Lamedh

89 Forever, O Lord, your (A)word
    is firmly fixed in the heavens.
90 Your (B)faithfulness endures to all generations;
    you have (C)established the earth, and it (D)stands fast.
91 By your (E)appointment they stand this day,
    for all things are your servants.
92 If your law had not been my (F)delight,
    I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
    for by them you have (G)given me life.
94 I am yours; save me,
    (H)for I have sought your precepts.
95 The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
    but I consider your testimonies.
96 I have seen a limit to all perfection,
    but your commandment is exceedingly (I)broad.

Mem

97 Oh how (J)I love your law!
    It is my (K)meditation all the day.
98 Your commandment makes me (L)wiser than my enemies,
    for it is ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
    for (M)your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than (N)the aged,[a]
    for I (O)keep your precepts.
101 I (P)hold back my feet from every evil way,
    in order to keep your word.
102 I do not turn aside from your rules,
    for you have taught me.
103 How (Q)sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through your precepts I get understanding;
    therefore (R)I hate every false way.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 119:100 Or the elders

ל Lamedh

89 Your word, Lord, is eternal;(A)
    it stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness(B) continues through all generations;(C)
    you established the earth, and it endures.(D)
91 Your laws endure(E) to this day,
    for all things serve you.(F)
92 If your law had not been my delight,(G)
    I would have perished in my affliction.(H)
93 I will never forget(I) your precepts,
    for by them you have preserved my life.(J)
94 Save me,(K) for I am yours;
    I have sought out your precepts.(L)
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,(M)
    but I will ponder your statutes.(N)
96 To all perfection I see a limit,
    but your commands are boundless.(O)

מ Mem

97 Oh, how I love your law!(P)
    I meditate(Q) on it all day long.
98 Your commands are always with me
    and make me wiser(R) than my enemies.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
    for I meditate on your statutes.(S)
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
    for I obey your precepts.(T)
101 I have kept my feet(U) from every evil path
    so that I might obey your word.(V)
102 I have not departed from your laws,(W)
    for you yourself have taught(X) me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey(Y) to my mouth!(Z)
104 I gain understanding(AA) from your precepts;
    therefore I hate every wrong path.(AB)

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The Compassion of the Lord

55 (A)“Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    (B)come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
(C)Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
    (D)hear, that your soul may live;
(E)and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    (F)my steadfast, sure love for (G)David.
(H)Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    (I)a leader and commander for the peoples.
(J)Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
    and (K)a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
    (L)for he has glorified you.

(M)“Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
(N)For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 (O)“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    (P)giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but (Q)it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

12 (R)“For you shall go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
(S)the mountains and the hills before you
    shall break forth into singing,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 (T)Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
    instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the Lord,
    an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Salvation for Foreigners

56 Thus says the Lord:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
(U)for soon my salvation will come,
    and my righteousness be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
    and the son of man who holds it fast,
(V)who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Let not (W)the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”;
and let not the eunuch say,
    “Behold, I am (X)a dry tree.”
For thus says the Lord:
“To the eunuchs (Y)who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose the things that please me
    and hold fast my covenant,
(Z)I will give in my house and within my walls
    a (AA)monument and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
(AB)I will give them an everlasting name
    that shall not be cut off.

“And (AC)the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
    to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
everyone (AD)who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
    and holds fast my covenant—
(AE)these I will bring to (AF)my holy mountain,
    and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
(AG)their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for (AH)my house shall be called a house of prayer
    for all peoples.”
The Lord God,
    (AI)who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
(AJ)“I will gather yet others to him
    besides those already gathered.”

Israel's Irresponsible Leaders

(AK)All you beasts of the field, come to devour—
    all you beasts in the forest.
10 (AL)His watchmen are blind;
    they are all without knowledge;
they are all silent (AM)dogs;
    they cannot bark,
dreaming, lying down,
    loving to slumber.
11 (AN)The dogs have a mighty appetite;
    they never have enough.
But (AO)they are shepherds who have no understanding;
    they have all turned to their own way,
    (AP)each to his own gain, one and all.
12 (AQ)“Come,” they say, “let me get wine;
    let us fill ourselves with strong drink;
(AR)and tomorrow will be like this day,
    great beyond measure.”

