Psalm 55^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[b] of David.

⁷ Calling the Twelve to him,^(A) he began to send them out two by two^(B) and gave them authority over impure spirits.^(C)

⁸ These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. ⁹ Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. ¹⁰ Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. ¹¹ And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet^(D) as a testimony against them.”

¹² They went out and preached that people should repent.^{(E) 13} They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil^(F) and healed them.

Lawsuits Among Believers

6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?^{(A) 2} Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world?^(B) And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? ³ Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! ⁴ Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? ⁵ I say this to shame you.^(C) Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?^{(D) 6} But instead, one brother^(E) takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!^(F)

⁷ The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?^{(G) 8} Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.^{(H) 9} Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?^(I) Do not be deceived:^(J) Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers^(K) nor men who have sex with men^{[a](L) 10} nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers^(M) will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And that is what some of you were.^(N) But you were washed,^(O) you were sanctified,^(P) you were justified^(Q) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.