Poverty and wealth

Matters of wealth and poverty are core to human hopes, fears and identity. It is no surprise that they are large and complex themes in the Bible. In many places, wealth is acknowledged as a blessing and poverty as a problem to be tackled. Elsewhere, however, this arrangement is challenged and revised priorities are encouraged. Throughout, righteousness and relationship with God are emphasised as of greater importance.

The blessing of wealth

The Old Testament often identifies wealth as a mark of God’s blessing and provision, and thus a cause for gratitude (e.g. Deuteronomy 8:18). However, righteousness and relationship with God are always to be desired above riches (e.g. Psalms 119:72). Reliance on wealth is considered especially foolish:

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,  but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
Proverbs 11:28 ESVUK

According to scripture, the wealthy should honour God with their abundance (e.g. Proverbs 3:9). This principle is encapsulated in the legal instructions about tithing: a tenth of all produce had be given by the Israelites to support the work of the Temple and to help the needy Deuteronomy 26:12-13. Acts of obedient giving could be rewarded with further blessing Malachi 3:10.

Compassion for the needy

Throughout the Bible, God has a special concern for those in need (for example, Psalms 113:7-8; Psalms 68:5-6). He expects that the Jewish people would demonstrate the same compassion and generosity Isaiah 58:6-7. In some verses in the Old Testament, poverty is viewed as the inevitable product of laziness (e.g. Proverbs 10:4). However it is more often presented as a social problem which the community had a responsibility to address together (e.g. Deuteronomy 15:7-8).

In addition to the practice of tithing, there were special provisions in the law to help alleviate poverty. One example was the commandment to leave the gleanings of the field to be collected by those in need Leviticus 19:9-10. This is how Ruth supported herself and her mother-in-law Naomi when they were both widowed Ruth 2:1-3.

Wealth and justice

Proverbs acknowledges that both wealth and poverty can produce temptation: it is better to have ‘just enough’ Proverbs 30:8-9. Undeserved wealth and poverty feature in reflections and discussions about the nature of justice and human suffering (e.g. Psalms 73:12-13). The story of Job is a striking example. A ‘blameless and upright’ man Job 1:1-3, Job loses all his abundance when God gives Satan permission to test him:

Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. Job 1:10-11 ESVUK

The rest of the book explores questions about justice and suffering from many angles. At the end, God blessed Job with prosperity beyond what he had at the start Job 42:10.

Jesus’ attitude to wealth and poverty

Jesus challenged popular ideas about wealth and poverty. Whilst the Old Testament made it clear that righteousness and relationship with God were to be prioritised above riches, Jesus took a bolder position, encouraging an active disregard for wealth, in pursuit of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:19-21. He spoke of money as a rival for the love and devotion that human beings should have for God alone Matthew 6:24.

The blessing of poverty

In his seminal Sermon on the Mount Jesus subverted Jewish assumptions about who was and wasn’t ‘well off’, and what it meant to be ‘blessed’:

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Luke 6:20-21 ESVUK

Instead of regarding wealth as a mark of spiritual blessing, Jesus warned his followers that it could be a trap:

And Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’ Matthew 19:23-25 ESVUK

Jesus encouraged his disciples (Luke 12:33), as well as a ‘rich young man’ (Matthew 19:21-22), to sell all their possessions and give to the poor. Meanwhile, on seeing a poor widow’s tiny contribution to the Temple offering, he commended the abundance of her gift relative to the little she owned (Mark 12:41-44).

Care for one another

Although Jesus encouraged willing poverty he did not advocate leaving others in need (e.g. Matthew 5:42, Matthew 6:2-3). He even indicated that he would judge people according to whether someone compassionately served another – or not (Matthew 25:31-46).

