Prayer for Help.

43 (A)Vindicate me, God, and (B)plead my case against an ungodly nation;
[a]Save me from (C)the deceitful and unjust person!
For You are the (D)God of my strength; why have You (E)rejected me?
Why do I go about (F)mourning [b]because of the oppression of the enemy?

Send out Your (G)light and Your truth, they shall lead me;
They shall bring me to Your (H)holy hill
And to Your (I)dwelling places.
Then I will go to (J)the altar of God,
To God [c]my exceeding (K)joy;
And I will praise You on the (L)lyre, God, my God.

(M)Why are you [d]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will [e]again praise [f]Him
For the [g]help of His presence, my God.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 43:1 Or May You
  2. Psalm 43:2 Or while the enemy oppresses
  3. Psalm 43:4 Lit the gladness of my joy
  4. Psalm 43:5 Or dissolved away
  5. Psalm 43:5 Or still
  6. Psalm 43:5 As in some ancient mss; MT Him, the help of my face and my God
  7. Psalm 43:5 Or saving acts of

Psalm 43[a]

Vindicate me, my God,
    and plead my cause(A)
    against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me(B) from those who are
    deceitful and wicked.(C)
You are God my stronghold.
    Why have you rejected(D) me?
Why must I go about mourning,(E)
    oppressed by the enemy?(F)
Send me your light(G) and your faithful care,(H)
    let them lead me;(I)
let them bring me to your holy mountain,(J)
    to the place where you dwell.(K)
Then I will go(L) to the altar(M) of God,
    to God, my joy(N) and my delight.(O)
I will praise you with the lyre,(P)
    O God, my God.

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.(Q)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 43:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.

Israel Invoked to Praise the Lord.

149 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
Sing a (A)new song to the Lord,
And His praise (B)in the congregation of the godly ones.
Israel shall be joyful in (C)his Maker;
The sons of Zion shall rejoice in their (D)King.
They shall praise His name with (E)dancing;
They shall sing praises to Him with (F)tambourine and lyre.
For the Lord (G)takes pleasure in His people;
He will (H)glorify the lowly with salvation.

The (I)godly ones shall be jubilant in glory;
They shall (J)sing for joy on their beds.
The (K)high praises of God shall be in their [c]mouths,
And a (L)two-edged (M)sword in their hands,
To (N)execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishment on the peoples,
To bind their kings (O)with chains,
And their (P)dignitaries with shackles of iron,
To (Q)execute against them the judgment written.
This is an (R)honor for all His godly ones.
[d]Praise [e]the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 149:1 Or Hallelujah!
  2. Psalm 149:1 Heb Yah
  3. Psalm 149:6 Lit throat
  4. Psalm 149:9 Or Hallelujah!
  5. Psalm 149:9 Heb Yah

Psalm 149

Praise the Lord.[a](A)

Sing to the Lord a new song,(B)
    his praise in the assembly(C) of his faithful people.

Let Israel rejoice(D) in their Maker;(E)
    let the people of Zion be glad in their King.(F)
Let them praise his name with dancing(G)
    and make music to him with timbrel and harp.(H)
For the Lord takes delight(I) in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory.(J)
Let his faithful people rejoice(K) in this honor
    and sing for joy on their beds.(L)

May the praise of God be in their mouths(M)
    and a double-edged(N) sword in their hands,(O)
to inflict vengeance(P) on the nations
    and punishment(Q) on the peoples,
to bind their kings with fetters,(R)
    their nobles with shackles of iron,(S)
to carry out the sentence written against them—(T)
    this is the glory of all his faithful people.(U)

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 149:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 9

27 Now Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in [a]Goshen, and they (A)acquired property in it and (B)were fruitful and became very numerous. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for (C)seventeen years; so the [b]length of Jacob’s life was 147 years.

29 When [c](D)the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your sight, (E)place your hand under my thigh now and (F)deal with me in kindness and [d]faithfulness: please do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I (G)[e]lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in (H)their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.” 31 And he said, “(I)Swear to me.” So he swore to him. Then (J)Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed.

Israel’s Last Days

48 Now it came about after these things that [f]Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons (K)Manasseh and Ephraim with him. When [g]it was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel [h]collected his strength and sat [i]up in the bed. Then Jacob said to Joseph, “[j](L)God Almighty appeared to me at (M)Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, and He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your [k]descendants after you as (N)an everlasting possession.’ Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; (O)Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as (P)Reuben and Simeon are. But your children that you have fathered after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the [l]names of their brothers in their inheritance. Now as for me, when I came from (Q)Paddan, (R)Rachel died, [m]to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath. I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 47:27 Lit the land of Goshen
  2. Genesis 47:28 Lit days of Jacob, the years of his life
  3. Genesis 47:29 Lit the days of Israel
  4. Genesis 47:29 Lit truth
  5. Genesis 47:30 I.e., die
  6. Genesis 48:1 Lit one said to Joseph
  7. Genesis 48:2 Lit one told Jacob and said
  8. Genesis 48:2 Lit strengthened himself
  9. Genesis 48:2 Lit upon the bed
  10. Genesis 48:3 Heb El Shaddai
  11. Genesis 48:4 Lit seed
  12. Genesis 48:6 Lit name
  13. Genesis 48:7 Lit upon me

27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen.(A) They acquired property there(B) and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.(C)

28 Jacob lived in Egypt(D) seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.(E) 29 When the time drew near for Israel(F) to die,(G) he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(H) put your hand under my thigh(I) and promise that you will show me kindness(J) and faithfulness.(K) Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers,(L) carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”(M)

“I will do as you say,” he said.

