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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

Duration: 861 days

Psalm 118

Psalm 118^[a]

118 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures.^[b]
²Let Israel say,
“Yes, his loyal love endures.”
³Let the family^[c] of Aaron say,
“Yes, his loyal love endures.”
⁴Let the loyal followers of the Lord^[d] say,
“Yes, his loyal love endures.”
⁵In my distress^[e] I cried out to the Lord.
The Lord answered me and put me in a wide open place.^[f]
⁶The Lord is on my side;^[g] I am not afraid.
What can people do to me?^[h]
⁷The Lord is on my side^[i] as my helper.^[j]
I look in triumph on those who hate me.
⁸It is better to take shelter^[k] in the Lord
than to trust in people.
⁹It is better to take shelter in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
¹⁰All the nations surrounded me.^[l]
Indeed, in the name of the Lord^[m] I pushed them away.^[n]
¹¹They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me.
Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
¹²They surrounded me like bees.
But they disappeared as quickly^[o] as a fire among thorns.^[p]
Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
¹³“You aggressively attacked me^[q] and tried to knock me down,^[r]
but the Lord helped me.
¹⁴The Lord gives me strength and protects me;^[s]
he has become my deliverer.”^[t]
¹⁵They celebrate deliverance in the tents of the godly.^[u]
The Lord’s right hand conquers.^[v]
¹⁶The Lord’s right hand gives victory;^[w]
the Lord’s right hand conquers.
¹⁷I will not die, but live,
and I will proclaim what the Lord has done.^[x]
¹⁸The Lord severely^[y] punished me,
but he did not hand me over to death.
¹⁹Open for me the gates of the just king’s temple.^[z]
I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰This is the Lord’s gate—
the godly enter through it.
²¹I will give you thanks, for you answered me,
and have become my deliverer.
²²The stone that the builders discarded^[aa]
has become the cornerstone.^[ab]
²³This is the Lord’s work.
We consider it amazing!^[ac]
²⁴This is the day the Lord has brought about.^[ad]
We will be happy and rejoice in it.
²⁵Please, Lord, deliver!
Please, Lord, grant us success!^[ae]
²⁶May the one who comes in the name of the Lord^[af] be blessed.
We will pronounce blessings on you^[ag] in the Lord’s temple.^[ah]
²⁷The Lord is God, and he has delivered us.^[ai]
Tie the offering^[aj] with ropes
to the horns of the altar.^[ak]
²⁸You are my^[al] God, and I will give you thanks.
You are my God and I will praise you.
²⁹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
and his loyal love endures.^[am]