The first Christians aimed at a communal existence in which there was neither need nor excess Acts 2:44-45. Paul cautioned against the distractions of riches – ‘for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils’ (1 Timothy 6:9-10), instead emphasising contentment and generosity 1 Timothy 6:17-19. The letter of James was especially concerned that no one favoured the wealthy over the poor, but honoured everyone equally (James 2:1-5).

Literature

Chaucer’s The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale includes a lengthy examination of greed, whilst The Wife of Bath’s Tale defends the virtue of poverty
Charles Dickens’ father was once incarcerated in a debtor’s prison. He himself became a harsh critic of the treatment of the poor in Victorian England. Themes of wealth and poverty (and changes in fortune) are prominent in many of his novels, especially Oliver Twist (1837-9), Great Expectations (1861) and Our Mutual Friend (1864-5)
Tom Wolfe was heavily influenced by Dickens when writing The Bonfire of the Vanities (1987). It contrasts wealth and poverty in 1980s New York, following the downfall of the protagonist from one to the other state
The backdrop for Umberto Eco’s postmodern murder mystery The Name of the Rose (1980) is a heated controversy over property versus poverty in the medieval Catholic church. The abbey in which the novel is set is extremely wealthy
The Beat writers of the 1950s derived their name from the beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jack Kerouac’s On The Road (1957), typical of the movement, featured down-and-out characters and subverted worldly notions of prosperity.

Other cultural references

Robin Hood is a hero of English folklore, famous for robbing from the rich to give to the poor.

Related topics

Big ideas: Community, church, the body of Christ
Famous stories from the Bible: King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba; Ruth and Naomi return; The way to live (known as 'the Beatitudes')

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. ²And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. ³And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. ⁴Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. ⁵Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. ⁶So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. ⁷For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, ⁸a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, ⁹a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. ¹⁰And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. ¹¹Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, ¹²lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, ¹³and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, ¹⁴then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, ¹⁵who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, ¹⁶who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. ¹⁷Beware lest you say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. ¹⁸You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. ¹⁹And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. ²⁰Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

