For none of us lives for ourselves alone,(A) and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.(B) For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life(C) so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.(D)

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt?(E) For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.(F) 11 It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’(G) says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
    every tongue will acknowledge God.’”[b](H)

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 14:10 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verses 13, 15 and 21.
  2. Romans 14:11 Isaiah 45:23

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

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Psalm 27

Of David.

The Lord is my light(A) and my salvation(B)
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold(C) of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?(D)

When the wicked advance against me
    to devour[a] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.(E)
Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;(F)
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.(G)

One thing(H) I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,(I)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble(J)
    he will keep me safe(K) in his dwelling;
he will hide me(L) in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.(M)

Then my head will be exalted(N)
    above the enemies who surround me;(O)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice(P) with shouts of joy;(Q)
    I will sing(R) and make music(S) to the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 27:2 Or slander

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

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Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

Hear me,(A) Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.(B)
Hear(C) my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.(D)
Let my vindication(E) come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.(F)

Though you probe my heart,(G)
    though you examine me at night and test me,(H)
you will find that I have planned no evil;(I)
    my mouth has not transgressed.(J)
Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
My steps have held to your paths;(K)
    my feet have not stumbled.(L)

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;(M)
    turn your ear to me(N) and hear my prayer.(O)
Show me the wonders of your great love,(P)
    you who save by your right hand(Q)
    those who take refuge(R) in you from their foes.
Keep me(S) as the apple of your eye;(T)
    hide me(U) in the shadow of your wings(V)
from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.(W)

10 They close up their callous hearts,(X)
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.(Y)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,(Z)
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion(AA) hungry for prey,(AB)
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up,(AC) Lord, confront them, bring them down;(AD)
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world(AE) whose reward is in this life.(AF)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers(AG) for their little ones.

15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake,(AH) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.(AI)

Psalm 18[a](AJ)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

I love you, Lord, my strength.(AK)

The Lord is my rock,(AL) my fortress(AM) and my deliverer;(AN)
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(AO)
    my shield[b](AP) and the horn[c] of my salvation,(AQ) my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(AR)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.(AS)
The cords of death(AT) entangled me;
    the torrents(AU) of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death(AV) confronted me.

In my distress(AW) I called to the Lord;(AX)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(AY)
    my cry came(AZ) before him, into his ears.
The earth trembled(BA) and quaked,(BB)
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;(BC)
    they trembled because he was angry.(BD)
Smoke rose from his nostrils;(BE)
    consuming fire(BF) came from his mouth,
    burning coals(BG) blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down;(BH)
    dark clouds(BI) were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim(BJ) and flew;
    he soared(BK) on the wings of the wind.(BL)
11 He made darkness his covering,(BM) his canopy(BN) around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence(BO) clouds advanced,
    with hailstones(BP) and bolts of lightning.(BQ)
13 The Lord thundered(BR) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.[d]
14 He shot his arrows(BS) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning(BT) he routed them.(BU)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations(BV) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,(BW) Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.(BX)

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.(BY)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,(BZ)
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.(CA)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,(CB)
    but the Lord was my support.(CC)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;(CD)
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.(CE)

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(CF)
    according to the cleanness of my hands(CG) he has rewarded me.(CH)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(CI)
    I am not guilty of turning(CJ) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(CK)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(CL) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(CM)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful(CN) you show yourself faithful,(CO)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(CP) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(CQ)
27 You save the humble(CR)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(CS)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(CT) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.(CU)
29 With your help(CV) I can advance against a troop[e];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(CW)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(CX)
    he shields(CY) all who take refuge(CZ) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(DA)
    And who is the Rock(DB) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(DC)
    and keeps my way secure.(DD)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(DE)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(DF)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(DG)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(DH) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(DI) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(DJ)

37 I pursued my enemies(DK) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(DL) so that they could not rise;(DM)
    they fell beneath my feet.(DN)
39 You armed me with strength(DO) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(DP) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(DQ) in flight,
    and I destroyed(DR) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(DS)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(DT)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(DU)
    I trampled them[f] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(DV)
People I did not know(DW) now serve me,
44     foreigners(DX) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(DY)
    they come trembling(DZ) from their strongholds.(EA)

46 The Lord lives!(EB) Praise be to my Rock!(EC)
    Exalted be God(ED) my Savior!(EE)
47 He is the God who avenges(EF) me,
    who subdues nations(EG) under me,
48     who saves(EH) me from my enemies.(EI)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man(EJ) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(EK)
    I will sing(EL) the praises of your name.(EM)

50 He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(EN)
    to David(EO) and to his descendants forever.(EP)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
  2. Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
  3. Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  4. Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
  5. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
  6. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out

17 Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.

11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;

12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

18 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.

19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

24 Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

31 For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?

32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.

42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

46 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep(A)

15 Now the tax collectors(B) and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”(C)

Then Jesus told them this parable:(D) “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?(E) And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’(F) I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.(G)

The Parable of the Lost Coin

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’(H) 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 15:8 Greek ten drachmas, each worth about a day’s wages

15 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

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