Footnotes

Psalm 118:1 sn Psalm 118. The psalmist thanks God for his deliverance and urges others to join him in praise.
Psalm 118:1 tn Or “is forever.”
Psalm 118:3 tn Heb “house.”
Psalm 118:4 tn Heb “fearers of the Lord.” See Ps 15:4.
Psalm 118:5 tn Heb “from the distress.” The noun מֵצַר (metsar, “straits; distress”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:3. In Ps 116:3 מֵצַר should probably be emended to מְצָדֵי (m^etsade, “snares of”).
Psalm 118:5 tn Heb “the Lord answered me in a wide open place.”
Psalm 118:6 tn Heb “for me.”
Psalm 118:6 tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential. See Ps 56:11.
Psalm 118:7 tn Heb “for me.”
Psalm 118:7 tn Heb “among my helpers.” The preposition may indicate identity here, while the plural may be one of majesty or respect.
Psalm 118:8 tn “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).
Psalm 118:10 sn The reference to an attack by the nations suggests the psalmist may have been a military leader.
Psalm 118:10 tn In this context the phrase “in the name of the Lord” means “by the Lord’s power.”
Psalm 118:10 tn Traditionally the verb has been derived from מוּל (mul, “to circumcise”) and translated “[I] cut [them] off” (see BDB 557-58 s.v. II מוּל). However, it is likely that this is a homonym meaning “to fend off” (see HALOT 556 s.v. II מול) or “to push away.” In this context, where the psalmist is reporting his past experience, the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite. The phrase also occurs in vv. 11, 12.
Psalm 118:12 tn Heb “were extinguished.”
Psalm 118:12 tn The point seems to be that the hostility of the nations (v. 10) is short-lived, like a fire that quickly devours thorns and then burns out. Some, attempting to create a better parallel with the preceding line, emend דֹּעֲכוּ (doʿakhu, “they were extinguished”) to בָּעֲרוּ (baʿaru, “they burned”). In that case the statement emphasizes their hostility.
Psalm 118:13 tn Heb “pushing, you pushed me.” The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following verbal idea. The psalmist appears to address the nations as if they were an individual enemy. Some find this problematic and emend the verb form (which is a Qal perfect second masculine singular with a first person singular suffix) to נִדְחֵיתִי (nidkheti), a Niphal perfect first common singular, “I was pushed.”
Psalm 118:13 tn Heb “to fall,” i.e., “that [I] might fall.”
Psalm 118:14 tn Heb “my strength and protection [is] the Lord.” The Hebrew term זִמְרָת (zimrat) is traditionally understood as meaning “song” (“my strength and song [is] the Lord”) in which case one might translate, “for the Lord gives me strength and joy” (i.e., a reason to sing). However, many recent commentators have argued that the noun זִמְרָת is here a homonym, meaning “protection” or “strength.” See HALOT 274 s.v.; cf. NEB “The Lord is my refuge and defence”; NRSV “my strength and my might.”
Psalm 118:14 tn Or “salvation.”
Psalm 118:15 tn Heb “the sound of a ringing shout and deliverance [is] in the tents of the godly.”
Psalm 118:15 tn Heb “does valiantly.” The statement refers here to military success (see Num 24:18; 1 Sam 14:48; Pss 60:12; 108:13).
Psalm 118:16 tn Heb “exalts.”
Psalm 118:17 tn Heb “the works of the Lord.”
Psalm 118:18 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following verbal idea.
Psalm 118:19 tn Heb “the gates of justice.” The gates of the Lord’s temple are referred to here, as v. 20 makes clear. They are called “gates of justice” because they are the entrance to the just king’s palace. This has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Psalm 118:22 tn Or “rejected.”
Psalm 118:22 tn Heb “the head of the corner.”sn The metaphor of the stone…the builders discarded describes the way in which God’s deliverance reversed the psalmist’s circumstances. When he was in distress, he was like a stone which was discarded by builders as useless, but now that he has been vindicated by God, all can see that he is of special importance to God, like the cornerstone of the building.
Psalm 118:23 tn Heb “it is amazing in our eyes.” The use of the plural pronoun here and in vv. 24-27 suggests that the psalmist may be speaking for the entire nation. However, it is more likely that vv. 22-27 are the people’s response to the psalmist’s thanksgiving song (see especially v. 26). They rejoice with him because his deliverance on the battlefield (see vv. 10-12) had national repercussions.
Psalm 118:24 tn Heb “this is the day the Lord has made.” Though sometimes applied in a general way, this statement in its context refers to the day of deliverance which the psalmist and people celebrate.
Psalm 118:25 sn A petition for deliverance and success seems odd in a psalm thanking God for deliverance, but it is not unique (see Ps 9:19-20). The people ask God to continue to intervene for them as he has for the psalmist.
Psalm 118:26 sn The people refer here to the psalmist, who enters the Lord’s temple to thank him publicly (see vv. 19-21), as the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Psalm 118:26 tn The pronominal suffix is second masculine plural, but the final mem (ם) is probably dittographic (note the mem [מ] at the beginning of the following form) or enclitic, in which case the suffix may be taken as second masculine singular, referring to the psalmist.
Psalm 118:26 tn Heb “from the house of the Lord.”
Psalm 118:27 tn Heb “and he has given us light.” This may be an elliptical expression, with “his face” being implied as the object (see Num 6:25; Pss 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19). In this case, “his face has given us light” = “he has smiled on us,” or “he has shown us his favor.” Another option (the one reflected in the translation) is that “light” here symbolizes divine blessing in the form of deliverance. “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4; Isa 49:6; 51:4; Mic 7:8. Some prefer to repoint the preterite form וַיָּאֶר (vayyaʾer, “he made light”) as a jussive וְיָאֵר (v^eyaʾer; “may he make light [for us]”).
Psalm 118:27 tn The Hebrew noun חַג (khag) normally means “festival,” but here it apparently refers metonymically to an offering made at the festival. BDB 291 s.v. חַג 2 interprets the word in this way here, citing as comparable the use of later Hebrew חֲגִיגָה, which can refer to both a festival and a festival offering (see Jastrow 424 s.v. חֲגִיגָה).
Psalm 118:27 tn The second half of v. 27 has been translated and interpreted in a variety of ways. For a survey of major views, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 122.
Psalm 118:28 sn You are my God. The psalmist speaks again (see v. 21), responding to the words of the worshipers (vv. 22-27).
Psalm 118:29 tn Or “is forever.”

Psalm 145

Psalm 145^[a]

A psalm of praise; by David.

145 I will extol you, my God, O King.
I will praise your name continually.^[b]
²Every day I will praise you.
I will praise your name continually.^[c]
³The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise.
No one can fathom his greatness.^[d]
⁴One generation will praise your deeds to another,
and tell about your mighty acts.^[e]
⁵I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor,
and your amazing deeds.^[f]
⁶They will proclaim^[g] the power of your awesome acts.
I will declare your great deeds.
⁷They will talk about the fame of your great kindness,^[h]
and sing about your justice.^[i]
⁸The Lord is merciful and compassionate;
he is patient^[j] and demonstrates great loyal love.^[k]
⁹The Lord is good to all,
and has compassion on all he has made.^[l]
¹⁰All your works will give thanks to you, Lord.
Your loyal followers will praise you.
¹¹They will proclaim the splendor of your kingdom;
they will tell about your power,
¹²so that mankind^[m] might acknowledge your mighty acts,
and the majestic splendor of your kingdom.
¹³Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom,^[n]
and your dominion endures through all generations.
¹⁴^[o] The Lord supports all who fall,
and lifts up all who are bent over.^[p]
¹⁵Everything looks to you in anticipation,^[q]
and you provide them with food on a regular basis.^[r]
¹⁶You open your hand,
and fill every living thing with the food it desires.^[s]
¹⁷The Lord is just in all his actions,^[t]
and exhibits love in all he does.^[u]
¹⁸The Lord is near all who cry out to him,
all who cry out to him sincerely.^[v]
¹⁹He satisfies the desire^[w] of his loyal followers;^[x]
he hears their cry for help and delivers them.
²⁰The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys all the wicked.
²¹My mouth will praise the Lord.^[y]
Let all who live^[z] praise his holy name forever.