Invitation to the Thirsty

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,(A)
    come to the waters;(B)
and you who have no money,
    come, buy(C) and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk(D)
    without money and without cost.(E)
Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?(F)
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,(G)
    and you will delight in the richest(H) of fare.
Give ear and come to me;
    listen,(I) that you may live.(J)
I will make an everlasting covenant(K) with you,
    my faithful love(L) promised to David.(M)
See, I have made him a witness(N) to the peoples,
    a ruler and commander(O) of the peoples.
Surely you will summon nations(P) you know not,
    and nations you do not know will come running to you,(Q)
because of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One(R) of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.”(S)

Seek(T) the Lord while he may be found;(U)
    call(V) on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake(W) their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.(X)
Let them turn(Y) to the Lord, and he will have mercy(Z) on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.(AA)

“For my thoughts(AB) are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”(AC)
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,(AD)
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.(AE)
10 As the rain(AF) and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,(AG)
    so that it yields seed(AH) for the sower and bread for the eater,(AI)
11 so is my word(AJ) that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,(AK)
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose(AL) for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy(AM)
    and be led forth in peace;(AN)
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song(AO) before you,
and all the trees(AP) of the field
    will clap their hands.(AQ)
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers(AR) the myrtle(AS) will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,(AT)
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever.”

Salvation for Others

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice(AU)
    and do what is right,(AV)
for my salvation(AW) is close at hand
    and my righteousness(AX) will soon be revealed.
Blessed(AY) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath(AZ) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

Let no foreigner(BA) who is bound to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”(BB)
And let no eunuch(BC) complain,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs(BD) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant(BE)
to them I will give within my temple and its walls(BF)
    a memorial(BG) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name(BH)
    that will endure forever.(BI)
And foreigners(BJ) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister(BK) to him,
to love the name(BL) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath(BM) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain(BN)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices(BO)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.(BP)(BQ)
The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather(BR) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

Come, all you beasts of the field,(BS)
    come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
10 Israel’s watchmen(BT) are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;(BU)
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.(BV)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.
They are shepherds(BW) who lack understanding;(BX)
    they all turn to their own way,(BY)
    they seek their own gain.(BZ)
12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!(CA)
    Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
    or even far better.”(CB)

The Sin of Partiality

My brothers,[a] (A)show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, (B)the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” (C)while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become (D)judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, (E)has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be (F)rich in faith and heirs of (G)the kingdom, (H)which he has promised to those who love him? But you (I)have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who (J)drag you (K)into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable (L)name by which you were called?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, (M)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you (N)show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point (O)has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, (P)“Do not commit adultery,” also said, (Q)“Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under (R)the law of liberty. 13 For (S)judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith (T)but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 (U)If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 (V)and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[b] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith (W)apart from your works, and I will show you my faith (X)by my works. 19 (Y)You believe that God is one; you do well. Even (Z)the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 (AA)Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that (AB)faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed (AC)by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, (AD)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a (AE)friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also (AF)Rahab the prostitute justified by works (AG)when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Footnotes

  1. James 2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 5, 14
  2. James 2:16 Or benefit

Favoritism Forbidden

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious(A) Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.(B) Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges(C) with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:(D) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world(E) to be rich in faith(F) and to inherit the kingdom(G) he promised those who love him?(H) But you have dishonored the poor.(I) Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?(J) Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a](K) you are doing right. But if you show favoritism,(L) you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.(M) 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles(N) at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.(O) 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[b](P) also said, “You shall not murder.”[c](Q) If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged(R) by the law that gives freedom,(S) 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.(T) Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Deeds

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?(U) Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.(V) 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?(W) 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.(X)

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds,(Y) and I will show you my faith(Z) by my deeds.(AA) 19 You believe that there is one God.(AB) Good! Even the demons believe that(AC)—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]?(AD) 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?(AE) 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together,(AF) and his faith was made complete by what he did.(AG) 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e](AH) and he was called God’s friend.(AI) 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?(AJ) 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.(AK)

Footnotes

  1. James 2:8 Lev. 19:18
  2. James 2:11 Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18
  3. James 2:11 Exodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17
  4. James 2:20 Some early manuscripts dead
  5. James 2:23 Gen. 15:6