Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

Lord, who may dwell(A) in your sacred tent?(B)
    Who may live on your holy mountain?(C)

The one whose walk is blameless,(D)
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth(E) from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander,(F)
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person
    but honors(G) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath(H) even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest;(I)
    who does not accept a bribe(J) against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken.(K)

15 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord

A Psalm of David.

15 Lord, (A)who may [a]abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the (B)truth in his heart;
He who (C)does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
(D)Nor does he [b]take up a reproach against his friend;
(E)In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who (F)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things (G)shall never be moved.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 15:1 sojourn
  2. Psalm 15:3 receive

Abram Rescues Lot

14 At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar,[a](A) Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer(B) king of Elam(C) and Tidal king of Goyim, these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim,(D) and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).(E) All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim(F) (that is, the Dead Sea Valley(G)). For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer,(H) but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer(I) and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites(J) in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites(K) in Shaveh Kiriathaim and the Horites(L) in the hill country of Seir,(M) as far as El Paran(N) near the desert. Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh),(O) and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites,(P) as well as the Amorites(Q) who were living in Hazezon Tamar.(R)

Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah,(S) the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim(T) and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar)(U) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim(V) against Kedorlaomer(W) king of Elam,(X) Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim(Y) was full of tar(Z) pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah(AA) fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.(AB) 11 The four kings seized all the goods(AC) of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot(AD) and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew.(AE) Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre(AF) the Amorite, a brother[b] of Eshkol(AG) and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative(AH) had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained(AI) men born in his household(AJ) and went in pursuit as far as Dan.(AK) 15 During the night Abram divided his men(AL) to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.(AM) 16 He recovered(AN) all the goods(AO) and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 14:1 That is, Babylonia; also in verse 9
  2. Genesis 14:13 Or a relative; or an ally

14 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emins in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.

And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.

And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

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Lot’s Captivity and Rescue

14 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king (A)of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of (B)Elam, and Tidal king of [a]nations, that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of (C)Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, (D)Zoar). All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (E)(that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years (F)they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked (G)the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, (H)the Zuzim in Ham, (I)the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, (J)and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt (K)in Hazezon Tamar.

And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of [b]nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of (L)asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled (M)to the mountains. 11 Then they took (N)all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s (O)brother’s son (P)who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the (Q)Hebrew, for (R)he dwelt by [c]the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; (S)and they were allies with Abram. 14 Now (T)when Abram heard that (U)his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were (V)born in his own house, and went in pursuit (W)as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants (X)attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is [d]north of Damascus. 16 So he (Y)brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 14:1 Heb. goyim
  2. Genesis 14:9 Heb. goyim
  3. Genesis 14:13 Heb. Alon Mamre
  4. Genesis 14:15 Lit. on the left hand of

While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”(A)

His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you,(B) but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
    though hearing, they may not understand.’[a](C)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 8:10 Isaiah 6:9

And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

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The Parable of the Sower(A)

(B)And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded [a]a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, (C)“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Purpose of Parables(D)

(E)Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”

10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the [b]mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

(F)‘Seeing they may not see,
And hearing they may not understand.’

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 8:8 Lit. fruit
  2. Luke 8:10 secret or hidden truths