Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord

A Song of (A)Ascents. Of David.

124 (B)If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
    (C)let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
    when people rose up against us,
then they would have (D)swallowed us up alive,
    when their anger was kindled against us;
then (E)the flood would have (F)swept us away,
    the torrent would have gone (G)over us;
then over us would have gone
    the raging waters.

Blessed be the Lord,
    who has not given us
    as prey to their teeth!
We have escaped like a bird
    from (H)the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
    and we have escaped!

(I)Our help is in the name of the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

The Lord Surrounds His People

A Song of (J)Ascents.

125 Those who (K)trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which (L)cannot be moved, but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so (M)the Lord surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.
For (N)the scepter of wickedness shall not (O)rest
    on (P)the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous (Q)stretch out
    their hands to do wrong.
(R)Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
    and to those who are (S)upright in their hearts!
But those who (T)turn aside to their (U)crooked ways
    the Lord will lead away with (V)evildoers!
    (W)Peace be upon Israel!

Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord

A Song of (X)Ascents.

126 When the Lord (Y)restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who (Z)dream.
Then our (AA)mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
    (AB)“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us;
    we are glad.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like streams in the Negeb!
(AC)Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!
He who goes out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    bringing his sheaves with him.

Unless the Lord Builds the House

A Song of (AD)Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord (AE)watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious (AF)toil;
    for he gives to his (AG)beloved (AH)sleep.

Behold, (AI)children are a heritage from the Lord,
    (AJ)the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of (AK)a warrior
    are the children[a] of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies (AL)in the gate.[b]

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 127:4 Or sons
  2. Psalm 127:5 Or They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

If the Lord had not been on our side—
    let Israel say(A)
if the Lord had not been on our side
    when people attacked us,
they would have swallowed us alive
    when their anger flared against us;
the flood(B) would have engulfed us,
    the torrent(C) would have swept over us,
the raging waters
    would have swept us away.

Praise be to the Lord,
    who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird
    from the fowler’s snare;(D)
the snare has been broken,(E)
    and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name(F) of the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven(G) and earth.

Psalm 125

A song of ascents.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,(H)
    which cannot be shaken(I) but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,(J)
    so the Lord surrounds(K) his people
    both now and forevermore.

The scepter(L) of the wicked will not remain(M)
    over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
    their hands to do evil.(N)

Lord, do good(O) to those who are good,
    to those who are upright in heart.(P)
But those who turn(Q) to crooked ways(R)
    the Lord will banish(S) with the evildoers.

Peace be on Israel.(T)

Psalm 126

A song of ascents.

When the Lord restored(U) the fortunes of[a] Zion,
    we were like those who dreamed.[b]
Our mouths were filled with laughter,(V)
    our tongues with songs of joy.(W)
Then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things(X) for them.”
The Lord has done great things(Y) for us,
    and we are filled with joy.(Z)

Restore our fortunes,[c](AA) Lord,
    like streams in the Negev.(AB)
Those who sow with tears(AC)
    will reap(AD) with songs of joy.(AE)
Those who go out weeping,(AF)
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them.

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the Lord builds(AG) the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches(AH) over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food(AI) to eat—
    for he grants sleep(AJ) to[d] those he loves.(AK)

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward(AL) from him.
Like arrows(AM) in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.(AN)
They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents(AO) in court.(AP)

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 126:1 Or Lord brought back the captives to
  2. Psalm 126:1 Or those restored to health
  3. Psalm 126:4 Or Bring back our captives
  4. Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for

Principles for Marriage

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: (A)“It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. (B)The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. (C)Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, (D)so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Now as a concession, (E)not a command, I say this.[a] (F)I wish that all were (G)as I myself am. But (H)each has his own gift from God, (I)one of one kind and one of another.

To the unmarried and the widows I say that (J)it is good for them to remain single, (K)as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, (L)they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married (M)I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): (N)the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, (O)she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and (P)the husband should not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. (Q)Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you[b] (R)to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, (S)whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live as You Are Called

17 Only let each person lead the life[c] (T)that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. (U)This is my rule in (V)all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? (W)Let him not seek circumcision. 19 (X)For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but (Y)keeping the commandments of God. 20 (Z)Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant[d] when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is (AA)a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is (AB)a bondservant of Christ. 23 (AC)You were bought with a price; (AD)do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers,[e] (AE)in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

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Notas al pie

  1. 1 Corinthians 7:6 Or I say this:
  2. 1 Corinthians 7:15 Some manuscripts us
  3. 1 Corinthians 7:17 Or each person walk in the way
  4. 1 Corinthians 7:21 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verses 22 (twice), 23
  5. 1 Corinthians 7:24 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 29

Concerning Married Life

Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”(A) But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife,(B) and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time,(C) so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan(D) will not tempt you(E) because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command.(F) I wish that all of you were as I am.(G) But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.(H)

Now to the unmarried[a] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.(I) But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,(J) for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.(K) 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.(L) And a husband must not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord):(M) If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.(N)

15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.(O) 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save(P) your husband?(Q) Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Concerning Change of Status

17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.(R) This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.(S) 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.(T) 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.(U) Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20 Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.(V)

21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person;(W) similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.(X) 23 You were bought at a price;(Y) do not become slaves of human beings. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.(Z)

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Notas al pie

  1. 1 Corinthians 7:8 Or widowers