Footnotes

Psalm 145:1 sn Psalm 145. The psalmist praises God because he is a just and merciful king who cares for his people.
Psalm 145:1 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”
Psalm 145:2 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”
Psalm 145:3 tn Heb “and concerning his greatness there is no searching.”
Psalm 145:4 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 4 are understood as imperfects, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as jussives, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may one generation praise…and tell about.”
Psalm 145:5 tn Heb “the splendor of the glory of your majesty, and the matters of your amazing deeds I will ponder.”
Psalm 145:6 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as an imperfect, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may they proclaim.”
Psalm 145:7 tn Heb “the fame of the greatness of your goodness.”
Psalm 145:7 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 7 are understood as imperfects, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as jussives, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may they talk…and sing.”
Psalm 145:8 tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).
Psalm 145:8 tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).
Psalm 145:9 tn Heb “and his compassion is over all his works.”
Psalm 145:12 tn Heb “the sons of man.”
Psalm 145:13 tn Heb “a kingdom of all ages.”
Psalm 145:14 tc Psalm 145 is an acrostic psalm, with each successive verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. However, in the traditional Hebrew (Masoretic) text of Psalm 145 there is no verse beginning with the letter nun. One would expect such a verse to appear as the fourteenth verse, between the (מ) (mem) and (ס) (samek) verses. Several ancient witnesses, including one medieval Hebrew manuscript, the Qumran scroll from cave 11, the LXX, and the Syriac, supply the missing (נ) (nun) verse, which reads as follows: “The Lord is reliable in all his words, and faithful in all his deeds.” One might paraphrase this as follows: “The Lord’s words are always reliable; his actions are always faithful.” Scholars are divided as to the originality of this verse. L. C. Allen argues for its inclusion on the basis of structural considerations (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 294-95), but there is no apparent explanation for why, if original, it would have been accidentally omitted. The psalm may be a partial acrostic, as in Pss 25 and 34 (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:335). The glaring omission of the nun line would have invited a later redactor to add such a line.
Psalm 145:14 tn Perhaps “discouraged” (see Ps 57:6).
Psalm 145:15 tn Heb “the eyes of all wait for you.”
Psalm 145:15 tn Heb “and you give to them their food in its season” (see Ps 104:27).
Psalm 145:16 tn Heb “[with what they] desire.”
Psalm 145:17 tn Heb “in all his ways.”
Psalm 145:17 tn Heb “and [is] loving in all his deeds.”
Psalm 145:18 tn Heb “in truth.”
Psalm 145:19 tn In this context “desire” refers to the followers’ desire to be delivered from wicked enemies.
Psalm 145:19 tn Heb “the desire of those who fear him, he does.”
Psalm 145:21 tn Heb “the praise of the Lord my mouth will speak.”
Psalm 145:21 tn Heb “all flesh.”

Exodus 3:16-4:12

¹⁶“Go and bring together^[a] the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers,^[b] appeared^[c] to me—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—saying, “I have attended carefully to^[d] you and to what has been done^[e] to you in Egypt, ¹⁷and I have promised^[f] that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites,^[g] to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’

¹⁸“The elders^[h] will listen^[i] to you, and then you and the elders of Israel must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met^[j] with us. So now, let us go^[k] three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice^[l] to the Lord our God.’ ¹⁹But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go,^[m] not even under force.^[n] ²⁰So I will extend my hand^[o] and strike Egypt with all my wonders^[p] that I will do among them, and after that he will release you.^[q]

²¹“I will grant this people favor with^[r] the Egyptians, so that when^[s] you depart you will not leave empty-handed. ²²Every^[t] woman will ask her neighbor and the one who happens to be staying^[u] in her house for items of silver and gold^[v] and for clothing. You will put these articles on your sons and daughters—thus you will plunder Egypt!”^[w]

The Source of Sufficiency

4 ^[x] Moses answered again,^[y] “And if^[z] they do not believe me or pay attention to me,^[aa] but say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you’?” ²The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.”^[ab] ³The Lord^[ac] said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake,^[ad] and Moses ran from it. ⁴But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand^[ae]— ⁵“that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

⁶The Lord also said to him, “Put your hand into your robe.”^[af] So he put his hand into his robe, and when he brought it out—there was his hand,^[ag] leprous like snow!^[ah] ⁷He said, “Put your hand back into your robe.” So he put his hand back into his robe, and when he brought it out from his robe—there it was,^[ai] restored^[aj] like the rest of his skin!^[ak] ⁸“If^[al] they do not believe you or pay attention to^[am] the former sign, then they may^[an] believe the latter sign.^[ao] ⁹And if^[ap] they do not believe even these two signs or listen to you,^[aq] then take^[ar] some water from the Nile and pour it out on the dry ground. The water you take out of the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”^[as]

¹⁰Then Moses said to the Lord,^[at] “O^[au] my Lord,^[av] I am not an eloquent man,^[aw] neither in the past^[ax] nor since you have spoken to your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”^[ay]

¹¹The Lord said to him, “Who gave^[az] a mouth to man, or who makes a person mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?^[ba] ¹²So now go, and I will be with your mouth^[bb] and will teach you^[bc] what you must say.”^[bd]

