Psalm 141

Protection from Sin and Sinners

A psalm of David.

Greeting

1 Paul^(A) and Timothy,^(B) servants of Christ Jesus:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,^(C) including the overseers^(D) and deacons.^(E)

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,^{[a] 4} always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day^(F) until now.^{(G) 6} I am sure of this, that he who started a good work^(H) in you^[b] will carry it on to completion^(I) until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷ Indeed, it is right^(J) for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,^[c] and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment^(K) and in the defense^(L) and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸ For God is my witness,^(M) how deeply I miss all of you^(N) with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹ And I pray this: that your love^(O) will keep on growing^(P) in knowledge and every kind of discernment,^{(Q) 10} so that you may approve the things that are superior^(R) and may be pure^(S) and blameless^(T) in the day of Christ,^{(U) 11} filled with the fruit^(V) of righteousness^(W) that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory^(X) and praise of God.

The Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸ For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions^(A) among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. ²⁰ When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.^{(B) 21} For at the meal, each one eats his own supper.^[a] So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! ²² Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter!

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:^(C) On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said,^[b] “This is my body, which is^[c] for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”^(D)

²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant^(E) in my blood.^(F) Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death^(G) until he comes.^(H)

Self-Examination

²⁷ So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body^[d] and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body,^[e] eats and drinks judgment^(I) on himself. ³⁰ This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.^{(J) 31} If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, ³² but when we are judged^(K) by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned^(L) with the world.

³³ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another.^{[f] 34} If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment. I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.^(M)