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Psalm 25:1-10
New English Translation

Psalm 25[a]

By David.

25 O Lord, I come before you in prayer.[b]
2 My God, I trust in you.
Please do not let me be humiliated;
do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me.
3 Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated.
Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted[c] and humiliated.
4 Make me understand your ways, O Lord.
Teach me your paths.[d]
5 Guide me into your truth[e] and teach me.
For you are the God who delivers me;
on you I rely all day long.
6 Remember[f] your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord,
for you have always acted in this manner.[g]
7 Do not hold against me[h] the sins of my youth[i] or my rebellious acts.
Because you are faithful to me, extend to me your favor, O Lord.[j]
8 The Lord is both kind and fair;[k]
that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live.[l]
9 May he show[m] the humble what is right.[n]
May he teach[o] the humble his way.
10 The Lord always proves faithful and reliable[p]
to those who follow the demands of his covenant.[q]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 25:1 sn Psalm 25. The psalmist asks for divine protection, guidance and forgiveness as he affirms his loyalty to and trust in the Lord. This psalm is an acrostic; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, except for v. 18, which, like v. 19, begins with ר (resh) instead of the expected ק (qof). The final verse, which begins with פ (pe), stands outside the acrostic scheme.
  2. Psalm 25:1 tn Heb “to you, O Lord, my life I lift up.” To “lift up” one’s “life” to the Lord means to express one’s trust in him through prayer. See Pss 86:4; 143:8.
  3. Psalm 25:3 tn Heb “those who deal in treachery in vain.” The adverb רֵיקָם (reqam, “in vain”) probably refers to the failure (or futility) of their efforts. Another option is to understand it as meaning “without cause” (cf. NIV “without excuse”; NRSV “wantonly treacherous”).
  4. Psalm 25:4 sn Teach me your paths. In this context the Lord’s “ways” and “paths” refer to the moral principles which the Lord prescribes for his followers. See vv. 8-10.
  5. Psalm 25:5 sn The Lord’s commandments are referred to as truth here because they are a trustworthy and accurate expression of the divine will.
  6. Psalm 25:6 tn That is, “remember” with the intention of repeating.
  7. Psalm 25:6 tn Heb “for from antiquity [are] they.”
  8. Psalm 25:7 tn Heb “do not remember,” with the intention of punishing.
  9. Psalm 25:7 sn That is, the sins characteristic of youths, who lack moral discretion and wisdom.
  10. Psalm 25:7 tn Heb “according to your faithfulness, remember me, you, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.”
  11. Psalm 25:8 tn Heb “good and just.”
  12. Psalm 25:8 tn Heb “teaches sinners in the way.”
  13. Psalm 25:9 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive; the psalmist expresses his prayer.
  14. Psalm 25:9 tn Heb “may he guide the humble into justice.” The Hebrew term עֲנָוִים (ʿanavim, “humble”) usually refers to the oppressed, but in this context, where the psalmist confesses his sin and asks for moral guidance, it apparently refers to sinners who humble themselves before God and seek deliverance from their sinful condition.
  15. Psalm 25:9 tn The prefixed verbal form is interpreted as a jussive (it stands parallel to the jussive form, “may he guide”).
  16. Psalm 25:10 tn Heb “all the paths of the Lord are faithful and trustworthy.” The Lord’s “paths” refer here to his characteristic actions.
  17. Psalm 25:10 tn Heb “to the ones who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”
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Psalm 24
Psalm 26
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Genesis 41:14-36
New English Translation

14 Then Pharaoh summoned[a] Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream,[b] and there is no one who can interpret[c] it. But I have heard about you, that[d] you can interpret dreams.”[e] 16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power,[f] but God will speak concerning[g] the welfare of Pharaoh.”[h]

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing[i] by the edge of the Nile. 18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds.[j] 19 Then[k] seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows[l] as these in all the land of Egypt! 20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven[m] fat cows. 21 When they had eaten them,[n] no one would have known[o] that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 22 I also saw in my dream[p] seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Then[q] seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this[r] to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.”[s]

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning.[t] God has revealed[u] to Pharaoh what he is about to do.[v] 26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning.[w] 27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent[x] seven years of famine. 28 This is just what I told[y] Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 30 But seven years of famine will occur[z] after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate[aa] the land. 31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered[ab] because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe.[ac] 32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh[ad] because the matter has been decreed[ae] by God, and God will make it happen soon.[af]

33 “So now Pharaoh should look[ag] for a wise and discerning man[ah] and give him authority[ai] over all the land of Egypt. 34 Pharaoh should do[aj] this—he should appoint[ak] officials[al] throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt[am] during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should gather all the excess food[an] during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority[ao] they should store up grain so the cities will have food,[ap] and they should preserve it.[aq] 36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.”[ar]