Footnotes

Exodus 3:16 tn The form is the perfect tense with the sequential vav (ו) linking the nuance to the imperative that precedes it. Since the imperative calls for immediate action, this form either carries the same emphasis, or instructs action that immediately follows it. This applies likewise to “say,” which follows.
Exodus 3:16 sn “The God of your fathers” is in simple apposition to the name “the Lord” (Heb “Yahweh”) as a recognizable identification. If the holy name were a new one to the Israelites, an explanation would have been needed. Meanwhile, the title “God of my/your/our father(s)” was widely used in the ancient Near East and also in Genesis (26:24; 28:13; 31:5, 29; 46:1, 3; N. M. Sarna, Exodus [JPSTC], 268).
Exodus 3:16 tn The form is the Niphal perfect of the verb “to see.” See the note on “appeared” in 3:2.
Exodus 3:16 tn The verb פָּקַד (paqad) has traditionally been rendered “to visit.” This only partially communicates the point of the word. When God “visited” someone, it meant that he intervened in their lives to change their circumstances or their destiny. When he visited the Amalekites, he destroyed them (1 Sam 15:2). When he visited Sarah, he provided the long awaited child (Gen 21:1). It refers to God’s active involvement in human affairs for blessing or for cursing. Here it would mean that God had begun to act to deliver the Israelites from bondage and give them the blessings of the covenant. The form is joined here with the infinitive absolute to underscore the certainty—“I have indeed visited you.” Some translate it “remember”; others say “watch over.” These do not capture the idea of intervention to bless, and often with the idea of vengeance or judgment on the oppressors. If God were to visit what the Egyptians did, he would stop the oppression and also bring retribution for it. The nuance of the perfect tense could be a perfect of resolve (“I have decided to visit”), or an instantaneous perfect (“I hereby visit”), or a prophetic perfect (“I have visited” = “I will visit”). The infinitive absolute reinforces the statement (so “carefully”), the rendering “attended to” attempts to convey the ideas of personal presence, mental awareness, and action, as when a nurse or physician “attends” a patient.sn The same word was used in the same kind of construction at the end of Genesis (50:24) when Joseph promised, “God will surely visit you” (but there the imperfect tense with the infinitive absolute). Here is another link to the patriarchal narratives. This work of Moses would be interpreted as a fulfillment of Joseph’s prophecy.
Exodus 3:16 tn The second object for the verb is the passive participle הֶעָשׂוּי (heʿasuy). To say that God has visited the oppression (or “attended to” it) affirms that God has decided to judge the oppressing people as he blesses Israel.
Exodus 3:17 tn Heb “And I said.”
Exodus 3:17 tn See the note on this list in 3:8.
Exodus 3:18 tn Heb “And they will listen”; the referent (the elders) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Exodus 3:18 tn This is the combination of the verb שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) followed by לְקֹלֶךָ (l^eqolekha), an idiomatic formation that means “listen to your voice,” which in turn implies a favorable response.
Exodus 3:18 tn The verb נִקְרָה (niqrah) has the idea of encountering in a sudden or unexpected way (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 25).
Exodus 3:18 tn The form used here is the cohortative of הָלַךְ (halakh). It could be a resolve, but more likely before Pharaoh it is a request. sn Was this a deceptive request if they were not planning on coming back? Since no one knows what the intent was, that question is not likely to be resolved. The request may have been intended to test the waters, so to speak—How did Pharaoh feel about the Israelites? Would he let them go and worship their God as they saw fit? In any case, it gave him the opportunity to grant to the Israelites a permission that other groups are known to have received (N. M. Sarna, Exodus [JPSTC], 19).
Exodus 3:18 tn Here a cohortative with a vav (ו) follows a cohortative; the second one expresses purpose or result: “let us go…in order that we may.”
Exodus 3:19 tn After verbs of perception, as with “I know” here, the object may be a noun clause introduced with the particle כִּי (ki)—“I know that….” Gesenius observes that the object clause may have a kind of accusative and an infinitive construction (especially after נָתַן [natan] with the idea of “allow”): “he will not permit you to go” (see GKC 491 §157.b, n. 2).
Exodus 3:19 tn Heb “and not with a mighty hand.” This expression (וְלֹא בְּיָד חֲזָקָה, v^eloʾ v^eyad khazaqah) is unclear, since v. 20 says that God will stretch out his hand and do his wonders. Some have taken v. 19b to refer to God’s mighty hand also, meaning that the king would not let them go unless a mighty hand compels him (NIV). The expression “mighty hand” is used of God’s rescuing Israel elsewhere (Exod 6:1; 13:9; 32:11; but note also Num 20:20). This idea is a rather general interpretation of the words; it owes much to the LXX, which has “except by a mighty hand,” though “and not with” does not have the meaning of “except” or “unless” in other places. In view of these difficulties, others have suggested that v. 19b means “strong [threats]” from the Israelites (as in 4:24ff. and 5:3; see B. Jacob, Exodus, 81). This does not seem as convincing as the first view. Another possibility is that the phrase conveys Pharaoh’s point of view and intention; the Lord knows that Pharaoh plans to resist letting the Israelites go, regardless of the exercise of a strong hand against him (P. Addinall, “Exodus III 19B and the Interpretation of Biblical Narrative,” VT 49 [1999]: 289-300; see also the construction “and not with” in Num 12:8; 1 Sam 20:15 and elsewhere). If that is the case, v. 20 provides an ironic and pointed contradiction to Pharaoh’s plans as the Lord announces the effect that his hand will have. At any rate, Pharaoh will have to be forced to let Israel go.
