BOOK ONE

Psalms 1–41

The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

Blessed (A)is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the [a]ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
(B)Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But (C)his delight is in the law of the Lord,
(D)And in His law he [b]meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
(E)Planted by the [c]rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall (F)prosper.

The ungodly are not so,
But are (G)like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For (H)the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 1:1 wicked
  2. Psalm 1:2 ponders by talking to himself
  3. Psalm 1:3 channels

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one(A)
    who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
    or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
    and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
    which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.(P)

Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff(Q)
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand(R) in the judgment,(S)
    nor sinners in the assembly(T) of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over(U) the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(V)

The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom(A)

Why (B)do the [a]nations [b]rage,
And the people plot a [c]vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the (C)rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His (D)Anointed,[d] saying,
“Let (E)us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens (F)shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have [e]set My King
[f]On My holy hill of Zion.”

“I will declare the [g]decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
(G)‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
(H)You shall [h]break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 [i]Kiss the Son, lest [j]He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When (I)His wrath is kindled but a little.
(J)Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:1 Gentiles
  2. Psalm 2:1 throng tumultuously
  3. Psalm 2:1 worthless or empty
  4. Psalm 2:2 Christ, Commissioned One, Heb. Messiah
  5. Psalm 2:6 Lit. installed
  6. Psalm 2:6 Lit. Upon Zion, the hill of My holiness
  7. Psalm 2:7 Or decree of the Lord: He said to Me
  8. Psalm 2:9 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. rule (cf. Rev. 2:27)
  9. Psalm 2:12 LXX, Vg. Embrace discipline; Tg. Receive instruction
  10. Psalm 2:12 LXX the Lord

Psalm 2

Why do the nations conspire[a]
    and the peoples plot(A) in vain?
The kings(B) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,(C) saying,
“Let us break their chains(D)
    and throw off their shackles.”(E)

The One enthroned(F) in heaven laughs;(G)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger(H)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,(I) saying,
“I have installed my king(J)
    on Zion,(K) my holy mountain.(L)

I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;(M)
    today I have become your father.(N)
Ask me,
    and I will make the nations(O) your inheritance,(P)
    the ends of the earth(Q) your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron[b];(R)
    you will dash them to pieces(S) like pottery.(T)

10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;(U)
    be warned, you rulers(V) of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear(W)
    and celebrate his rule(X) with trembling.(Y)
12 Kiss his son,(Z) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath(AA) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed(AB) are all who take refuge(AC) in him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
  2. Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)

Vision of the High Priest

Then he showed me (A)Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and (B)Satan[a] standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, (C)“The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who (D)has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! (E)Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”

Now Joshua was clothed with (F)filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.

Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, (G)and I will clothe you with rich robes.”

And I said, “Let them put a clean (H)turban on his head.”

So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.

The Coming Branch

Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘If you will walk in My ways,
And if you will (I)keep My command,
Then you shall also (J)judge My house,
And likewise have charge of My courts;
I will give you places to walk
Among these who (K)stand here.

‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest,
You and your companions who sit before you,
For they are (L)a[b] wondrous sign;
For behold, I am bringing forth (M)My Servant the (N)BRANCH.
For behold, the stone
That I have laid before Joshua:
(O)Upon the stone are (P)seven eyes.
Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’
Says the Lord of hosts,
‘And (Q)I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
10 (R)In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts,
‘Everyone will invite his neighbor
(S)Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 3:1 Lit. the Adversary
  2. Zechariah 3:8 Lit. men of a sign or wonder

Clean Garments for the High Priest

Then he showed me Joshua(A) the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[a](B) standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you,(C) Satan! The Lord, who has chosen(D) Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick(E) snatched from the fire?”(F)

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin,(G) and I will put fine garments(H) on you.”

Then I said, “Put a clean turban(I) on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.

The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements,(J) then you will govern my house(K) and have charge(L) of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.(M)

“‘Listen, High Priest(N) Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic(O) of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.(P) See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua!(Q) There are seven eyes[b](R) on that one stone,(S) and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin(T) of this land in a single day.

