Psalm 19

For the worship leader. A song of David.

8 When everyone had settled, they re-gathered in Jerusalem. Everyone met in the square that is in front of the water gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the book of the law, the word the Eternal sent through Moses to Israel. ² Ezra the priest did as they asked, bringing God’s law to Israel. The community included both men and women—anyone who was able to understand was welcomed. This gathering took place on the first day of the seventh month. ³ Facing the people in the square, next to the water gate, he began to read excerpts. The document was massive, and just reading parts took him six or seven hours, from daybreak until noon. Everyone who was there heard him: men, women—anyone with the ability to understand. As he read, they were focused and listened carefully to the book of the law.

⁴ And as he read, Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform made for this very occasion. To his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. ⁵ Standing above the people so they could see and hear him, Ezra opened the book of the law. As he opened the book, everyone stood. ⁶ Then Ezra called out and blessed the Eternal, worshiping God’s greatness. With their hands raised to the heavens, the people called out loudly in response, crying, “Amen! So may it be!” Then they fell to their knees and bowed. With their faces to the ground, they worshiped the Eternal. ^7-8 Ezra read the law, the people listened, and the Levites explained it to them. Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—these are the Levites^[a] who interpreted what Ezra read for the people.

⁹ Now, as God’s law was read, the people began to weep. But Nehemiah (the Persians’ appointed governor),^[b] Ezra the priest and scribe, and all the ministering Levites said to the people,

¹² Just as a body is one whole made up of many different parts, and all the different parts comprise the one body, so it is with the Anointed One. ¹³ We were all ceremonially washed through baptism^[a] together into one body by one Spirit. No matter our heritage—Jew or Greek, insider or outsider—no matter our status—oppressed or free—we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Here’s what I mean: the body is not made of one large part but of many different parts. ¹⁵ Would it seem right for the foot to cry, “I am not a hand, so I couldn’t be part of this body”? Even if it did, it wouldn’t be any less joined to the body. ¹⁶ And what about an ear? If an ear started to whine, “I am not an eye; I shouldn’t be attached to this body,” in all its pouting, it is still part of the body. ¹⁷ Imagine the entire body as an eye. How would a giant eye be able to hear? And if the entire body were an ear, how would an ear be able to smell? ¹⁸ This is where God comes in. God has meticulously put this body together; He placed each part in the exact place to perform the exact function He wanted. ¹⁹ If all members were a single part, where would the body be? ²⁰ So now, many members function within the one body. ²¹ The eye cannot wail at the hand, “I have no need for you,” nor could the head bellow at the feet, “I won’t go one more step with you.” ²² It’s actually the opposite. The members who seem to have the weaker functions are necessary to keep the body moving; ²³ the body parts that seem less important we treat as some of the most valuable; and those unfit, untamed, unpresentable members we treat with an even greater modesty. ²⁴ That’s something the more presentable members don’t need. But God designed the body in such a way that greater significance is given to the seemingly insignificant part. ²⁵ That way there should be no division in the body; instead, all the parts mutually depend on and care for one another. ²⁶ If one part is suffering, then all the members suffer alongside it. If one member is honored, then all the members celebrate alongside it. ²⁷ You are the body of the Anointed, the Liberating King; each and every one of you is a vital member. ²⁸ God has appointed gifts in the assembly: first emissaries,^[b] second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, healers, helpers, administrators, and then those who speak with various unknown languages. ²⁹ Are all members gifted as emissaries? Are all gifted with prophetic utterance? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Or are all gifted in healing arts? Do all speak or interpret unknown languages? Of course not. ³¹ Pursue the greater gifts, and let me tell you of a more excellent way—love.

¹⁴ Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and soon people across the region had heard news of Him. ¹⁵ He would regularly go into their synagogues and teach. His teaching earned Him the respect and admiration of everyone who heard Him.

¹⁶ He eventually came to His hometown, Nazareth, and did there what He had done elsewhere in Galilee—entered the synagogue and stood up to read from the Hebrew Scriptures.

¹⁷ The synagogue attendant gave Him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, and Jesus unrolled it to the place where Isaiah had written these words:

²⁰ Jesus rolled up the scroll and returned it to the synagogue attendant. Then He sat down, as a teacher would do, and all in the synagogue focused their attention on Jesus, waiting for Him to speak. ²¹ He told them that these words from the Hebrew Scriptures were being fulfilled then and there, in their hearing.