Exodus 3:20 sn The outstretched arm is a bold anthropomorphism. It describes the power of God. The Egyptians will later admit that the plagues were by the hand of God (Exod 8:19).
Exodus 3:20 tn The word נִפְלְאֹתַי (nifl^eʾotay) does not specify what the intervention will be. As the text unfolds it will be clear that the plagues are intended. Signs and portents could refer to things people might do, but “wonders” only God could do. The root refers to that which is extraordinary, surpassing, amazing, difficult to comprehend. See Isa 9:6; Gen 18:14; Ps 139:6.
Exodus 3:20 sn The two uses of the root שָׁלָח (shalakh) in this verse contribute to its force. When the Lord “sends” (Qal) his hand, Pharaoh will “send” (Piel) the Israelites out of Egypt.
Exodus 3:21 tn Heb “in the eyes of.” This idiom usually means that someone will be treated well by the observer. It is unlikely that it means here that the Egyptians will like the Hebrews. Rather, it means that the Egyptians will give things to the Hebrews free—gratis (see 12:35-36). Not only will God do mighty works to make the king yield, but also he will work in the minds of the Egyptian people so that they will be favorably disposed to give Israel wealth.
Exodus 3:21 tn The temporal indicator (here future) with the particle ki (וְהָיָה כִּי, v^ehaya ki) introduces a temporal clause.
Exodus 3:22 tn Heb “a woman,” one representing all.
Exodus 3:22 tn Heb “from the sojourner.” Both the “neighbor” and the “sojourner” (“one who happens to be staying in her house”) are feminine. The difference between them seems to be primarily that the second is temporary, “a lodger” perhaps or “visitor,” while the first has permanent residence.
Exodus 3:22 tn Heb “vessels of silver and vessels of gold.” These phrases both use genitives of material, telling what the vessels are made of.
Exodus 3:22 sn It is clear that God intended the Israelites to plunder the Egyptians, as they might a defeated enemy in war. They will not go out “empty.” They will “plunder” Egypt. This verb (וְנִצַּלְתֶּם [v^enitsaltem] from נָצַל [natsal]) usually means “rescue, deliver,” as if plucking out of danger. But in this stem it carries the idea of plunder. So when the text says that they will ask (וְשָׁאֲלָה, v^eshaʾalah) their neighbors for things, it implies that they will be making many demands, and the Egyptians will respond like a defeated nation before victors. The spoils that Israel takes are to be regarded as back wages or compensation for the oppression (see also Deut 15:13). See further B. Jacob, “The Gifts of the Egyptians, a Critical Commentary,” Journal of Reformed Judaism 27 (1980): 59-69; and T. C. Vriezen, “A Reinterpretation of Exodus 3:21-22 and Related Texts,” Ex Oriente Lux 23 (1975): 389-401.
Exodus 4:1 sn In chap. 3, the first part of this extensive call, Yahweh promises to deliver his people. At the hesitancy of Moses, God guarantees his presence will be with him, and that assures the success of the mission. But with chap. 4, the second half of the call, the tone changes sharply. Now Moses protests his inadequacies in view of the nature of the task. In many ways, these verses address the question, “Who is sufficient for these things?” There are three basic movements in the passage. The first nine verses tell how God gave Moses signs in case Israel did not believe him (4:1-9). The second section records how God dealt with the speech problem of Moses (4:10-12). And finally, the last section records God’s provision of a helper, someone who could talk well (4:13-17). See also J. E. Hamlin, “The Liberator’s Ordeal: A Study of Exodus 4:1-9, ” Rhetorical Criticism [PTMS], 33-42.
Exodus 4:1 tn Heb “and Moses answered and said.”
Exodus 4:1 tn Or “What if.” The use of הֵן (hen) is unusual here, introducing a conditional idea in the question without a following consequence clause (see Exod 8:22 HT [8:26 ET]; Jer 2:10; 2 Chr 7:13). The Greek has “if not” but adds the clause “what shall I say to them?”
Exodus 4:1 tn Heb “listen to my voice,” so as to respond positively.
Exodus 4:2 tn Or “rod” (KJV, ASV); NCV, CEV “walking stick”; NLT “shepherd’s staff.”sn The staff appears here to be the shepherd’s staff that he was holding. It now will become the instrument with which Moses will do the mighty works, for it is the medium of the display of the divine power (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 27; also, L. Shalit, “How Moses Turned a Staff into a Snake and Back Again,” BAR 9 [1983]: 72-73).
Exodus 4:3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Exodus 4:3 sn The details of the verse are designed to show that there was a staff that became a snake. The question is used to affirm that there truly was a staff, and then the report of Moses running from it shows it was a genuine snake. Using the serpent as a sign would have had an impact on the religious ideas of Egypt, for the sacred cobra was one of their symbols.
Exodus 4:4 sn The signs authenticated Moses’ ministry as the Lord’s emissary. This sign will show that the Lord had control over Egypt and its stability, over life and death. But first Moses has to be convinced that he can turn it into a dead stick again.
Exodus 4:6 tn The word חֵיק (kheq), often rendered “bosom,” refers to the front of the chest and a fold in the garment there where an item could be placed for carrying (see Prov 6:27; 16:33; 21:14). So “into your robe” should be understood loosely here and in v. 7 as referring to the inside of the top front of Moses’ garment. The inside chest pocket of a jacket is a rough modern equivalent.
Exodus 4:6 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) points out the startling or amazing sight as if the reader were catching the first glimpse of it with Moses.
