Psalm 2

Why do the nations conspire[a]
    and the peoples plot(A) in vain?
The kings(B) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,(C) saying,
“Let us break their chains(D)
    and throw off their shackles.”(E)

The One enthroned(F) in heaven laughs;(G)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger(H)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,(I) saying,
“I have installed my king(J)
    on Zion,(K) my holy mountain.(L)

I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;(M)
    today I have become your father.(N)
Ask me,
    and I will make the nations(O) your inheritance,(P)
    the ends of the earth(Q) your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron[b];(R)
    you will dash them to pieces(S) like pottery.(T)

10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;(U)
    be warned, you rulers(V) of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear(W)
    and celebrate his rule(X) with trembling.(Y)
12 Kiss his son,(Z) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath(AA) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed(AB) are all who take refuge(AC) in him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
  2. Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)

Jeremiah and Pashhur

20 When the priest Pashhur son of Immer,(A) the official(B) in charge of the temple of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten(C) and put in the stocks(D) at the Upper Gate of Benjamin(E) at the Lord’s temple. The next day, when Pashhur released him from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The Lord’s name(F) for you is not Pashhur, but Terror on Every Side.(G) For this is what the Lord says: ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; with your own eyes(H) you will see them fall by the sword of their enemies. I will give(I) all Judah into the hands of the king of Babylon, who will carry(J) them away to Babylon or put them to the sword. I will deliver all the wealth(K) of this city into the hands of their enemies—all its products, all its valuables and all the treasures of the kings of Judah. They will take it away(L) as plunder and carry it off to Babylon. And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into exile to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied(M) lies.’”

Jeremiah’s Complaint

You deceived[a](N) me, Lord, and I was deceived[b];
    you overpowered(O) me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed(P) all day long;
    everyone mocks(Q) me.
Whenever I speak, I cry out
    proclaiming violence and destruction.(R)
So the word of the Lord has brought me
    insult and reproach(S) all day long.
But if I say, “I will not mention his word
    or speak anymore in his name,”(T)
his word is in my heart like a fire,(U)
    a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;(V)
    indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
    “Terror(W) on every side!
    Denounce(X) him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends(Y)
    are waiting for me to slip,(Z) saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
    then we will prevail(AA) over him
    and take our revenge(AB) on him.”

11 But the Lord(AC) is with me like a mighty warrior;
    so my persecutors(AD) will stumble and not prevail.(AE)
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;(AF)
    their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
    and probe the heart and mind,(AG)
let me see your vengeance(AH) on them,
    for to you I have committed(AI) my cause.

13 Sing(AJ) to the Lord!
    Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues(AK) the life of the needy
    from the hands of the wicked.(AL)

14 Cursed be the day I was born!(AM)
    May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!
15 Cursed be the man who brought my father the news,
    who made him very glad, saying,
    “A child is born to you—a son!”
16 May that man be like the towns(AN)
    the Lord overthrew without pity.
May he hear wailing(AO) in the morning,
    a battle cry at noon.
17 For he did not kill me in the womb,(AP)
    with my mother as my grave,
    her womb enlarged forever.
18 Why did I ever come out of the womb(AQ)
    to see trouble(AR) and sorrow
    and to end my days in shame?(AS)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded
  2. Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(A)

18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”(B)

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a](C)

21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor,(D) and you will have treasure in heaven.(E) Then come, follow me.”

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!(F) 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”(G)

28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”(H)

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come(I) eternal life.”(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 18:20 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20

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