◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Psalm 103:1-13 22 (God’s compassion and mercy); Ezekiel 16:44-52 (The disgrace of God’s people); 2 Peter 1:1-11 (Support your faith with goodness) (New English Translation)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 103:1-13

Psalm 103^[a]

By David.

103 Praise the Lord, O my soul.
With all that is within me, praise^[b] his holy name.
²Praise the Lord, O my soul.
Do not forget all his kind deeds.^[c]
³He is the one who forgives all your sins,
who heals all your diseases,^[d]
⁴who delivers^[e] your life from the Pit,^[f]
who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,
⁵who satisfies your life with good things,^[g]
so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.^[h]
⁶The Lord does what is fair,
and executes justice for all the oppressed.^[i]
⁷The Lord revealed his faithful acts^[j] to Moses,
his deeds to the Israelites.
⁸The Lord is compassionate and merciful;
he is patient^[k] and demonstrates great loyal love.^[l]
⁹He does not always accuse,
and does not stay angry.^[m]
¹⁰He does not deal with us as our sins deserve;^[n]
he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.^[o]
¹¹For as the skies are high above the earth,
so his loyal love towers^[p] over his faithful followers.^[q]
¹²As far as the eastern horizon^[r] is from the west,^[s]
so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions^[t] from us.
¹³As a father has compassion on his children,^[u]
so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.^[v]

Footnotes

Psalm 103:1 sn Psalm 103. The psalmist praises God for his mercy and willingness to forgive his people.
Psalm 103:1 tn The verb “praise” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line).
Psalm 103:2 tn Or “his benefits” (see 2 Chr 32:25, where the noun is also used of kind deeds performed by the Lord).
Psalm 103:3 tn This relatively rare noun refers to deadly diseases (see Deut 29:22; Jer 14:18; 16:4; 2 Chr 21:19).
Psalm 103:4 tn Or “redeems.”
Psalm 103:4 tn The Hebrew term שַׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 49:9; 55:24 HT [55:23 ET]).
Psalm 103:5 tc Heb “who satisfies with the good of your ornaments.” The text as it stands makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes an emendation of עֶדְיֵךְ (ʿedyekh, “your ornaments”) to עֹדֵכִי (ʿodekhi, “your duration; your continuance”), that is, “your life” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 18).
Psalm 103:5 sn The expression your youth is renewed like an eagle’s may allude to the phenomenon of molting, whereby the eagle grows new feathers.
Psalm 103:6 tn Heb “the Lord does fairness, and [acts of] justice for all the oppressed.”
Psalm 103:7 tn Heb “made known his ways.” God’s “ways” in this context are his protective and salvific acts in fulfillment of his promise (see also Deut 32:4; Pss 18:30; 67:2; 77:13 [note vv. 11-12, 14]; 138:5; 145:17).
Psalm 103:8 tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Ps 86:15).
Psalm 103:8 tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Ps 86:15).
Psalm 103:9 tn The Hebrew verb נָטַר (natar) is usually taken to mean “to keep; to guard,” with “anger” being understood by ellipsis. The idiom “to guard anger” is then understood to mean “to remain angry” (see Lev 19:18; Jer 3:5, 12; Nah 1:2). However, it is possible that this is a homonymic root meaning “to be angry” (see HALOT 695 s.v. נטר).
Psalm 103:10 tn Heb “not according to our sins does he do to us.”
Psalm 103:10 tn Heb “and not according to our misdeeds does he repay us.”
Psalm 103:11 tn For this sense of the verb גָבַר (gavar), see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.
Psalm 103:11 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:12 tn Heb “sunrise.”
Psalm 103:12 tn Or “sunset.”
Psalm 103:12 tn The Hebrew term פֶּשַׁע (peshaʿ, rebellious act”) is here used metonymically for the guilt such actions produce.
Psalm 103:13 tn Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general.
Psalm 103:13 tn Heb “those who fear him.”