¹All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers. ²And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. ³And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. ⁴Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. ⁵Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. ⁶Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. ⁷For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; ⁸A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; ⁹A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. ¹⁰When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. ¹¹Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: ¹²Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; ¹³And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; ¹⁴Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; ¹⁵Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; ¹⁶Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; ¹⁷And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. ¹⁸But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. ¹⁹And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. ²⁰As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! ²Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, ³who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! ⁴You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. ⁵Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! ⁶Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. ⁷I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. ⁸I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me! ⁹How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. ¹⁰With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! ¹¹I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. ¹²Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! ¹³With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. ¹⁴In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. ¹⁵I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. ¹⁶I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. ¹⁷Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. ¹⁸Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. ¹⁹I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! ²⁰My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. ²¹You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. ²²Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. ²³Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. ²⁴Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. ²⁵My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! ²⁶When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! ²⁷Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. ²⁸My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! ²⁹Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! ³⁰I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. ³¹I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! ³²I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! ³³Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. ³⁴Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. ³⁵Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. ³⁶Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! ³⁷Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. ³⁸Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. ³⁹Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. ⁴⁰Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! ⁴¹Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise; ⁴²then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word. ⁴³And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules. ⁴⁴I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, ⁴⁵and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts. ⁴⁶I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, ⁴⁷for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. ⁴⁸I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. ⁴⁹Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. ⁵⁰This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. ⁵¹The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. ⁵²When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O Lord. ⁵³Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. ⁵⁴Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning. ⁵⁵I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law. ⁵⁶This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts. ⁵⁷The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words. ⁵⁸I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. ⁵⁹When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; ⁶⁰I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments. ⁶¹Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. ⁶²At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules. ⁶³I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts. ⁶⁴The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! ⁶⁵You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word. ⁶⁶Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. ⁶⁷Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. ⁶⁸You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. ⁶⁹The insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts; ⁷⁰their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law. ⁷¹It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. ⁷²The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. ⁷³Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. ⁷⁴Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word. ⁷⁵I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. ⁷⁶Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. ⁷⁷Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. ⁷⁸Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts. ⁷⁹Let those who fear you turn to me, that they may know your testimonies. ⁸⁰May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame! ⁸¹My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. ⁸²My eyes long for your promise; I ask, When will you comfort me? ⁸³For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes. ⁸⁴How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? ⁸⁵The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. ⁸⁶All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! ⁸⁷They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. ⁸⁸In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth. ⁸⁹Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. ⁹⁰Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. ⁹¹By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. ⁹²If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. ⁹³I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. ⁹⁴I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. ⁹⁵The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies. ⁹⁶I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad. ⁹⁷Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. ⁹⁸Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. ⁹⁹I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. ¹⁰⁰I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. ¹⁰¹I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. ¹⁰²I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. ¹⁰³How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! ¹⁰⁴Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. ¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. ¹⁰⁶I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules. ¹⁰⁷I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word! ¹⁰⁸Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your rules. ¹⁰⁹I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. ¹¹⁰The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. ¹¹¹Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. ¹¹²I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end. ¹¹³I hate the double-minded, but I love your law. ¹¹⁴You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. ¹¹⁵Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God. ¹¹⁶Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope! ¹¹⁷Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually! ¹¹⁸You spurn all who go astray from your statutes, for their cunning is in vain. ¹¹⁹All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies. ¹²⁰My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments. ¹²¹I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors. ¹²²Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me. ¹²³My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise. ¹²⁴Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes. ¹²⁵I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! ¹²⁶It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken. ¹²⁷Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. ¹²⁸Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. ¹²⁹Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. ¹³⁰The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. ¹³¹I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments. ¹³²Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. ¹³³Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. ¹³⁴Redeem me from man's oppression, that I may keep your precepts. ¹³⁵Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. ¹³⁶My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. ¹³⁷Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules. ¹³⁸You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. ¹³⁹My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words. ¹⁴⁰Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it. ¹⁴¹I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts. ¹⁴²Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. ¹⁴³Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. ¹⁴⁴Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live. ¹⁴⁵With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord! I will keep your statutes. ¹⁴⁶I call to you; save me, that I may observe your testimonies. ¹⁴⁷I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. ¹⁴⁸My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. ¹⁴⁹Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life. ¹⁵⁰They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law. ¹⁵¹But you are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true. ¹⁵²Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever. ¹⁵³Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law. ¹⁵⁴Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise! ¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes. ¹⁵⁶Great is your mercy, O Lord; give me life according to your rules. ¹⁵⁷Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies. ¹⁵⁸I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands. ¹⁵⁹Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love. ¹⁶⁰The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. ¹⁶¹Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. ¹⁶²I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. ¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. ¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. ¹⁶⁵Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. ¹⁶⁶I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I do your commandments. ¹⁶⁷My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. ¹⁶⁸I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you. ¹⁶⁹Let my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word! ¹⁷⁰Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word. ¹⁷¹My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes. ¹⁷²My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right. ¹⁷³Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. ¹⁷⁴I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight. ¹⁷⁵Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me. ¹⁷⁶I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.