31 “Swear to me,”(N) he said. Then Joseph swore to him,(O) and Israel(P) worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.[a](Q)

Manasseh and Ephraim

48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim(R) along with him. When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel(S) rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[b](T) appeared to me at Luz(U) in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me(V) and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers.(W) I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land(X) as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’(Y)

“Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt(Z) before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine,(AA) just as Reuben(AB) and Simeon(AC) are mine. Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. As I was returning from Paddan,[c](AD) to my sorrow(AE) Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).(AF)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 47:31 Or Israel bowed down at the head of his bed
  2. Genesis 48:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  3. Genesis 48:7 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia

Avoid Israel’s Mistakes

10 For (A)I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all (B)under the cloud and they all (C)passed through the sea; and they all were (D)baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and they all (E)ate the same spiritual food, and all (F)drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was [a]Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased; for their dead bodies were (G)spread out in the wilderness.

Now these things happened as (H)examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as (I)they indeed craved them. Do not be (J)idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “(K)The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to (L)play.” Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as (M)some of them [b]did, and (N)twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as (O)some of them [c]did, and were killed by the snakes. 10 Nor (P)grumble, as some of them [d]did, and (Q)were killed by the (R)destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an (S)example, and (T)they were written for our instruction, upon whom (U)the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let the one who (V)thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and (W)God is faithful, [e]so He will not allow you to be (X)tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:4 I.e., the Messiah
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:8 Lit committed sexual immorality
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:9 Lit made trial
  4. 1 Corinthians 10:10 Lit grumbled
  5. 1 Corinthians 10:13 Lit who will not

Warnings From Israel’s History

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant(A) of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud(B) and that they all passed through the sea.(C) They were all baptized into(D) Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food(E) and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock(F) that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.(G)

Now these things occurred as examples(H) to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters,(I) as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”[a](J) We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.(K) We should not test Christ,[b](L) as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.(M) 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did(N)—and were killed(O) by the destroying angel.(P)

11 These things happened to them as examples(Q) and were written down as warnings for us,(R) on whom the culmination of the ages has come.(S) 12 So, if you think you are standing firm,(T) be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful;(U) he will not let you be tempted[d] beyond what you can bear.(V) But when you are tempted,[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:7 Exodus 32:6
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:9 Some manuscripts test the Lord
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
  4. 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
  5. 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.

Followers of Tradition

(A)The Pharisees and some of the scribes *gathered to Him after they came (B)from Jerusalem, and saw that some of His disciples were eating their bread with [a](C)unholy hands, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the other Jews do not eat unless they [b]carefully wash their hands, thereby holding firmly to the (D)tradition of the elders; and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they [c]completely cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received as traditions to firmly hold, such as the [d]washing of (E)cups, pitchers, and copper pots.) And the Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk in accordance with the (F)tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with (G)[e]unholy hands?” But He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

(H)This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
(I)And in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the (J)tradition of men.”

He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your (K)tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘(L)Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘(M)The one who speaks evil of father or mother, is [f]certainly to be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a person says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is (N)Corban (that is, [g]given to God),’ 12 you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thereby invalidating the word of God by your (O)tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

The Heart of Man

14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the person which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which come out of the person are what defile the person[h].”

17 And when He later entered a house, away from the crowd, (P)His disciples asked Him about the parable. 18 And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding as well? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and [i]is eliminated?” (Thereby He declared (Q)all foods (R)clean.) 20 And He was saying, (S)That which comes out of the person, that is what defiles the person. 21 For from within, out of the [j]hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, 22 deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, [k](T)envy, slander, [l]pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile the person.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:2 Lit common; i.e., ritually unclean
  2. Mark 7:3 Lit with a fist (following a prescribed ritual)
  3. Mark 7:4 Lit baptize; i.e., immerse; two early mss purify
  4. Mark 7:4 Lit baptisms
  5. Mark 7:5 Lit common; i.e., ritually unclean
  6. Mark 7:10 Lit to die with death
  7. Mark 7:11 Lit a gift; i.e., an offering
  8. Mark 7:15 Late mss add, as v 16: If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
  9. Mark 7:19 Lit goes out into the latrine
  10. Mark 7:21 heart
  11. Mark 7:22 Lit an evil eye
  12. Mark 7:22 Or arrogance

That Which Defiles(A)

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled,(B) that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.(C) When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.[a])(D)

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders(E) instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’[b](F)

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”(G)

And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe[c] your own traditions!(H) 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[d](I) and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[e](J) 11 But you say(K) that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God(L) by your tradition(M) that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [16] [f]

17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him(N) about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods(O) clean.)(P)

20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed,(Q) malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:4 Some early manuscripts pitchers, kettles and dining couches
  2. Mark 7:7 Isaiah 29:13
  3. Mark 7:9 Some manuscripts set up
  4. Mark 7:10 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16
  5. Mark 7:10 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9
  6. Mark 7:16 Some manuscripts include here the words of 4:23.