12 (A)Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people whom he has (B)chosen as his heritage!

13 The Lord (C)looks down from heaven;
    he sees all the children of man;
14 from (D)where he sits enthroned he (E)looks out
    on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds.
16 (F)The king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 (G)The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
    and by its great might it cannot rescue.

18 Behold, (H)the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
    (I)on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 that he may (J)deliver their soul from death
    and keep them alive in (K)famine.

20 Our soul (L)waits for the Lord;
    he is our (M)help and (N)our shield.
21 For our heart is (O)glad in him,
    because we (P)trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you.

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12 (A)Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people whom he has (B)chosen as his heritage!

13 The Lord (C)looks down from heaven;
    he sees all the children of man;
14 from (D)where he sits enthroned he (E)looks out
    on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds.
16 (F)The king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 (G)The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
    and by its great might it cannot rescue.

18 Behold, (H)the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
    (I)on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 that he may (J)deliver their soul from death
    and keep them alive in (K)famine.

20 Our soul (L)waits for the Lord;
    he is our (M)help and (N)our shield.
21 For our heart is (O)glad in him,
    because we (P)trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you.

Read full chapter

Israel at Mount Sinai

19 On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they (A)came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from (B)Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before (C)the mountain, while (D)Moses went up to God. (E)The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: (F)‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how (G)I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be (H)my treasured possession among all peoples, for (I)all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a (J)kingdom of priests and (K)a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. (L)All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you (M)in a thick cloud, that (N)the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also (O)believe you forever.”

When Moses told the words of the people to the Lord,

Read full chapter

Israel at Mount Sinai

19 On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they (A)came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from (B)Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before (C)the mountain, while (D)Moses went up to God. (E)The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: (F)‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how (G)I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be (H)my treasured possession among all peoples, for (I)all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a (J)kingdom of priests and (K)a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. (L)All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you (M)in a thick cloud, that (N)the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also (O)believe you forever.”

When Moses told the words of the people to the Lord,

Read full chapter

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

When (A)the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like (B)a mighty rushing wind, and (C)it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues (D)as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. And they were all (E)filled with the Holy Spirit and began (F)to speak in other tongues (G)as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And (H)at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And (I)they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking (J)Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and (K)Medes and (L)Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and (M)proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 2:3 Or And tongues as of fire appeared to them, distributed among them, and rested

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

When (A)the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like (B)a mighty rushing wind, and (C)it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues (D)as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. And they were all (E)filled with the Holy Spirit and began (F)to speak in other tongues (G)as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And (H)at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And (I)they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking (J)Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and (K)Medes and (L)Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and (M)proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 2:3 Or And tongues as of fire appeared to them, distributed among them, and rested

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