¹Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. ²Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. ³They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. ⁴Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. ⁵O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! ⁶Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. ⁷I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. ⁸I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. ⁹Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. ¹⁰With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. ¹¹Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. ¹²Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. ¹³With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. ¹⁴I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. ¹⁵I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. ¹⁶I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. ¹⁷Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. ¹⁸Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. ¹⁹I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. ²⁰My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. ²¹Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments. ²²Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies. ²³Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. ²⁴Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors. ²⁵My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word. ²⁶I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. ²⁷Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works. ²⁸My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. ²⁹Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously. ³⁰I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me. ³¹I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame. ³²I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. ³³Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. ³⁴Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. ³⁵Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. ³⁶Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. ³⁷Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. ³⁸Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. ³⁹Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good. ⁴⁰Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness. ⁴¹Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word. ⁴²So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word. ⁴³And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments. ⁴⁴So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. ⁴⁵And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. ⁴⁶I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. ⁴⁷And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. ⁴⁸My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes. ⁴⁹Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. ⁵⁰This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. ⁵¹The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law. ⁵²I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself. ⁵³Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. ⁵⁴Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. ⁵⁵I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law. ⁵⁶This I had, because I kept thy precepts. ⁵⁷Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words. ⁵⁸I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. ⁵⁹I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. ⁶⁰I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. ⁶¹The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law. ⁶²At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments. ⁶³I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. ⁶⁴The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes. ⁶⁵Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. ⁶⁶Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. ⁶⁷Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. ⁶⁸Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. ⁶⁹The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. ⁷⁰Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law. ⁷¹It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. ⁷²The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. ⁷³Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. ⁷⁴They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. ⁷⁵I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. ⁷⁶Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. ⁷⁷Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight. ⁷⁸Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts. ⁷⁹Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies. ⁸⁰Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed. ⁸¹My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. ⁸²Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? ⁸³For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes. ⁸⁴How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? ⁸⁵The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law. ⁸⁶All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. ⁸⁷They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts. ⁸⁸Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth. ⁸⁹For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. ⁹⁰Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. ⁹¹They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants. ⁹²Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. ⁹³I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. ⁹⁴I am thine, save me: for I have sought thy precepts. ⁹⁵The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies. ⁹⁶I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad. ⁹⁷O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day. ⁹⁸Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. ⁹⁹I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. ¹⁰⁰I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. ¹⁰¹I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. ¹⁰²I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me. ¹⁰³How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! ¹⁰⁴Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. ¹⁰⁵Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. ¹⁰⁶I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. ¹⁰⁷I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word. ¹⁰⁸Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments. ¹⁰⁹My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law. ¹¹⁰The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts. ¹¹¹Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. ¹¹²I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end. ¹¹³I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. ¹¹⁴Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. ¹¹⁵Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God. ¹¹⁶Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. ¹¹⁷Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. ¹¹⁸Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood. ¹¹⁹Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies. ¹²⁰My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments. ¹²¹I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors. ¹²²Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me. ¹²³Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness. ¹²⁴Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. ¹²⁵I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies. ¹²⁶It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law. ¹²⁷Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. ¹²⁸Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. ¹²⁹Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. ¹³⁰The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. ¹³¹I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. ¹³²Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. ¹³³Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. ¹³⁴Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. ¹³⁵Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. ¹³⁶Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law. ¹³⁷Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments. ¹³⁸Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful. ¹³⁹My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. ¹⁴⁰Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. ¹⁴¹I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts. ¹⁴²Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. ¹⁴³Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights. ¹⁴⁴The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live. ¹⁴⁵I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes. ¹⁴⁶I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. ¹⁴⁷I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. ¹⁴⁸Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. ¹⁴⁹Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment. ¹⁵⁰They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law. ¹⁵¹Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. ¹⁵²Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever. ¹⁵³Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. ¹⁵⁴Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. ¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. ¹⁵⁶Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments. ¹⁵⁷Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. ¹⁵⁸I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word. ¹⁵⁹Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness. ¹⁶⁰Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. ¹⁶¹Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. ¹⁶²I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. ¹⁶³I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love. ¹⁶⁴Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. ¹⁶⁵Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. ¹⁶⁶LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. ¹⁶⁷My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. ¹⁶⁸I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee. ¹⁶⁹Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word. ¹⁷⁰Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. ¹⁷¹My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. ¹⁷²My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. ¹⁷³Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. ¹⁷⁴I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight. ¹⁷⁵Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me. ¹⁷⁶I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

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¹My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, ²for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. ³Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. ⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. ⁶In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ⁷Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. ⁸It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. ⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; ¹⁰then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. ¹¹My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, ¹²for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. ¹³Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, ¹⁴for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. ¹⁵She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. ¹⁶Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed. ¹⁹The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; ²⁰by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. ²¹My son, do not lose sight of these - keep sound wisdom and discretion, ²²and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. ²³Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. ²⁴If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, ²⁶for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. ²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. ²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it - when you have it with you. ²⁹Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you. ³⁰Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm. ³¹Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, ³²for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. ³³The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. ³⁴Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. ³⁵The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.

