Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

³⁶ “You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague^(A) it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ³⁷ I will surely gather^(B) them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger^(C) and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.^{(D) 38} They will be my people,^(E) and I will be their God. ³⁹ I will give them singleness^(F) of heart and action, so that they will always fear^(G) me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. ⁴⁰ I will make an everlasting covenant^(H) with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire^(I) them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.^{(J) 41} I will rejoice^(K) in doing them good^(L) and will assuredly plant^(M) them in this land with all my heart and soul.^(N)

⁴² “This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity^(O) on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised^(P) them. ⁴³ Once more fields will be bought^(Q) in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate^(R) waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ ⁴⁴ Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds^(S) will be signed, sealed and witnessed^(T) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(U) because I will restore^(V) their fortunes,^[a] declares the Lord.”

Submission to Governing Authorities

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,^(A) for there is no authority except that which God has established.^(B) The authorities that exist have been established by God. ² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,^(C) and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.^{(D) 4} For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.^{(E) 5} Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.^(F)

⁶ This is also why you pay taxes,^(G) for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;^(H) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

³⁷ Even after Jesus had performed so many signs^(A) in their presence, they still would not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

³⁹ For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory^(D) and spoke about him.^(E)

⁴² Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.^(F) But because of the Pharisees^(G) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;^{(H) 43} for they loved human praise^(I) more than praise from God.^(J)

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.^{(K) 45} The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.^{(L) 46} I have come into the world as a light,^(M) so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.