Psalm 103:22

²²Praise the Lord, all that he has made,^[a]
in all the regions^[b] of his kingdom.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Ezekiel 16:44-52

⁴⁴“‘Observe—everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” ⁴⁵You are the daughter of your mother, who detested her husband and her sons, and you are the sister of your sisters, who detested their husbands and their sons. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. ⁴⁶Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north^[a] of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south^[b] of you, was Sodom^[c] with her daughters. ⁴⁷Have you not copied their behavior^[d] and practiced their abominable deeds? In a short time^[e] you became even more depraved in all your conduct than they were! ⁴⁸As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.

⁴⁹“‘See here—this was the iniquity^[f] of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had majesty, abundance of food, and enjoyed carefree ease, but they did not help^[g] the poor and needy. ⁵⁰They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore, when I saw it I removed them. ⁵¹Samaria has not committed half the sins you have; you have done more abominable deeds than they did.^[h] You have made your sisters appear righteous with all the abominable things you have done. ⁵²So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior.^[i] Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.

2 Peter 1:1-11

Salutation

1 From Simeon^[a] Peter,^[b] a slave^[c] and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God^[d] and Savior,^[e] Jesus Christ, have been granted^[f] a faith just as precious^[g] as ours. ²May grace and peace be lavished on you^[h] as you grow^[i] in the rich knowledge^[j] of God and of Jesus our Lord!^[k]

Believers’ Salvation and the Work of God

³I can pray this because his divine power^[l] has bestowed on us everything necessary^[m] for life and godliness through the rich knowledge^[n] of the one who called^[o] us by^[p] his own glory and excellence. ⁴Through these things^[q] he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised^[r] you may become partakers of the divine nature,^[s] after escaping^[t] the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.^[u] ⁵For this very reason,^[v] make every effort^[w] to add to your faith excellence,^[x] to excellence, knowledge; ⁶to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance;^[y] to perseverance, godliness; ⁷to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish^[z] love.^[aa] ⁸For if^[ab] these things are really yours^[ac] and are continually increasing,^[ad] they will keep you from becoming^[ae] ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of^[af] knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately.^[ag] ⁹But^[ah] concerning the one who lacks such things^[ai]—he is blind. That is to say, he is^[aj] nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins. ¹⁰Therefore, brothers and sisters,^[ak] make every effort to be sure of your calling and election.^[al] For by doing this^[am] you will never^[an] stumble into sin.^[ao] ¹¹For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.