¹My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: ²For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. ³Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: ⁴So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. ⁵Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. ⁷Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. ⁸It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. ⁹Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: ¹⁰So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. ¹¹My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: ¹²For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. ¹³Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. ¹⁴For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. ¹⁵She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. ¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. ¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. ¹⁹The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. ²⁰By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. ²¹My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: ²²So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. ²³Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. ²⁴When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. ²⁵Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. ²⁶For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. ²⁷Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. ²⁸Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. ²⁹Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. ³⁰Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. ³¹Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. ³²For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous. ³³The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. ³⁴Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. ³⁵The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

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¹When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, ²you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. ³And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our fathers to give us. ⁴Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God. ⁵And you shall make response before the Lord your God, A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. ⁶And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. ⁷Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. ⁸And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. ⁹And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me. And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. ¹¹And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you. ¹²When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled, ¹³then you shall say before the Lord your God, I have removed the sacred portion out of my house, and moreover, I have given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all your commandment that you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, nor have I forgotten them. ¹⁴I have not eaten of the tithe while I was mourning, or removed any of it while I was unclean, or offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God. I have done according to all that you have commanded me. ¹⁵Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁶This day the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. ¹⁷You have declared today that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice. ¹⁸And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments, ¹⁹and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.

¹And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; ²That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. ³And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us. ⁴And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God. ⁵And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: ⁶And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: ⁷And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labor, and our oppression: ⁸And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: ⁹And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. ¹⁰And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God: ¹¹And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you. ¹²When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; ¹³Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them. ¹⁴I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me. ¹⁵Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey. ¹⁶This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. ¹⁷Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: ¹⁸And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; ¹⁹And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.

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King James Version

¹Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. ²But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. ³He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. ⁴Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. ⁵Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. ⁶For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. ⁷From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, How shall we return? ⁸Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, How have we robbed you? In your tithes and contributions. ⁹You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. ¹⁰Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. ¹¹I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. ¹²Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. ¹³Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, How have we spoken against you? ¹⁴You have said, It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? ¹⁵And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape. ¹⁶Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. ¹⁷They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

¹Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. ²But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: ³And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. ⁴Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. ⁵And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. ⁶For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. ⁷Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? ⁸Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. ⁹Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. ¹⁰Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. ¹¹And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. ¹²And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. ¹³Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? ¹⁴Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? ¹⁵And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. ¹⁶Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. ¹⁷And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. ¹⁸Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! ²As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! ³But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy! ⁴Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him! ⁵Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. ⁶God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. ⁷O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah ⁸the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. ⁹Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished; ¹⁰your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. ¹¹The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host: ¹²The kings of the armies - they flee, they flee! The women at home divide the spoil - ¹³though you men lie among the sheepfolds - the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold. ¹⁴When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon. ¹⁵O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan! ¹⁶Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the Lord will dwell forever? ¹⁷The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary. ¹⁸You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there. ¹⁹Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah ²⁰Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death. ²¹But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways. ²²The Lord said, I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, ²³that you may strike your feet in their blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe. ²⁴Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary - ²⁵the singers in front, the musicians last, between them virgins playing tambourines: ²⁶Bless God in the great congregation, the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain! ²⁷There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. ²⁸Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us. ²⁹Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bear gifts to you. ³⁰Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war. ³¹Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God. ³²O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah ³³to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. ³⁴Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. ³⁵Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel - he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

