Why Do You Hide Yourself?

10 Why, O Lord, do you stand (A)far away?
    Why (B)do you hide yourself in (C)times of trouble?

In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
    let them (D)be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
For the wicked (E)boasts of the desires of his soul,
    and the one greedy for gain (F)curses[a] and (G)renounces the Lord.
In the pride of his face[b] the wicked does not (H)seek him;[c]
    all his thoughts are, (I)“There is no God.”
His ways prosper at all times;
    your judgments are on high, (J)out of his sight;
    as for all his foes, he (K)puffs at them.
He (L)says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
    throughout all generations I (M)shall not meet adversity.”
(N)His mouth is filled with cursing and (O)deceit and (P)oppression;
    (Q)under his tongue are (R)mischief and (S)iniquity.
He sits in ambush in the villages;
    in (T)hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
    he lurks in ambush like (U)a lion in his (V)thicket;
he (W)lurks that he may seize the poor;
    he seizes the poor when he draws him into his (X)net.
10 The helpless are crushed, sink down,
    and fall by his might.
11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
    he has (Y)hidden his face, he (Z)will never see it.”

12 (AA)Arise, O Lord; O God, (AB)lift up your hand;
    (AC)forget not the afflicted.
13 Why does the wicked (AD)renounce God
    and say in his heart, “You will not (AE)call to account”?
14 But you do see, for you (AF)note mischief and vexation,
    that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless (AG)commits himself;
    you have been (AH)the helper of the fatherless.
15 (AI)Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
    (AJ)call his wickedness to account till you find none.

16 (AK)The Lord is king forever and ever;
    the (AL)nations perish from his land.
17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you will (AM)strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18 to (AN)do justice to the fatherless and (AO)the oppressed,
    so that (AP)man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

The Lord Is in His Holy Temple

To the choirmaster. Of David.

11 In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
    (AQ)“Flee like a bird to your mountain,
for behold, the wicked (AR)bend the bow;
    (AS)they have fitted their arrow to the string
    to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
if (AT)the foundations are destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”[d]

(AU)The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord's (AV)throne is in heaven;
    his eyes see, his eyelids (AW)test the children of man.
The Lord (AX)tests the righteous,
    but (AY)his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
Let him rain coals on the wicked;
    (AZ)fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be (BA)the portion of their cup.
For the Lord is righteous;
he (BB)loves righteous deeds;
    (BC)the upright shall behold his face.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 10:3 Or and he blesses the one greedy for gain
  2. Psalm 10:4 Or of his anger
  3. Psalm 10:4 Or the wicked says, “He will not call to account”
  4. Psalm 11:3 Or for the foundations will be destroyed; what has the righteous done?

The Unfaithful City

21 How the faithful city
    (A)has become a whore,[a]
    (B)she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
    but now murderers.
22 (C)Your silver has become dross,
    your best wine mixed with water.
23 Your princes are rebels
    and companions of thieves.
Everyone (D)loves a bribe
    and runs after gifts.
(E)They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
    and the widow's cause does not come to them.

24 Therefore the (F)Lord declares,
    the Lord of hosts,
    the (G)Mighty One of Israel:
“Ah, I will get relief from my enemies
    (H)and avenge myself on my foes.
25 (I)I will turn my hand against you
    and will smelt away your (J)dross as with lye
    and remove all your alloy.
26 And I will restore your judges (K)as at the first,
    and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward (L)you shall be called the city of righteousness,
    the faithful city.”

27 (M)Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
    and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
28 (N)But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,
    and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
29 (O)For they[b] shall be ashamed of (P)the oaks
    that you desired;
and you shall blush for (Q)the gardens
    that you have chosen.
30 For you shall be (R)like an oak
    whose leaf withers,
    and like a garden without water.
31 And the strong shall become (S)tinder,
    and his work a spark,
and both of them shall burn together,
    with (T)none to quench them.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 1:21 Or become unchaste
  2. Isaiah 1:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts you

Paul's Ministry to the Thessalonians

For you yourselves know, brothers,[a] that our (A)coming to you (B)was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated (C)at Philippi, as you know, (D)we had boldness in our God (E)to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much (F)conflict. For (G)our appeal does not spring from (H)error or (I)impurity or (J)any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God (K)to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not (L)to please man, but to please God (M)who tests our hearts. (N)For we never came with words of flattery,[b] as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—(O)God is witness. (P)Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, (Q)though we could have made (R)demands as (S)apostles of Christ. But we were (T)gentle[c] among you, (U)like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God (V)but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, (W)our labor and toil: we (X)worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and (Y)God also, (Z)how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, (AA)like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and (AB)charged (AC)you to walk in a manner worthy of God, (AD)who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 9, 14, 17
  2. 1 Thessalonians 2:5 Or with a flattering speech
  3. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts infants

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

(A)And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted (B)a vineyard and (C)let it out to tenants and (D)went into another country for a long while. 10 When the time came, he sent a servant[a] to the tenants, so that (E)they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. (F)But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 (G)And (H)he sent another servant. But they also beat and (I)treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 (J)And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my (K)beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, (L)‘This is the heir. (M)Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And they (N)threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 (O)He will (P)come and destroy those tenants and (Q)give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he (R)looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

(S)“‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone’?[b]

18 (T)Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls (U)on anyone, it will crush him.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 20:10 Or bondservant; also verse 11
  2. Luke 20:17 Greek the head of the corner

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