Footnotes

2 Peter 1:1 tc Several witnesses, a few of them very significant (P⁷² B Ψ 69 81 614 623 630 1241 1243 2464 al vg co), read Σίμων (Simōn, “Simon”) for Συμεών (Sumeōn, “Simeon”). However, this appears to be a motivated reading as it is the more common spelling. Συμεών occurs only here and in Acts 15:14 as a spelling for the apostle’s name. The reading Συμεών enjoys ample and widespread support among the mss, strongly suggesting its authenticity. Further, this Hebraic spelling is a subtle argument for the authenticity of this letter, since a forger would almost surely follow the normal spelling of the name (1 Peter begins only with “Peter” giving no help either way).
2 Peter 1:1 tn Grk “Simeon Peter.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
2 Peter 1:1 tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). At the same time, perhaps “servant” is apt in that the δοῦλος of Jesus Christ took on that role voluntarily, unlike a slave. One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. Also, many slaves in the Roman world became slaves through Rome’s subjugation of conquered nations, kidnapping, or by being born into slave households. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
2 Peter 1:1 tc A few witnesses (א Ψ 442 vg^mss sy^ph sa) read κυρίου (kuriou, “Lord”) for θεοῦ (theou, “God”) in v. 1, perhaps due to confusion of letters (since both words were nomina sacra), or perhaps because “our God and Savior, Jesus Christ” is an unusual expression (though hardly because of theological objections to θεοῦ).
2 Peter 1:1 tn The terms “God and Savior” both refer to the same person, Jesus Christ. This is one of the clearest statements in the NT concerning the deity of Christ. The construction in Greek is known as the Granville Sharp rule, named after the English philanthropist-linguist who first clearly articulated the rule in 1798. Sharp pointed out that in the construction article-noun-καί-noun (where καί [kai] = “and”), when two nouns are singular, personal, and common (i.e., not proper names), they always had the same referent. Illustrations such as “the friend and brother,” “the God and Father,” etc. abound in the NT to prove Sharp’s point. In fact, the construction occurs elsewhere in 2 Peter, strongly suggesting that the author’s idiom was the same as the rest of the NT authors’ (cf., e.g., 1:11 [“the Lord and Savior”], 2:20 [“the Lord and Savior”]). The only issue is whether terms such as “God” and “Savior” could be considered common nouns as opposed to proper names. Sharp and others who followed (such as T. F. Middleton in his masterful The Doctrine of the Greek Article) demonstrated that a proper name in Greek was one that could not be pluralized. Since both “God” (θεός, theos) and “savior” (σωτήρ, sōtēr) were occasionally found in the plural, they did not constitute proper names, and hence, do fit Sharp’s rule. Although there have been 200 years of attempts to dislodge Sharp’s rule, all attempts have been futile. Sharp’s rule stands vindicated after all the dust has settled. For more information on the application of Sharp’s rule to 2 Pet 1:1, see ExSyn 272, 276-77, 290. See also Titus 2:13 and Jude 4.
2 Peter 1:1 tn The verb λαγχάνω (lanchanō) means “obtain by lot,” “receive.” A literal translation would put it in the active, but some of the richness of the term would thereby be lost. It is used in collocation with κλῆρος (klēros, “lot”) frequently enough in the LXX to suggest the connotation of reception of a gift, or in the least reception of something that one does not deserve. H. Hanse’s statement (TDNT 4:1) that “Even where there is no casting of lots, the attainment is not by one’s own effort or as a result of one’s own exertions, but is like ripe fruit falling into one’s lap” is apt for this passage. The author’s opening line is a reminder that our position in Christ is not due to merit, but grace.
2 Peter 1:1 tn Grk “equal in value/honor.”sn A faith just as precious. The author’s point is that the Gentile audience has been blessed with a salvation that is in no way inferior to that of the Jews.
2 Peter 1:2 tn Grk “May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”
2 Peter 1:2 tn The words “as you grow” are not in the Greek text, but seem to be implied.
2 Peter 1:2 tn The word ἐπίγνωσις (epignōsis) could simply mean knowledge, but J. B. Mayor (Jude and Second Peter, 171-74) has suggested that it is often a fuller knowledge, especially in reference to things pertaining to spiritual truth. R. Bauckham (Jude, 2 Peter [WBC], 169-70) argues that it refers to the knowledge of God that is borne of conversion, but this is probably saying too much and is asking questions of the author that are foreign to his way of thinking. The term is used in 1:2, 3, 8; 2:20 (the verb form occurs twice, both in 2:21). In every instance it evidently involves being in the inner circle of those who connect to God, though it does not necessarily imply such a direct and relational knowledge of God for each individual within that circle. An analogy would be Judas Iscariot: Even though he was a disciple of the Lord, he was not converted.