¹Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. ²As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. ³But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. ⁴Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. ⁵A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. ⁶God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land. ⁷O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah: ⁸The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. ⁹Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. ¹⁰Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor. ¹¹The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it. ¹²Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil. ¹³Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. ¹⁴When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon. ¹⁵The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan. ¹⁶Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever. ¹⁷The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. ¹⁸Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them. ¹⁹Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. ²⁰He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death. ²¹But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses. ²²The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea: ²³That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same. ²⁴They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. ²⁵The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels. ²⁶Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. ²⁷There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali. ²⁸Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us. ²⁹Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee. ³⁰Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war. ³¹Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God. ³²Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah: ³³To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. ³⁴Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. ³⁵O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

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King James Version

¹Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. ²Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. ³Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it? Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. ⁴Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. ⁵Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? ⁶Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? ⁷Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? ⁸Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. ⁹Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am. If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, ¹⁰if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. ¹¹And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. ¹²And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. ¹³If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; ¹⁴then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

¹Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. ²Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. ³Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. ⁴Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. ⁵Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? ⁶Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? ⁷Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? ⁸Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. ⁹Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; ¹⁰And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: ¹¹And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. ¹²And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. ¹³If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: ¹⁴Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

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¹The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. ²Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. ³The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. ⁴A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. ⁵He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. ⁶Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. ⁷The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. ⁸The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. ⁹Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. ¹⁰Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin. ¹¹The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. ¹²Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. ¹³On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. ¹⁴The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. ¹⁵A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin. ¹⁶The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin. ¹⁷Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray. ¹⁸The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool. ¹⁹When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. ²⁰The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth. ²¹The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense. ²²The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. ²³Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding. ²⁴What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. ²⁵When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever. ²⁶Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him. ²⁷The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. ²⁸The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish. ²⁹The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers. ³⁰The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land. ³¹The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. ³²The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.

¹The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. ²Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. ³The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. ⁴He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. ⁵He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. ⁶Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. ⁷The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. ⁸The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. ⁹He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. ¹⁰He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. ¹¹The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. ¹²Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. ¹³In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. ¹⁴Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. ¹⁵The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. ¹⁶The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. ¹⁷He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. ¹⁸He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. ¹⁹In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. ²⁰The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. ²¹The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. ²²The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. ²³It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom. ²⁴The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted. ²⁵As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. ²⁶As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. ²⁷The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. ²⁸The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. ²⁹The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. ³⁰The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. ³¹The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. ³²The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

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King James Version

¹At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release. ²And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord's release has been proclaimed. ³Of a foreigner you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release. ⁴But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess - ⁵if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today. ⁶For the Lord your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you. ⁷If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, ⁸but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. ⁹Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, The seventh year, the year of release is near, and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. ¹⁰You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. ¹¹For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land. ¹²If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. ¹³And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. ¹⁴You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. ¹⁵You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. ¹⁶But if he says to you, I will not go out from you, because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, ¹⁷then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same. ¹⁸It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do. ¹⁹All the firstborn males that are born of your herd and flock you shall dedicate to the Lord your God. You shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. ²⁰You shall eat it, you and your household, before the Lord your God year by year at the place that the Lord will choose. ²¹But if it has any blemish, if it is lame or blind or has any serious blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God. ²²You shall eat it within your towns. The unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as though it were a gazelle or a deer. ²³Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.

¹At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. ²And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbor shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbor, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD's release. ³Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; ⁴Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: ⁵Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day. ⁶For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee. ⁷If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: ⁸But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. ⁹Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. ¹⁰Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. ¹¹For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. ¹²And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. ¹³And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: ¹⁴Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. ¹⁵And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. ¹⁶And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; ¹⁷Then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise. ¹⁸It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest. ¹⁹All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep. ²⁰Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household. ²¹And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God. ²²Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart. ²³Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.