Exodus 4:6 sn This sudden skin disease indicated that God was able to bring such diseases on Egypt in the plagues and that only he could remove them. The whitening was the first stage of death for the diseased (Num 12:10; 2 Kgs 5:27). The Hebrew words traditionally rendered “leprous” or “leprosy,” as they are used in Lev 13 and 14, encompass a variety of conditions, not limited to the disease called leprosy and identified as Hansen’s disease in modern times.
Exodus 4:7 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) points out the startling or amazing sight as if the reader were catching the first glimpse of it with Moses.
Exodus 4:7 tn Heb “it returned.”
Exodus 4:7 tn Heb “like his flesh.”
Exodus 4:8 tn Heb “and it will be if.”
Exodus 4:8 tn Heb “listen to the voice of,” meaning listen so as to respond appropriately.
Exodus 4:8 tn The nuance of this perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive will be equal to the imperfect of possibility—“they may believe.”
Exodus 4:8 tn Heb “believe the voice of the latter sign,” so as to understand and accept the meaning of the event.
Exodus 4:9 tn Heb “and it will be if.”
Exodus 4:9 tn Heb “listen to your voice.”
Exodus 4:9 tn The verb form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it functions then as the equivalent of the imperfect tense—here as an imperfect of instruction.
Exodus 4:9 sn This is a powerful sign, for the Nile was always known as the source of life in Egypt, but now it will become the evidence of death. So the three signs were alike, each consisting of life and death. They would clearly anticipate the struggle with Egypt through the plagues. The point is clear that in the face of the possibility that people might not believe, the servants of God must offer clear proof of the power of God as they deliver the message of God. The rest is up to God.
Exodus 4:10 sn Now Moses took up another line of argumentation, the issue of his inability to speak fluently (vv. 10-17). The point here is that God’s servants must yield themselves as instruments to God, the Creator. It makes no difference what character traits they have or what weaknesses they think they have (Moses manages to speak very well) if God is present. If the sovereign God has chosen them, then they have everything that God intended them to have.
Exodus 4:10 tn The word בִּי (bi) is a particle of entreaty; it seeks permission to speak and is always followed by “my lord” or “my Lord.” Often rendered “please,” it is “employed in petitions, complaints and excuses” (W. H. C. Propp, Exodus 1-18 [AB], 213).
Exodus 4:10 tn The designation in Moses’ address is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay), a term of respect and deference such as “lord, master, sir” but pointed as it would be when it represents the tetragrammaton. B. Jacob says since this is the first time Moses spoke directly to Yahweh, he did so hesitatingly (Exodus, 87).
Exodus 4:10 tn When a noun clause is negated with לֹא (loʾ), rather than אֵין (ʾen), there is a special emphasis, since the force of the negative falls on a specific word (GKC 479 §152.d). The expression “eloquent man” is אִישׁ דְּבָרִים (ʾish d^evarim, “a man of words”). The genitive may indicate a man characterized by words or a man who is able to command or control words. Moses apparently is resigned to the fact that he can do the signs, but he knows the signs have to be explained.
Exodus 4:10 tn Heb “also from yesterday also from three days ago” or “neither since yesterday nor since before that” is idiomatic for “previously” or “in the past.”
Exodus 4:10 tn The two expressions are כְבַד־פֶּה (kh^evad peh, “heavy of mouth”), and then כְבַד לָשׁוֹן (kh^evad lashon, “heavy of tongue”). Both use genitives of specification, the mouth and the tongue being what are heavy—slow. “Mouth” and “tongue” are metonymies of cause. Moses is saying that he has a problem speaking well. Perhaps he had been too long at the other side of the desert, or perhaps he was being a little dishonest. At any rate, he has still not captured the meaning of God’s presence. See among other works, J. H. Tigay, “‘Heavy of Mouth’ and ‘Heavy of Tongue’: On Moses’ Speech Difficulty,” BASOR 231 (1978): 57-67.
Exodus 4:11 tn The verb שִׂים (sim) means “to place, put, set”; the sentence here more precisely says, “Who put a mouth into a man?”sn The argumentation by Moses is here met by Yahweh’s rhetorical questions. They are intended to be sharp—it is reproof for Moses. The message is twofold. First, Yahweh is fully able to overcome all of Moses’ deficiencies. Second, Moses is exactly the way that God intended him to be. So the rhetorical questions are meant to prod Moses’ faith.
Exodus 4:11 sn The final question obviously demands a positive answer. But the clause is worded in such a way as to return to the theme of “I AM.” Isaiah 45:5-7 developed this same idea of God’s control over life. Moses protests that he is not an eloquent speaker, and the Lord replies with reminders about himself and promises, “I will be with your mouth,” an assertion that repeats the verb he used four times in 3:12 and 14 and in promises to Isaac and Jacob (Gen 26:3; 31:3).
Exodus 4:12 sn The promise of divine presence always indicates intervention (for blessing or cursing). Here it means that God would be working through the organs of speech to help Moses speak. See Deut 18:18; Jer 1:9.
Exodus 4:12 sn The verb is וְהוֹרֵיתִיךָ (v^ehoretikha), the Hiphil perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive. The form carries the instructional meaning because it follows the imperative “go.” In fact, there is a sequence at work here: “go…and/that I may teach you.” It is from יָרָה (yarah), the same root behind תּוֹרָה (torah, “law”). This always referred to teaching either wisdom or revelation. Here Yahweh promises to teach Moses what to say.
Exodus 4:12 tn The form is the imperfect tense. While it could be taken as a future (“what you will say”), an obligatory imperfect captures the significance better (“what you must say” or “what you are to say”). Not even the content of the message will be left up to Moses.

