Psalm 55
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 55
Complaint about a Friend’s Treachery
To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God;
do not hide yourself from my supplication.(A)
2 Attend to me and answer me;
I am troubled in my complaint.
I am distraught(B) 3 by the noise of the enemy,
because of the clamor of the wicked.
For they bring[a] trouble upon me,
and in anger they bear a grudge against me.(C)
4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.(D)
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.(E)
6 And I say, “O that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;(F)
7 truly, I would flee far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter for myself
from the raging wind and tempest.”(G)
9 Confuse, O Lord, confound their speech,
for I see violence and strife in the city.(H)
10 Day and night they go around it
on its walls,
and iniquity and trouble are within it;
11 ruin is in its midst;
oppression and fraud
do not depart from its marketplace.(I)
12 It is not enemies who taunt me—
I could bear that;
it is not adversaries who deal insolently with me—
I could hide from them.(J)
13 But it is you, my equal,
my companion, my familiar friend,(K)
14 with whom I kept pleasant company;
we walked in the house of God with the throng.(L)
15 Let death come upon them;
let them go down alive to Sheol,
for evil is in their homes and in their hearts.(M)
16 But I call upon God,
and the Lord will save me.(N)
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he will hear my voice.(O)
18 He will redeem me unharmed
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me.(P)
19 God, who is enthroned from of old, Selah
will hear and will humble them,
because they do not change
and do not fear God.(Q)
20 My companion laid hands on a friend
and violated a covenant with me[b](R)
21 with speech smoother than butter
but with a heart set on war,
with words that were softer than oil
but in fact were drawn swords.(S)
22 Cast your burden[c] on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.(T)
23 But you, O God, will cast them down
into the lowest pit;
the bloodthirsty and treacherous
shall not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you.(U)
Sirach 35:1-17
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Law and Sacrifices
35 The one who keeps the law makes many offerings;(A)
2 one who heeds the commandments makes an offering of well-being.(B)
3 The one who returns a kindness offers choice flour,(C)
4 and one who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering.
5 To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord,
and to forsake unrighteousness is an atonement.(D)
6 Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed,(E)
7 for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the commandment.
8 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar,
and its pleasing odor rises before the Most High.(F)
9 The sacrifice of the righteous is acceptable,
and it will never be forgotten.(G)
10 Be generous when you worship the Lord,
and do not skimp the first fruits of your hands.(H)
11 With every gift show a cheerful face
and dedicate your tithe with gladness.(I)
12 Give to the Most High as he has given to you
and as generously as you can afford.(J)
13 For the Lord is the one who repays,
and he will repay you sevenfold.(K)
Divine Justice
14 Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it,
15 and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice,
for the Lord is the judge,
and with him there is no partiality.(L)
16 He will not show partiality to the poor,
but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.(M)
17 He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan
or the widow when she pours out her complaint.(N)
Revelation 13:11-18
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Second Beast
11 Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb, and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound[a] had been healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of all,(A) 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword[b] and yet lived,(B) 15 and it was allowed to give breath[c] to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast could even speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 Also, it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be given a brand on the right hand or the forehead,(C) 17 so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the brand, that is, the name of the beast or the number for its name.(D) 18 This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number for a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.[d](E)
Read full chapter
Luke 12:32-48
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.(A) 33 Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.(B) 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.(C)
Watchful Slaves
35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit;(D) 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them.(E) 38 If he comes during the middle of the night or near dawn and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he[a] would not have let his house be broken into.(F) 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”(G)
The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?(H) 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know and will cut him in pieces[b] and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master wanted but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating.(I) 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.(J)
Read full chapter
Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Destiny of the Righteous
3 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster(A)
3 and their going from us to be their destruction,
but they are at peace.
4 For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.(B)
5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;(C)
6 like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.(D)
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth
and will run like sparks through the stubble.(E)
8 They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them forever.(F)
9 Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect.[a](G)
Footnotes
- 3.9 Text of this line uncertain; omitted by some ancient authorities
Revelation 19:1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Rejoicing in Heaven
19 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power to our God,(A)
Revelation 19:4-10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,
“Amen. Hallelujah!”(A)
5 And from the throne came a voice saying,
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord[b] God
the Almighty reigns.(C)
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready;(D)
8 to her it has been granted to be clothed
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.(E)
9 And the angel said[c] to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”(F) 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who hold the testimony of Jesus.[d] Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus[e] is the spirit of prophecy.”(G)
Read full chapter
Psalm 34
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 34
Praise for Deliverance from Trouble
Of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.
1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.(A)
3 O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together.(B)
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.(C)
5 Look to him, and be radiant,
so your[a] faces shall never be ashamed.(D)
6 This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him and delivers them.(E)
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
happy are those who take refuge in him.(F)
9 O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
for those who fear him have no want.(G)
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.(H)
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.(I)
12 Which of you desires life
and covets many days to enjoy good?(J)
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.(K)
14 Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.(L)
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.(M)
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.(N)
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and rescues them from all their troubles.(O)
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.(P)
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord rescues them from them all.(Q)
20 He keeps all their bones;
not one of them will be broken.(R)
21 Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.(S)
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.(T)
Footnotes
- 34.5 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb their
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.