Psalm 6

A Prayer for Mercy

For the choir director: with stringed instruments, according to Sheminith.^(A) A psalm of David.

A House Divided

²² Then a demon-possessed man^(A) who was blind and unable to speak was brought to him. He healed him, so that the man^[a] could both speak and see.^{(B) 23} All the crowds were astounded and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” ^(C)

²⁴ When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”^(D)

²⁵ Knowing their thoughts,^(E) he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. ²⁶ If Satan^(F) drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges.^{(G) 28} If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.^{(H) 29} How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up^(I) the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. ³⁰ Anyone who is not with me is against me,^(J) and anyone who does not gather with me scatters. ³¹ Therefore,^(K) I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy,^(L) but the blasphemy against^[b] the Spirit will not be forgiven.^{[c] 32} Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man,^(M) it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.^(N)

The Sheep and the Goats

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels^[a](A) with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.^{(B) 32} All the nations^[b](C) will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.^{(D) 33} He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom^(E) prepared for you from the foundation of the world.^(F)

³⁵ “‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’^(G)

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’

⁴⁰ “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’^(H)

⁴¹ “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!^{(I) 42} For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; ⁴³ I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’

⁴⁴ “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’

⁴⁵ “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’^(J)

⁴⁶ “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”^(K)