Old/New Testament
Psalm 97
The Majestic King
1 The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice;
let the many coasts and islands be glad.(A)
2 Clouds and total darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.(B)
3 Fire goes before him
and burns up his foes on every side.(C)
4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.(D)
5 The mountains melt like wax
at the presence of the Lord—
at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.(E)
7 All who serve carved images,
those who boast in worthless idols, will be put to shame.(H)
All the gods[a] must worship him.(I)
8 Zion hears and is glad,
Judah’s villages[b] rejoice
because of your judgments, Lord.(J)
9 For you, Lord,
are the Most High over the whole earth;
you are exalted above all the gods.(K)
10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!(L)
He protects the lives of his faithful ones;(M)
he rescues them from the power of the wicked.(N)
11 Light dawns[c][d] for the righteous,
gladness for the upright in heart.(O)
12 Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.[e](P)
Psalm 98
Praise the King
A psalm.
1 Sing a new song to the Lord,(Q)
for he has performed wonders;
his right hand and holy arm
have won him victory.(R)
2 The Lord has made his victory known;
he has revealed his righteousness
in the sight of the nations.(S)
3 He has remembered his love
and faithfulness to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth
have seen our God’s victory.(T)
4 Let the whole earth shout to the Lord;
be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing.(U)
5 Sing to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song.(V)
6 With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn
shout triumphantly
in the presence of the Lord, our King.(W)
7 Let the sea and all that fills it,
the world and those who live in it, resound.(X)
8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the mountains shout together for joy(Y)
9 before the Lord,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world righteously
and the peoples fairly.(Z)
Psalm 99
The King Is Holy
1 The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble.
He is enthroned between the cherubim.(AA)
Let the earth quake.(AB)
2 The Lord is great in Zion;
he is exalted above all the peoples.(AC)
3 Let them praise your great
and awe-inspiring name.(AD)
He is holy.(AE)
4 The mighty King loves justice.
You have established fairness;
you have administered justice
and righteousness in Jacob.(AF)
5 Exalt the Lord our God;
bow in worship at his footstool.(AG)
He is holy.(AH)
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests;(AI)
Samuel also was among those calling on his name.
They called to the Lord and he answered them.(AJ)
7 He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud;(AK)
they kept his decrees and the statutes he gave them.
8 Lord our God, you answered them.
You were a forgiving God to them,(AL)
but an avenger of their sinful actions.(AM)
9 Exalt the Lord our God;
bow in worship at his holy mountain,
for the Lord our God is holy.(AN)
Paul’s Commendation of Phoebe
16 I commend to you(A) our sister Phoebe, who is a servant[a] of the church in Cenchreae.(B) 2 So you should welcome her in the Lord(C) in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many—and of me also.
Greeting to Roman Christians
3 Give my greetings to Prisca[b] and Aquila,(D) my coworkers in(E) Christ Jesus,(F) 4 who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches. 5 Greet also the church that meets in their home.(G) Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert[c](H) to Christ from Asia.[d](I) 6 Greet Mary,[e] who has worked very hard for you.[f] 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews[g](J) and fellow prisoners.(K) They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles,[h] and they were also in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.(L) 11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.[i] Greet those who belong to the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus,(M) chosen in the Lord; also his mother—and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.(N) 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(O) All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
Warning against Divisive People
17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned.(P) Avoid them,(Q) 18 because such people do not serve our Lord Christ(R) but their own appetites.[j](S) They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.(T)
Paul’s Gracious Conclusion
19 The report of your obedience has reached everyone.(U) Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.(V) 20 The God of peace(W) will soon crush Satan(X) under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.(Y)
21 Timothy,(Z) my coworker, and Lucius,(AA) Jason,(AB) and Sosipater,(AC) my fellow countrymen, greet you.
22 I, Tertius, who wrote this letter,(AD) greet you in the Lord.[k]
23 Gaius,(AE) who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus,(AF) the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.[l]
Glory to God
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you(AG) according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ,(AH) according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent(AI) for long ages(AJ) 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures,(AK) according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith(AL) among all the Gentiles— 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to him be the glory forever Amen.
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