⁵⁵Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.^(K) ⁵⁶Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,^[d] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.^(L)

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Footnotes

Matthew 27:46 Some manuscripts Eloi, Eloi
Matthew 27:46 Psalm 22:1
Matthew 27:53 Or tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they
Matthew 27:56 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph

Romans 9:10-21

New International Version

¹⁰Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.^(A) ¹¹Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad^(B)—in order that God’s purpose^(C) in election might stand: ¹²not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^[a]^(D) ¹³Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”^[b]^(E)

¹⁴What then shall we say?^(F) Is God unjust? Not at all!^(G) ¹⁵For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^[c]^(H)

¹⁶It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.^(I) ¹⁷For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”^[d]^(J) ¹⁸Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.^(K)

¹⁹One of you will say to me:^(L) “Then why does God still blame us?^(M) For who is able to resist his will?”^(N) ²⁰But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?^(O) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,^(P) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^[e]^(Q) ²¹Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?^(R)