Wisdom of Solomon 2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
2 For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves,
“Short and sorrowful is our life,
and there is no remedy when a life comes to its end,
and no one has been known to return from Hades.
2 For we were born by mere chance,
and hereafter we shall be as though we had never been,
for the breath in our nostrils is smoke,
and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our hearts;(A)
3 when it is extinguished, the body will turn to ashes,
and the spirit will dissolve like empty air.(B)
4 Our name will be forgotten in time,
and no one will remember our works;
our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud
and be scattered like mist
that is chased by the rays of the sun
and overcome by its heat.(C)
5 For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow,
and there is no return from our death,
because it is sealed up and no one turns back.(D)
6 “Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist
and make use of the creation to the full as in youth.(E)
7 Let us take our fill of costly wine and perfumes,
and let no flower of spring pass us by.
8 Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither.
9 Let no meadow be free from our revelry;
everywhere let us leave signs of enjoyment,
because this is our portion, and this our lot.(F)
10 Let us oppress the righteous poor man;
let us not spare the widow
or regard the gray hairs of the aged.
11 But let our might be our law of right,
for what is weak proves itself to be useless.
12 “Let us lie in wait for the righteous man,
because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions;
he reproaches us for sins against the law
and accuses us of sins against our training.(G)
13 He professes to have knowledge of God
and calls himself a child of the Lord.
14 He became to us a reproof of our thoughts;
the very sight of him is a burden to us,
15 because his manner of life is unlike that of others,
and his ways are strange.(H)
16 We are considered by him as something base,
and he avoids our ways as unclean;
he calls the last end of the righteous happy
and boasts that God is his father.(I)
17 Let us see if his words are true,
and let us test what will happen at the end of his life,
18 for if the righteous man is God’s child, he will help him
and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries.(J)
19 Let us test him with insult and torture,
so that we may find out how reasonable he is
and make trial of his forbearance.(K)
20 Let us condemn him to a shameful death,
for, according to what he says, he will be protected.”
Error of the Wicked
21 Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray,
for their wickedness blinded them,(L)
22 and they did not know the secret purposes of God,
nor hoped for the wages of holiness,
nor discerned the prize for blameless souls,(M)
23 for God created us for incorruption
and made us in the image of his own eternity,[a](N)
24 but through an adversary’s[b] envy death entered the world,
and those who belong to his company experience it.(O)
Wisdom of Solomon 9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Prayer for Wisdom
9 “O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy,
who have made all things by your word(A)
2 and by your wisdom have formed humankind
to have dominion over the creatures you have made(B)
3 and rule the world in holiness and righteousness
and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul,(C)
4 give me the wisdom that sits by your throne,
and do not reject me from among your children.(D)
5 For I am your servant, the son of your female servant,
a man who is weak and short-lived,
with little understanding of judgment and laws,(E)
6 for even one who is perfect among humans
will be regarded as nothing without the wisdom that comes from you.
7 You have chosen me to be king of your people
and to be judge over your sons and daughters.(F)
8 You have given command to build a temple on your holy mountain
and an altar in the city of your habitation,
a copy of the holy tent that you prepared from the beginning.(G)
9 With you is wisdom, she who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
she understands what is pleasing in your sight
and what is right according to your commandments.(H)
10 Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of your glory send her,
that she may labor at my side
and that I may learn what is pleasing to you.(I)
11 For she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.
12 Then my works will be acceptable,
and I shall judge your people justly
and shall be worthy of the throne[a] of my father.
13 For who can learn the counsel of God?
Or who can discern what the Lord wills?(J)
14 For the reasoning of mortals is worthless,
and our designs are likely to fail,
15 for a perishable body weighs down the soul,
and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful[b] mind.(K)
16 We can hardly guess at what is on earth,
and what is at hand we find with labor,
but who has traced out what is in the heavens?
17 Who has learned your counsel
unless you have given wisdom
and sent your holy spirit from on high?(L)
18 And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,
and people were taught what pleases you
and were saved by wisdom.”(M)
Philemon
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Salutation
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To our beloved coworker Philemon,(A) 2 to our[a] sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church in your[b] house:(B)
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 I thank my God always when I mention you[c] in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus.(C) 6 I pray that the partnership of your faith may become effective as you comprehend all the good that we[d] share in Christ.[e] 7 I have[f] indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.(D)
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8 For this reason, though I am more than bold enough in Christ to command you to do the right thing, 9 yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.[g] 10 I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.(E) 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful[h] to[i] you and to me. 12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.[j] 13 I wanted to keep him with me so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel,(F) 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced.(G) 15 Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for the long term, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.(H)
17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.(I) 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.[k] 21 Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.(J)
22 One thing more: prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you.(K)
Final Greetings and Benediction
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,[l](L) 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers.(M)
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.[m](N)
Footnotes
- 2 Other ancient authorities add beloved
- 2 Gk your is singular
- 4 In verses 4–21, you is singular
- 6 Other ancient authorities read you (plural)
- 6 Other ancient authorities add Jesus
- 7 Other ancient authorities read we have
- 9 Or as an ambassador of Christ Jesus, and now also his prisoner
- 11 The name Onesimus means useful or beneficial
- 11 Other ancient authorities read both to
- 12 Other ancient authorities read you; receive him
- 20 Other ancient authorities read in the Lord
- 23 Here you is singular
- 25 Other ancient authorities add Amen
Luke 12:35-59
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Watchful Slaves
35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit;(A) 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them.(B) 38 If he comes during the middle of the night or near dawn and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he[a] would not have let his house be broken into.(C) 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”(D)
The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?(E) 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know and will cut him in pieces[b] and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master wanted but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating.(F) 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.(G)
Jesus the Cause of Division
49 “I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!(H) 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!(I) 52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”(J)
Interpreting the Time
54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,’ and so it happens.(K) 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens.(L) 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?(M)
Settling with Your Opponent
57 “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Thus when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to reach a settlement,[c] or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison.(N) 59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”(O)
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