2 Peter 1:2 tn A comma properly belongs at the end of v. 2 instead of a period, since v. 3 is a continuation of the same sentence. With the optative in v. 2, the author has departed from Paul’s normal greeting (in which no verb is used), rendering the greeting a full-blown sentence. Nevertheless, this translation divides the verses up along thematic lines in spite of breaking up the sentence structure. For more explanation, see note on “power” in v. 3.
2 Peter 1:3 tn The verse in Greek starts out with ὡς (hōs) followed by a genitive absolute construction, dependent on the main verb in v. 2. Together, they form a subordinate causal clause. A more literal rendering would be “because his divine power…” The idea is that the basis or authority for the author’s prayer in v. 2 (that grace and peace would abound to the readers) was that God’s power was manifested in their midst. The author’s sentence structure is cumbersome even in Greek; hence, the translation has broken this up into two sentences.
2 Peter 1:3 tn The word “necessary” is not in the Greek, but is implied by the preposition πρός (pros).
2 Peter 1:3 tn See the note on “rich knowledge” in v. 2.
2 Peter 1:3 sn Called. The term καλέω (kaleō), used here in its participial form, in soteriological contexts when God is the subject, always carries the nuance of effectual calling. That is, the one who is called is not just invited to be saved—he is also and always saved (cf. Rom 8:30). Calling takes place at the moment of conversion, while election takes place in eternity past (cf. Eph 1:4).
2 Peter 1:3 tn The datives ἰδίᾳ δόξῃ καὶ ἀρετῇ (idia doxē kai aretē) could be taken either instrumentally (“by [means of] his own glory and excellence”) or advantage (“for [the benefit of] his own glory and excellence”). Both the connection with divine power and the textual variant found in several early and significant witnesses (διὰ δόξης καὶ ἀρετῆς in P⁷² B 0209^vid) argues for an instrumental meaning. The instrumental notion is also affirmed by the meaning of ἀρετῇ (“excellence”) in contexts that speak of God’s attributes (BDAG 130 s.v. ἀρετή 2 in fact defines it as “manifestation of divine power” in this verse).
2 Peter 1:4 tn Verse 4 is in Greek a continuation of v. 3, “through which things.”sn The phrase these things refers to God’s glory and excellence.
2 Peter 1:4 tn Grk “through them.” The implication is that through inheriting and acting on these promises the believers will increasingly become partakers of the divine nature.
2 Peter 1:4 sn Although the author has borrowed the expression partakers of the divine nature from paganism, his meaning is clearly Christian. He does not mean apotheosis (man becoming a god) in the pagan sense, but rather that believers have an organic connection with God. Because of such a connection, God can truly be called our Father. Conceptually, this bears the same meaning as Paul’s “in Christ” formula. The author’s statement, though startling at first, is hardly different from Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians that they “may be filled up to all the fullness of God” (3:19).
2 Peter 1:4 tn The aorist participle ἀποφυγόντες (apophugontes) is often taken as attendant circumstance to the preceding verb γένησθε (genēsthe). As such, the sense is “that you might become partakers…and might escape…” However, it does not follow the contours of the vast majority of attendant circumstance participles (in which the participle precedes the main verb, among other things). Further, attendant circumstance participles are frequently confused with result participles (which do follow the verb). Many who take this as attendant circumstance are probably viewing it semantically as result (“that you might become partakers…and [thereby] escape…”). But this is next to impossible since the participle is aorist: Result participles are categorically present tense.
2 Peter 1:4 tn Grk “the corruption in the world (in/because of) lust.”
2 Peter 1:5 tn The Greek text begins with “and,” a typical Semitism.sn The reason given is all the provisions God has made for the believer, mentioned in vv. 3-4.
2 Peter 1:5 tn The participle is either means (“by making every effort”) or attendant circumstance (“make every effort”). Although it fits the normal contours of attendant circumstance participles, the semantics are different. Normally, attendant circumstance is used of an action that is a necessary prelude to the action of the main verb. But “making every effort” is what energizes the main verb here. Hence it is best taken as means. However, for the sake of smoothness the translation has rendered it as a command with the main verb translated as an infinitive. This is in accord with English idiom.