Romans 12

Consecration of the Believer’s Life

12 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters,^[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God^[b]—which is your reasonable service. ²Do not be conformed^[c] to this present world,^[d] but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve^[e] what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.

Conduct in Humility

³For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you^[f] a measure of faith.^[g] ⁴For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, ⁵so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. ⁶And we have different gifts^[h] according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith.^[i] ⁷If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; ⁸if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.

Conduct in Love

⁹Love must be^[j] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. ¹¹Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹²Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. ¹³Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality. ¹⁴Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.^[k] Do not be conceited.^[l] ¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.^[m] ¹⁸If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.^[n] ¹⁹Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath,^[o] for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,”^[p] says the Lord. ²⁰Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.^[q] ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Footnotes

Romans 12:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
Romans 12:1 tn The participle and two adjectives “alive, holy, and pleasing to God” are taken as predicates in relation to “sacrifice,” making the exhortation more emphatic. See ExSyn 618-19.sn Taken as predicate adjectives, the terms alive, holy, and pleasing are showing how unusual is the sacrifice that believers can now offer, for OT sacrifices were dead. As has often been quipped about this text, “The problem with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the altar.”
Romans 12:2 tn Although συσχηματίζεσθε (suschēmatizesthe) could be either a passive or middle, the passive is more likely since it would otherwise have to be a direct middle (“conform yourselves”) and, as such, would be quite rare for NT Greek. It is very telling that being “conformed” to the present world is viewed as a passive notion, for it may suggest that it happens, in part, subconsciously. At the same time, the passive could well be a “permissive passive,” suggesting that there may be some consciousness of the conformity taking place. Most likely, it is a combination of both.
Romans 12:2 tn Grk “to this age.”
Romans 12:2 sn The verb translated test and approve (δοκιμάζω, dokimazō) carries the sense of “test with a positive outcome,” “test so as to approve.”
Romans 12:3 tn The words “of you” have been supplied for clarity.
Romans 12:3 tn Or “to each as God has distributed a measure of faith.”
Romans 12:6 tn This word comes from the same root as “grace” in the following clause; it means “things graciously given,” “grace-gifts.”
Romans 12:6 tn The last part of this verse has no verb; either an indicative or imperative is implied. Most likely an imperative is intended because of the general tenor of this section of the epistle as exhortation and because of the particular flow of this verse, which seems to imply how to use spiritual gifts.
Romans 12:9 tn The verb “must be” is understood in the Greek text.
Romans 12:16 tn Or “but give yourselves to menial tasks.” The translation depends on whether one takes the adjective “lowly” as masculine or neuter.
Romans 12:16 tn Grk “Do not be wise in your thinking.”
Romans 12:17 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used as a generic and refers to both men and women.
Romans 12:18 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used as a generic and refers to both men and women.
Romans 12:19 tn Grk “the wrath,” referring to God’s wrath as the remainder of the verse shows.
Romans 12:19 sn A quotation from Deut 32:35.
Romans 12:20 sn A quotation from Prov 25:21-22.

John 8:46-59

⁴⁶Who among you can prove me guilty^[a] of any sin?^[b] If I am telling you^[c] the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷The one who belongs to^[d] God listens and responds^[e] to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond,^[f] because you don’t belong to God.”^[g]

⁴⁸The Judeans^[h] replied,^[i] “Aren’t we correct in saying^[j] that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”^[k] ⁴⁹Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon,^[l] but I honor my Father—and yet^[m] you dishonor me. ⁵⁰I am not trying to get^[n] praise for myself.^[o] There is one who demands^[p] it, and he also judges.^[q] ⁵¹I tell you the solemn truth,^[r] if anyone obeys^[s] my teaching,^[t] he will never see death.”^[u]

⁵²Then^[v] the Judeans^[w] responded,^[x] “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon!^[y] Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet^[z] you say, ‘If anyone obeys^[aa] my teaching,^[ab] he will never experience^[ac] death.’^[ad] ⁵³You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you?^[ae] And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?” ⁵⁴Jesus replied,^[af] “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless.^[ag] The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people^[ah] say, ‘He is our God.’ ⁵⁵Yet^[ai] you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him,^[aj] I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey^[ak] his teaching.^[al] ⁵⁶Your father Abraham was overjoyed^[am] to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”^[an]

⁵⁷Then the Judeans^[ao] replied,^[ap] “You are not yet fifty years old!^[aq] Have^[ar] you seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth,^[as] before Abraham came into existence,^[at] I am!”^[au] ⁵⁹Then they picked up^[av] stones to throw at him,^[aw] but Jesus was hidden from them^[ax] and went out from the temple area.^[ay]

