Psalm 30^[a]

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple.^[b] Of David.

Bricks Without Straw

5 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go,^(A) so that they may hold a festival^(B) to me in the wilderness.’”

² Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord,^(C) that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”^(D)

³ Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey^(E) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues^(F) or with the sword.”

⁴ But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor?^(G) Get back to your work!” ⁵ Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous,^(H) and you are stopping them from working.”

⁶ That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers^(I) and overseers in charge of the people:

²⁰ Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.^(A) In regard to evil be infants,^(B) but in your thinking be adults. ²¹ In the Law^(C) it is written:

²² Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy,^(E) however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³ So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?^{(F) 24} But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, ²⁵ as the secrets^(G) of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”^(H)

Good Order in Worship

²⁶ What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?^(I) When you come together, each of you^(J) has a hymn,^(K) or a word of instruction,^(L) a revelation, a tongue^(M) or an interpretation.^(N) Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.^{(O) 27} If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. ²⁸ If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

²⁹ Two or three prophets^(P) should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.^{(Q) 30} And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. ³¹ For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. ³² The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.^{(R) 33} For God is not a God of disorder^(S) but of peace^(T)—as in all the congregations^(U) of the Lord’s people.^(V)

³⁴ Women^[b] should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak,^(W) but must be in submission,^(X) as the law^(Y) says. ³⁵ If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.^[c]

³⁶ Or did the word of God^(Z) originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? ³⁷ If anyone thinks they are a prophet^(AA) or otherwise gifted by the Spirit,^(AB) let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.^{(AC) 38} But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.^[d]

³⁹ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager^(AD) to prophesy,^(AE) and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰ But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly^(AF) way.

Causing to Stumble

⁴² “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,^(A) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.^{(B) 43} If your hand causes you to stumble,^(C) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,^(D) where the fire never goes out.^{(E) [44] [a] 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble,^(F) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.^{(G) [46] [b] 47} And if your eye causes you to stumble,^(H) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,^{(I) 48} where

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted^(K) with fire.

⁵⁰ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?^(L) Have salt among yourselves,^(M) and be at peace with each other.”^(N)