Psalm 124

New International Version

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹If the Lord had not been on our side—
    let Israel say^(A)—
²if the Lord had not been on our side
    when people attacked us,
³they would have swallowed us alive
    when their anger flared against us;
⁴the flood^(B) would have engulfed us,
    the torrent^(C) would have swept over us,
⁵the raging waters
    would have swept us away.

⁶Praise be to the Lord,
    who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
⁷We have escaped like a bird
    from the fowler’s snare;^(D)
the snare has been broken,^(E)
    and we have escaped.
⁸Our help is in the name^(F) of the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven^(G) and earth.

Proverbs 7:1-4

New International Version

Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

7 My son,^(A) keep my words
    and store up my commands within you.
²Keep my commands and you will live;^(B)
    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
³Bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.^(C)
⁴Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and to insight, “You are my relative.”

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Ephesians 4:7-16

New International Version

⁷But to each one of us^(A) grace^(B) has been given^(C) as Christ apportioned it. ⁸This is why it^[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives^(D)
and gave gifts to his people.”^[b]^(E)

⁹(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[c]? ¹⁰He who descended is the very one who ascended^(F) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)^(G) ¹¹So Christ himself gave^(H) the apostles,^(I) the prophets,^(J) the evangelists,^(K) the pastors and teachers,^(L) ¹²to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(M) may be built up^(N) ¹³until we all reach unity^(O) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^(P) and become mature,^(Q) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^(R)

¹⁴Then we will no longer be infants,^(S) tossed back and forth by the waves,^(T) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^(U) ¹⁵Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(V) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(W) that is, Christ. ¹⁶From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(X) and builds itself up^(Y) in love,^(Z) as each part does its work.