Footnotes

John 8:46 tn Or “can convict me.”
John 8:46 tn Or “of having sinned”; Grk “of sin.”
John 8:46 tn Or “if I tell you.”
John 8:47 tn Grk “who is of.”
John 8:47 tn Grk “to God hears” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).
John 8:47 tn Grk “you do not hear” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).
John 8:47 tn Grk “you are not of God.”
John 8:48 tn Grk “the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31). They had become increasingly hostile as Jesus continued to teach. Now they were ready to say that Jesus was demon-possessed.
John 8:48 tn Grk “answered and said to him.”
John 8:48 tn Grk “Do we not say rightly.”
John 8:48 tn Grk “and have a demon.” It is not clear what is meant by the charge Σαμαρίτης εἶ σὺ καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχεις (Samaritēs ei su kai daimonion echeis). The meaning could be “you are a heretic and are possessed by a demon.” Note that the dual charge gets one reply (John 8:49). Perhaps the phrases were interchangeable: Simon Magus (Acts 8:14-24) and in later traditions Dositheus, the two Samaritans who claimed to be sons of God, were regarded as mad, that is, possessed by demons.
John 8:49 tn Grk “I do not have a demon.”
John 8:49 tn “Yet” is supplied to show the contrastive element present in the context.
John 8:50 tn Grk “I am not seeking.”
John 8:50 tn Grk “my glory.”
John 8:50 tn Grk “who seeks.”
John 8:50 tn Or “will be the judge.”
John 8:51 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
John 8:51 tn Grk “If anyone keeps.”
John 8:51 tn Grk “my word.”
John 8:51 tn Grk “he will never see death forever.” The Greek negative here is emphatic.sn Those who keep Jesus’ words will not see death because they have already passed from death to life (cf. 5:24). In Johannine theology eternal life begins in the present rather than in the world to come.
John 8:52 tc ‡ Significant and early witnesses (P⁶⁶ א B C W Θ 579 it) lack the conjunction here, while other witnesses read οὖν (oun, “therefore”; P⁷⁵ D L Ψ 070 ƒ^1,13 33 M lat). This conjunction occurs in John some 200 times, far more than in any other NT book. Even though the most important Johannine papyrus (P⁷⁵) has the conjunction, the combination of P⁶⁶ א B for the omission is even stronger. Further, the reading seems to be a predictable scribal emendation. In particular, οὖν is frequently used with the plural of εἶπον (eipon, “they said”) in John (in this chapter alone, note vv. 13, 39, 48, 57, and possibly 41). On balance, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic, even though “Then” is virtually required in translation for English stylistic reasons. NA²⁸ has the conjunction in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
John 8:52 tn Grk “the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here, as in vv. 31 and 48, the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31).
John 8:52 tn Grk “said to him.”
John 8:52 tn Grk “you have a demon.”
John 8:52 tn “Yet” has been supplied to show the contrastive element present in the context.
John 8:52 tn Grk “If anyone keeps.”
John 8:52 tn Grk “my word.”
John 8:52 tn Grk “will never taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).
John 8:52 tn Grk “he will never taste of death forever.” The Greek negative here is emphatic.
John 8:53 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mē) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are you?”).
John 8:54 tn Grk “Jesus answered.”
John 8:54 tn Grk “is nothing.”
John 8:54 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.
John 8:55 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast present in the context.
John 8:55 tn Grk “If I say, ‘I do not know him.’”
John 8:55 tn Grk “I keep.”
John 8:55 tn Grk “his word.”
John 8:56 tn Or “rejoiced greatly.”
John 8:56 tn What is the meaning of Jesus’ statement that the patriarch Abraham “saw” his day and rejoiced? The use of past tenses would seem to refer to something that occurred during the patriarch’s lifetime. Genesis Rabbah 44:25ff, (cf. 59:6) states that Rabbi Akiba, in a debate with Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai, held that Abraham had been shown not this world only but the world to come (this would include the days of the Messiah). More realistically, it is likely that Gen 22:13-15 lies behind Jesus’ words. This passage, known to rabbis as the Akedah (“Binding”), tells of Abraham finding the ram which will replace his son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice—an occasion of certain rejoicing.
John 8:57 tn Grk “Then the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here, as in vv. 31, 48, and 52, the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31). They have now become completely hostile, as John 8:59 clearly shows.
John 8:57 tn Grk “said to him.”
John 8:57 tn Grk ‘You do not yet have fifty years” (an idiom).
John 8:57 tn Grk “And have.”
John 8:58 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
John 8:58 tn Grk “before Abraham was.”
John 8:58 sn I am! is an explicit claim to deity. Although each occurrence of the phrase “I am” in the Fourth Gospel needs to be examined individually in context to see if an association with Exod 3:14 is present, it seems clear that this is the case here (as the response of the Jewish authorities in the following verse shows).
John 8:59 tn Grk “they took up.”
John 8:59 sn Jesus’ Jewish listeners understood his claim to deity, rejected it, and picked up stones to throw at him for what they considered blasphemy.
John 8:59 tn The prepositional phrase “from them” has been supplied to clarify that the passive verb “was hidden” does not mean that Jesus turned invisible, but rather that his opponents were not able to find him at that moment.
John 8:59 tc Most later witnesses (A Θ^c ƒ^1,13 M) have at the end of the verse “passing through their midst, he went away in this manner” (διελθὼν διὰ μέσου καὶ παρῆγεν οὕτως, dielthōn dia mesou kai parēgen houtōs), while many others have similar permutations (so א^1,2 C L N Ψ 070 33 579 892 1241 al). The wording is similar to two other texts: Luke 4:30 (διελθὼν διὰ μέσου; in several mss αὐτῶν ἐπορεύετο καί [autōn eporeueto kai] is found between this phrase and παρῆγεν, strengthening the parallel with Luke 4:30) and John 9:1 (παρῆγεν; cf. παράγων [paragōn] there). The effect is to signal Jesus’ departure as a miraculous cloaking. As such, the additional statement has all the earmarks of scribal amplification. Further, the best and earliest witnesses (P^66,75 א* B D W Θ* lat sa) lack these words, rendering the shorter text virtually certain.tn Grk “from the temple.”

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 118[a]

Footnotes

Psalm 145[a]

A psalm of praise; by David.

Footnotes

The Source of Sufficiency

Footnotes

Consecration of the Believer’s Life

Conduct in Humility

Conduct in Love

Footnotes

Footnotes

Psalm 118^[a]

Psalm 145^[a]