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King James Version

¹And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. ³Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God. ⁴Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the Lord your God. ⁵When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. ⁶It shall be eaten the same day you offer it or on the day after, and anything left over until the third day shall be burned up with fire. ⁷If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is tainted; it will not be accepted, ⁸and everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned what is holy to the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from his people. ⁹When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. ¹⁰And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God. ¹¹You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. ¹²You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. ¹³You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. ¹⁴You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. ¹⁵You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. ¹⁶You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. ¹⁷You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. ¹⁸You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. ¹⁹You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material. ²⁰If a man lies sexually with a woman who is a slave, assigned to another man and not yet ransomed or given her freedom, a distinction shall be made. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free; ²¹but he shall bring his compensation to the Lord, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, a ram for a guilt offering. ²²And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before the Lord for his sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven for the sin that he has committed. ²³When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten. ²⁴And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. ²⁵But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the Lord your God. ²⁶You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes. ²⁷You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. ²⁸You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord. ²⁹Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity. ³⁰You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. ³¹Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God. ³²You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. ³³When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. ³⁴You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. ³⁵You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. ³⁶You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. ³⁷And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the Lord.

¹And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ²Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. ³Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. ⁴Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God. ⁵And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will. ⁶It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire. ⁷And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted. ⁸Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. ⁹And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. ¹⁰And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God. ¹¹Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. ¹²And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. ¹³Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. ¹⁴Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD. ¹⁵Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor. ¹⁶Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor; I am the LORD. ¹⁷Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. ¹⁸Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD. ¹⁹Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee. ²⁰And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. ²¹And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering. ²²And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him. ²³And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. ²⁴But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal. ²⁵And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God. ²⁶Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. ²⁷Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. ²⁸Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. ²⁹Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness. ³⁰Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. ³¹Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. ³²Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD. ³³And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. ³⁴But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. ³⁵Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. ³⁶Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. ³⁷Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. ²And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor. And she said to her, Go, my daughter. ³So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. ⁴And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, The Lord be with you! And they answered, The Lord bless you. ⁵Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, Whose young woman is this? ⁶And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. ⁷She said, Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers. So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest. ⁸Then Boaz said to Ruth, Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. ⁹Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn. ¹⁰Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner? ¹¹But Boaz answered her, All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. ¹²The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge! ¹³Then she said, I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants. ¹⁴And at mealtime Boaz said to her, Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine. So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. ¹⁵When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. ¹⁶And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her. ¹⁷So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. ¹⁸And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. ¹⁹And her mother-in-law said to her, Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you. So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz. ²⁰And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead! Naomi also said to her, The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers. ²¹And Ruth the Moabite said, Besides, he said to me, You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest. ²²And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted. ²³So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

¹And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. ²And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. ³And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. ⁴And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. ⁵Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? ⁶And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: ⁷And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house. ⁸Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: ⁹Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. ¹⁰Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? ¹¹And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. ¹²The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. ¹³Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens. ¹⁴And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. ¹⁵And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: ¹⁶And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. ¹⁷So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. ¹⁸And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed. ¹⁹And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she showed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. ²⁰And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. ²¹And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. ²²And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. ²³So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

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¹The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out. ²Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. ³I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. ⁴Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know! ⁵Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. ⁶Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. ⁷Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: ⁸Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, ⁹lest I be full and deny you and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. ¹⁰Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty. ¹¹There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. ¹²There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth. ¹³There are those - how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift! ¹⁴There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind. ¹⁵The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, Enough: ¹⁶Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, Enough. ¹⁷The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures. ¹⁸Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand: ¹⁹the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a virgin. ²⁰This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, I have done no wrong. ²¹Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up: ²²a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food; ²³an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress. ²⁴Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: ²⁵the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; ²⁶the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; ²⁷the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; ²⁸the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces. ²⁹Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride: ³⁰the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any; ³¹the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him. ³²If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth. ³³For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.