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 41:14 tn Heb “and Pharaoh sent and called,” indicating a summons to the royal court.
  2. Genesis 41:15 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
  3. Genesis 41:15 tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”
  4. Genesis 41:15 tn Heb “saying.”
  5. Genesis 41:15 tn Heb “you hear a dream to interpret it,” which may mean, “you only have to hear a dream to be able to interpret it.”
  6. Genesis 41:16 tn Heb “not within me.”
  7. Genesis 41:16 tn Heb “God will answer.”
  8. Genesis 41:16 tn The expression שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה (shelom parʿoh) is here rendered “the welfare of Pharaoh” because the dream will be about life in his land. Some interpret it to mean an answer of “peace”—one that will calm his heart, or give him the answer that he desires (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT).
  9. Genesis 41:17 tn Heb “In my dream look, I was standing.” The use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here (and also in vv. 18, 19, 22, 23) invites the hearer (within the context of the narrative, Joseph, but in the broader sense the reader or hearer of the Book of Genesis) to observe the scene through Pharaoh’s eyes.
  10. Genesis 41:18 tn Heb “and look, from the Nile seven cows were coming up, fat of flesh and attractive of appearance, and they grazed in the reeds.”
  11. Genesis 41:19 tn Heb “And look.”
  12. Genesis 41:19 tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  13. Genesis 41:20 tn Heb “the seven first fat cows.”
  14. Genesis 41:21 tn Heb “when they went inside them.”
  15. Genesis 41:21 tn Heb “it was not known.”
  16. Genesis 41:22 tn Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”
  17. Genesis 41:23 tn Heb “And look.”
  18. Genesis 41:24 tn The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  19. Genesis 41:24 tn Heb “and there was no one telling me.”
  20. Genesis 41:25 tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”
  21. Genesis 41:25 tn Heb “declared.”
  22. Genesis 41:25 tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.
  23. Genesis 41:26 tn Heb “one dream it is.”
  24. Genesis 41:27 tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”
  25. Genesis 41:28 tn Heb “it is the word that I spoke.”
  26. Genesis 41:30 tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.
  27. Genesis 41:30 tn The Hebrew verb כָּלָה (kalah) in the Piel stem means “to finish, to destroy, to bring an end to.” The severity of the famine will ruin the land of Egypt.
  28. Genesis 41:31 tn Heb “known.”
  29. Genesis 41:31 tn Or “heavy.”
  30. Genesis 41:32 tn Heb “and concerning the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh two times.” The Niphal infinitive here is the object of the preposition; it is followed by the subjective genitive “of the dream.”
  31. Genesis 41:32 tn Heb “established.”
  32. Genesis 41:32 tn The clause combines a participle and an infinitive construct: God “is hurrying…to do it,” meaning he is going to do it soon.
  33. Genesis 41:33 tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
  34. Genesis 41:33 tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  35. Genesis 41:33 tn Heb “and let him set him.”
  36. Genesis 41:34 tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. Smr has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”
  37. Genesis 41:34 tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
  38. Genesis 41:34 tn Heb “appointees.” The noun is a cognate accusative of the preceding verb. Since “appoint appointees” would be redundant in English, the term “officials” was used in the translation instead.
  39. Genesis 41:34 tn Heb “and he shall collect a fifth of the land of Egypt.” The language is figurative (metonymy); it means what the land produces, i.e., the harvest.
  40. Genesis 41:35 tn Heb “all the food.”
  41. Genesis 41:35 tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”
  42. Genesis 41:35 tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.
  43. Genesis 41:35 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.
  44. Genesis 41:36 tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”
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Genesis 40
Genesis 42
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James 2:14-26
New English Translation

Faith and Works Together

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters,[a] if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith[b] save him?[c] 15 If a brother or sister[d] is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs,[e] what good is it? 17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”[f] Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by[g] my works. 19 You believe that God is one; well and good.[h] Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear.[i]

20 But would you like evidence,[j] you empty fellow,[k] that faith without works is useless?[l] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,”[m] and he was called God’s friend.[n] 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:14 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
  2. James 2:14 tn Grk “the faith,” referring to the kind of faith just described: faith without works. The article here is anaphoric, referring to the previous mention of the noun πίστις (pistis) in the verse. See ExSyn 219.
  3. James 2:14 sn The form of the question in Greek expects a negative answer.
  4. James 2:15 tn It is important to note that the words ἀδελφός (adelphos) and ἀδελφή (adelphē) both occur in the Greek text at this point, confirming that the author intended to refer to both men and women. See the note on “someone” in 2:2.
  5. James 2:16 tn Grk “what is necessary for the body.”
  6. James 2:18 tn There is considerable doubt about where the words of the “someone” end and where James’ reply begins. Some see the quotation running to the end of v. 18; others to the end of v. 19. But most punctuate as shown above. The “someone” is then an objector, and the sense of his words is something like, “Some have faith; others have works; don’t expect everyone to have both.” James’ reply is that faith cannot exist or be seen without works.
  7. James 2:18 tn Or “from.”
  8. James 2:19 tn Grk “you do well.”
  9. James 2:19 tn Grk “believe and tremble.” The words “with fear” are implied.
  10. James 2:20 tn Grk “do you want to know.”
  11. James 2:20 tn Grk “O empty man.” Here the singular vocative ἄνθρωπε (anthrōpe, “man”) means “person” or even “fellow.” Cf. BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8 which views this as an instance of rhetorical address in a letter; the pejorative sense is also discussed under the previous heading (7).
  12. James 2:20 tc Most witnesses, including several significant ones (א A C2 P Ψ 5 33 81 436 442 1611 1735 1852 2344 2492 M al sy bo), have νεκρά (nekra, “dead”) here, while P74 reads κενή (kenē, “empty”). Both variants are most likely secondary, derived from ἀργή (argē, “useless”). The reading of the majority is probably an assimilation to the statements in vv. 17 and 26, while P74’s reading picks up on κενέ (kene) earlier in the verse. The external evidence (B C* 323 945 1175 1243 1739 sa) for ἀργή is sufficient for authenticity; coupled with the strong internal evidence for the reading (if νεκρά were original, how would ἀργή have arisen here and not in vv. 17 or 26?), it is strongly preferred.
  13. James 2:23 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
  14. James 2:23 sn An allusion to 2 Chr 20:7; Isa 41:8; 51:2; Dan 3:35 (LXX), in which Abraham is called God’s “beloved.”
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