Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
12 ·Happy [Blessed] is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his ·very own [L inheritance; Ex. 19:5].
13 The Lord looks down from heaven
and sees every person.
14 From his throne he watches
all who live on earth.
15 He ·made [fashions all] their hearts
and understands everything they do.
16 No king is saved by his ·great [large] army.
No warrior ·escapes [is rescued/T delivered] by his great strength.
17 Horses ·can’t bring [are a vain hope for] victory;
they can’t save by their strength.
18 But the ·Lord looks after [L eye of the Lord is on] those who fear him,
those who ·put their hope [wait on him] in his ·love [loyalty; covenant love].
19 He ·saves [rescues; T delivers] ·them [their soul] from death
and ·spares their lives in times of hunger [revives them in famine].
20 So our hope is in the Lord.
He is our help, our shield to protect us.
21 ·We [L Our hearts] rejoice in him,
because we ·trust [have confidence in] his holy name.
22 Lord, ·show your love to us [L let your loyalty/covenant love be on us]
as we ·put our hope in [wait for] you.
37 “At ·the sound of his thunder [L this], my heart ·pounds [trembles]
as if it will ·jump [leap; or drop] out of ·my chest [L its place].
2 Listen! Listen to the ·thunder [L shaking] of God’s voice
and to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 He turns his lightning loose under the whole ·sky [heavens]
and sends it to the farthest parts of the earth.
4 After that you can hear the roar
when he thunders with a ·great sound [exalted voice].
He does not hold back the flashing
when his voice is heard.
5 God’s voice thunders in wonderful ways;
he does great things we cannot understand.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the shower, ‘Be a heavy rain.’
7 With it, he ·stops everyone from working [L puts a seal on the hand of all people]
so everyone knows it is ·the work of God [L his work].
8 The animals ·take cover from the rain [L enter their hiding place/lair]
and stay in their dens.
9 The storm comes from ·where it was stored [L its chamber];
the cold comes with the ·strong winds [or north wind].
10 The breath of God makes ice,
and the wide waters become frozen.
11 He ·fills [loads] the clouds with ·water [moisture]
and scatters his lightning through them.
12 At his ·command [L guidance] they swirl around
over the ·whole [L inhabited] earth,
doing whatever he commands.
13 ·He uses the clouds to punish people [L Whether for correction/the rod]
or ·to water his [L for the] earth and ·show his love [or loyalty].
50 I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot ·have a part in [inherit] the kingdom of God. ·Something that will ruin cannot […nor can the perishable/corruptible] ·have a part in something that never ruins [inherit the imperishable/incorruptible]. 51 But look! I tell you ·this secret [a mystery; 2:1]: We will not all ·sleep in death [L sleep; C a euphemism for death], but we will all be changed. 52 It will ·take only a second [happen in a flash]—as quickly as an eye ·blinks [or twinkles]—when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet will sound, and those who have died will be raised ·to live forever [imperishable; incorruptible], and we will be changed [1 Thess. 4:13–17]. 53 [L For] This body that ·can be destroyed [is perishable/corruptible] must clothe itself with ·something that can never be destroyed [the imperishable/incorruptible]. And this ·body that dies [L mortal] must clothe itself with ·something that can never die [immortality]. 54 So when this body that ·can be destroyed [is perishable/corruptible] will clothe itself with that which ·can never be destroyed [is imperishable/incorruptible], and this ·body that dies [L mortal] will clothe itself with ·that which can never die [immortality], then this Scripture will ·be made true [come to pass]:
“Death is ·destroyed forever [L swallowed up] in victory [Is. 25:8].”
55 “[L O] Death, where is your victory?
Death, where is your ·pain [L sting; Hos. 13:14]?”
56 Death’s ·power to hurt [L sting] is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.