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Psalm 130

Waiting for Divine Redemption

A Song of Ascents.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.(A)
    Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
    to the voice of my supplications!(B)

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
    Lord, who could stand?(C)
But there is forgiveness with you,
    so that you may be revered.(D)

I wait for the Lord; my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;(E)
my soul waits for the Lord
    more than those who watch for the morning,
    more than those who watch for the morning.(F)

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
    and with him is great power to redeem.(G)
It is he who will redeem Israel
    from all its iniquities.(H)

Psalm 130

A song of ascents.

Out of the depths(A) I cry to you,(B) Lord;
    Lord, hear my voice.(C)
Let your ears be attentive(D)
    to my cry for mercy.(E)

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?(F)
But with you there is forgiveness,(G)
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.(H)

I wait for the Lord,(I) my whole being waits,(J)
    and in his word(K) I put my hope.
I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen(L) wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.(M)

Israel, put your hope(N) in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love(O)
    and with him is full redemption.(P)
He himself will redeem(Q) Israel
    from all their sins.(R)

Psalm 148

Praise for God’s Universal Glory

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
    praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
    praise him, all his host!(A)

Praise him, sun and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens
    and you waters above the heavens!(B)

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for he commanded and they were created.(C)
He established them forever and ever;
    he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.[a](D)

Praise the Lord from the earth,
    you sea monsters and all deeps,(E)
fire and hail, snow and frost,
    stormy wind fulfilling his command!(F)

Mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars!(G)
10 Wild animals and all cattle,
    creeping things and flying birds!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
    princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike,
    old and young together!

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his glory is above earth and heaven.(H)
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
    praise for all his faithful,
    for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!(I)

Footnotes

  1. 148.6 Or he set a law that cannot pass away

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord.[a](A)

Praise the Lord from the heavens;(B)
    praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels;(C)
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.(D)
Praise him, sun(E) and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens(F)
    and you waters above the skies.(G)

Let them praise the name(H) of the Lord,
    for at his command(I) they were created,
and he established them for ever and ever—
    he issued a decree(J) that will never pass away.

Praise the Lord(K) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures(L) and all ocean depths,(M)
lightning and hail,(N) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,(O)
you mountains and all hills,(P)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals(Q) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings(R) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
    old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,(S)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor(T) is above the earth and the heavens.(U)
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,[b](V)
    the praise(W) of all his faithful servants,(X)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.(Y)

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 148:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 14
  2. Psalm 148:14 Horn here symbolizes strength.

God’s Spirit Poured Out

28 [a]Then afterward
    I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
    your old men shall dream dreams,
    and your young men shall see visions.(A)
29 Even on the male and female slaves,
    in those days I will pour out my spirit.(B)

30 I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.(C) 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.(D) 32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved, for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.(E)

[b]For then, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,(F) I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations. They have divided my land(G) and cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes and sold girls for wine and drunk it down.(H)

What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will turn your deeds back upon your own heads swiftly and speedily.(I) For you have taken my silver and my gold and have carried my rich treasures into your temples.[c] You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, removing them far from their own border. But now I will rouse them to leave the places to which you have sold them, and I will turn your deeds back upon your own heads.(J) I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away, for the Lord has spoken.(K)

Footnotes

  1. 2.28 3.1 in Heb
  2. 3.1 4.1 in Heb
  3. 3.5 Or palaces

The Day of the Lord

28 “And afterward,
    I will pour out my Spirit(A) on all people.(B)
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,(C)
    your old men will dream dreams,(D)
    your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants,(E) both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days.(F)
30 I will show wonders in the heavens(G)
    and on the earth,(H)
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness(I)
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.(J)
32 And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord(K) will be saved;(L)
for on Mount Zion(M) and in Jerusalem
    there will be deliverance,(N)
    as the Lord has said,
even among the survivors(O)
    whom the Lord calls.[a](P)

The Nations Judged

[b]“In those days and at that time,
    when I restore the fortunes(Q) of Judah(R) and Jerusalem,
I will gather(S) all nations
    and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.[c](T)
There I will put them on trial(U)
    for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered(V) my people among the nations
    and divided up my land.
They cast lots(W) for my people
    and traded boys for prostitutes;
    they sold girls for wine(X) to drink.

“Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon(Y) and all you regions of Philistia?(Z) Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.(AA) For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.[d](AB) You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,(AC) that you might send them far from their homeland.

“See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them,(AD) and I will return(AE) on your own heads what you have done. I will sell your sons(AF) and daughters to the people of Judah,(AG) and they will sell them to the Sabeans,(AH) a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.(AI)

Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:32 In Hebrew texts 2:28-32 is numbered 3:1-5.
  2. Joel 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-21 is numbered 4:1-21.
  3. Joel 3:2 Jehoshaphat means the Lord judges; also in verse 12.
  4. Joel 3:5 Or palaces

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.[a](A) 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave birth to us by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.(B)

Hearing and Doing the Word

19 You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,(C) 20 for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.[b] 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.(D)

22 But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.(E) 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves[c] in a mirror;(F) 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.(G)

26 If any think they are religious and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.(H) 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.17 Other ancient authorities read variation due to a shadow of turning
  2. 1.20 Or justice
  3. 1.23 Gk at the face of his birth

16 Don’t be deceived,(A) my dear brothers and sisters.(B) 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above,(C) coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,(D) who does not change(E) like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth(F) through the word of truth,(G) that we might be a kind of firstfruits(H) of all he created.

Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters,(I) take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak(J) and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger(K) does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of(L) all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,(M) which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.(N) 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,(O) and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.(P)

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues(Q) deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after(R) orphans and widows(S) in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.(T)

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The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

16 Then Jesus[a] said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property.(A) So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly, for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.(B) And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth[b] so that when it is gone they may welcome you into the eternal homes.[c](C)

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Footnotes

  1. 16.1 Gk he
  2. 16.9 Gk mammon
  3. 16.9 Gk tents

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.(A) So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

“‘Nine hundred gallons[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels[b] of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world(B) are more shrewd(C) in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.(D) I tell you, use worldly wealth(E) to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 16:6 Or about 3,000 liters
  2. Luke 16:7 Or about 30 tons