10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit(U) under your vine and fig tree,(V)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 3:1 Hebrew satan means adversary.
  2. Zechariah 3:9 Or facets

Vision of the Lampstand and Olive Trees

Now (A)the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, (B)as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?”

So I said, “I am looking, and there is (C)a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, (D)and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. (E)Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”

Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?”

And I said, “No, my lord.”

So he answered and said to me:

“This is the word of the Lord to (F)Zerubbabel:
(G)‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
‘Who are you, (H)O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!
And he shall bring forth (I)the capstone
(J)With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ”

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

“The hands of Zerubbabel
(K)Have laid the foundation of this [a]temple;
His hands (L)shall also finish it.
Then (M)you will know
That the (N)Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.
10 For who has despised the day of (O)small things?
For these seven rejoice to see
The [b]plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
(P)They are the eyes of the Lord,
Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”

11 Then I answered and said to him, “What are these (Q)two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?” 12 And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip [c]into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”

13 Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?

And I said, “No, my lord.”

14 So he said, (R)“These are the two [d]anointed ones, (S)who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 4:9 Lit. house
  2. Zechariah 4:10 Lit. plummet stone
  3. Zechariah 4:12 Lit. into the hands of
  4. Zechariah 4:14 Lit. sons of fresh oil

The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke(A) me up, like someone awakened from sleep.(B) He asked me, “What do you see?”(C)

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand(D) with a bowl at the top and seven lamps(E) on it, with seven channels to the lamps. Also there are two olive trees(F) by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.(G)

So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:(H) ‘Not(I) by might nor by power,(J) but by my Spirit,’(K) says the Lord Almighty.

“What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.(L) Then he will bring out the capstone(M) to shouts(N) of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation(O) of this temple; his hands will also complete it.(P) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me(Q) to you.

10 “Who dares despise the day(R) of small things,(S) since the seven eyes(T) of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone[a] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”(U)

11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees(V) on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed(W) to[b] serve the Lord of all the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 4:10 Or the plumb line
  2. Zechariah 4:14 Or two who bring oil and

Greeting

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Redemption in Christ

(A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as (B)He chose us in Him (C)before the foundation of the world, that we should (D)be holy and without blame before Him in love, (E)having predestined us to (F)adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, (G)according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, (H)by which He [a]made us accepted in (I)the Beloved.

(J)In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to (K)the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence, (L)having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure (M)which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of (N)the fullness of the times (O)He might gather together in one (P)all things in Christ, [c]both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 (Q)In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to (R)the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 (S)that we (T)who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard (U)the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, (V)you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 (W)who[d] is the [e]guarantee of our inheritance (X)until the redemption of (Y)the purchased possession, (Z)to the praise of His glory.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:6 Lit. bestowed grace (favor) upon us
  2. Ephesians 1:8 understanding
  3. Ephesians 1:10 NU, M omit both
  4. Ephesians 1:14 NU which
  5. Ephesians 1:14 down payment, earnest

Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B)

To God’s holy people(C) in Ephesus,[a](D) the faithful(E) in Christ Jesus:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(F)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(G) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms(H) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us(I) in him before the creation of the world(J) to be holy and blameless(K) in his sight. In love(L) he[b] predestined(M) us for adoption to sonship[c](N) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure(O) and will— to the praise of his glorious grace,(P) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.(Q) In him we have redemption(R) through his blood,(S) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches(T) of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he[d] made known to us the mystery(U) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed(V) in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment(W)—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.(X)

11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined(Y) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose(Z) of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.(AA) 13 And you also were included in Christ(AB) when you heard the message of truth,(AC) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,(AD) the promised Holy Spirit,(AE) 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance(AF) until the redemption(AG) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.(AH)

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:1 Some early manuscripts do not have in Ephesus.
  2. Ephesians 1:5 Or sight in love. He
  3. Ephesians 1:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
  4. Ephesians 1:9 Or us with all wisdom and understanding. And he
  5. Ephesians 1:11 Or were made heirs