2 Peter 1:5 tn Or “moral excellence,” “virtue”; this is the same word used in v. 3 (“the one who has called us by his own glory and excellence”).
2 Peter 1:6 tn Perhaps “steadfastness,” though that is somewhat archaic. A contemporary colloquial rendering would be “stick-to-it-iveness.”
2 Peter 1:7 sn The final virtue or character quality in this list is “love” (ἀγάπη, agapē). The word was not used exclusively of Christian or unselfish love in the NT (e.g., the cognate, ἀγαπάω [agapaō], is used in John 3:19 of the love of darkness), but in a list such as this in which ἀγάπη is obviously the crescendo, unselfish love is evidently in view. R. Bauckham (Jude, 2 Peter [WBC], 187) notes that as the crowning virtue, ἀγάπη encompasses all the previous virtues.
2 Peter 1:7 tn Each item in Greek begins with “and.” The conjunction is omitted for the sake of good English style, with no change in meaning.sn Add to your faith excellence…love. The list of virtues found in vv. 5-7 stands in tension to the promises given in vv. 2-4. What appears to be a synergism of effort or even a contradiction (God supplies the basis, the promises, the grace, the power, etc., while believers must also provide the faith, excellence, etc.) in reality encapsulates the mystery of sanctification. Each believer is responsible before God for his conduct and spiritual growth, yet that growth could not take place without God’s prior work and constant enabling. We must not neglect our responsibility, yet the enabling and the credit is God’s. Paul says the same thing: “Continue working out your salvation with humility and dependence, for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort…is God” (Phil 2:12-13).
2 Peter 1:8 tn The participles are evidently conditional, as most translations render them.
2 Peter 1:8 tn The participle ὑπάρχοντα (huparchonta) is stronger than the verb εἰμί (eimi), usually implying a permanent state. Hence, the addition of “really” is implied.
2 Peter 1:8 sn Continually increasing. There are evidently degrees of ownership of these qualities, implying degrees of productivity in one’s intimacy with Christ. An idiomatic rendering of the first part of v. 8 would be “For if you can claim ownership of these virtues in progressively increasing amounts…”
2 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “cause [you] not to become.”
2 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “unto,” “toward”; although it is possible to translate the preposition εἰς (eis) as simply “in.”
2 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “the [rich] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Verse 8 in Greek does not make a full stop (period), for v. 9 begins with a subordinate relative pronoun. Contemporary English convention requires a full stop in translation, however.
2 Peter 1:9 tn Grk “for.” The connection, though causal, is also adversative.
2 Peter 1:9 tn Grk “to the one for whom these things are not present.”
2 Peter 1:9 tn The words “that is to say, he is” are not in Greek. The word order is unusual. One might expect the author to have said “he is nearsighted and blind” (as the NIV has so construed it), but this is not the word order in Greek. Perhaps the author begins with a strong statement followed by a clarification, i.e., that being nearsighted in regard to these virtues is as good as being blind.
2 Peter 1:10 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1., where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
2 Peter 1:10 tn Grk “make your calling and election sure.” sn Make sure of your calling and election. The author is not saying that virtue and holiness produce salvation, but that virtue and holiness are the evidence of salvation.
2 Peter 1:10 tn Grk “these things.”
2 Peter 1:10 tn In Greek οὐ μή (ou mē) followed by the subjunctive is normally the strongest way to negate an action. Coupled with πότε (pote, “ever”), the statement is even more emphatic. The author is offering sage advice on how to grow in grace.
2 Peter 1:10 tn The words “into sin” are not in the Greek text, but the Greek word πταίω (ptaiō) is used in soteriological contexts for more than a mere hesitation or stumbling. BDAG 894 s.v. 2 suggests that here it means “be ruined, be lost,” referring to loss of salvation, while also acknowledging that the meaning “to make a mistake, go astray, sin” is plausible in this context. Alternatively, the idea of πταίω here could be that of “suffer misfortune” (so K. L. Schmidt, TDNT 6:884), as a result of sinning.

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 103[a]

By David.

Footnotes

Footnotes

Footnotes

Salutation

Believers’ Salvation and the Work of God

Footnotes

Psalm 103^[a]