¹The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, ²Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. ³I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. ⁴Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? ⁵Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. ⁶Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. ⁷Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: ⁸Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: ⁹Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. ¹⁰Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. ¹¹There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. ¹²There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. ¹³There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. ¹⁴There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. ¹⁵The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: ¹⁶The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. ¹⁷The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. ¹⁸There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: ¹⁹The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. ²⁰Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. ²¹For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: ²²For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; ²³For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress. ²⁴There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: ²⁵The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; ²⁶The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; ²⁷The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; ²⁸The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces. ²⁹There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: ³⁰A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; ³¹A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up. ³²If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. ³³Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

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King James Version

¹Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. ²But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. ³For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ⁴For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. ⁵They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. ⁶Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. ⁷Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. ⁸They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. ⁹They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. ¹⁰Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. ¹¹And they say, How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High? ¹²Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. ¹³All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. ¹⁴For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. ¹⁵If I had said, I will speak thus, I would have betrayed the generation of your children. ¹⁶But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, ¹⁷until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. ¹⁸Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. ¹⁹How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! ²⁰Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. ²¹When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, ²²I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. ²³Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. ²⁴You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. ²⁵Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. ²⁶My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. ²⁷For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. ²⁸But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

¹Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. ²But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. ³For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ⁴For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. ⁵They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. ⁶Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. ⁷Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. ⁸They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. ⁹They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. ¹⁰Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. ¹¹And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? ¹²Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. ¹³Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. ¹⁴For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. ¹⁵If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. ¹⁶When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; ¹⁷Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. ¹⁸Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. ¹⁹How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. ²⁰As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. ²¹Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. ²²So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. ²³Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. ²⁴Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. ²⁵Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. ²⁶My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. ²⁷For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. ²⁸But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

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King James Version

¹There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. ²There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. ³He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. ⁴His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus Job did continually. ⁶Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. ⁷The Lord said to Satan, From where have you come? Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it. ⁸And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? ⁹Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Does Job fear God for no reason? ¹⁰Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. ¹²And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand. So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. ¹³Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, ¹⁴and there came a messenger to Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you. ¹⁶While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you. ¹⁷While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you. ¹⁸While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, ¹⁹and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you. ²⁰Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. ²¹And he said, Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. ²²In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

¹There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. ²And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. ³His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. ⁴And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. ⁵And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. ⁶Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. ⁷And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. ⁸And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? ⁹Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? ¹⁰Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. ¹¹But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. ¹²And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. ¹³And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: ¹⁴And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: ¹⁵And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. ¹⁶While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. ¹⁷While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. ¹⁸While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: ¹⁹And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. ²⁰Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, ²¹And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. ²²In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

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¹Then Job answered the Lord and said: ²I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ³Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ⁴Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me. ⁵I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; ⁶therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes. ⁷After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. ⁸Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. ⁹So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer. ¹⁰And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. ¹¹Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold. ¹²And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. ¹³He had also seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. ¹⁵And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. ¹⁶And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations. ¹⁷And Job died, an old man, and full of days.

¹Then Job answered the LORD, and said, ²I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. ³Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. ⁴Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. ⁵I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. ⁶Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. ⁷And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. ⁸Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. ⁹So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. ¹⁰And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. ¹¹Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. ¹²So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. ¹³He had also seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. ¹⁵And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. ¹⁶After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. ¹⁷So Job died, being old and full of days.

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¹Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. ²Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ³But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ⁵And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ⁶But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ⁷And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. ¹⁰Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹Give us this day our daily bread, ¹²and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ¹³And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ¹⁴For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, ¹⁵but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. ¹⁶And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ¹⁹Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²²The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, ²³but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! ²⁴No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. ²⁵Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁸And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

¹Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. ²Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ³But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: ⁴That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. ⁵And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ⁶But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. ⁷But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. ⁸Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. ⁹After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ¹⁰Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. ¹¹Give us this day our daily bread. ¹²And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. ¹³And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. ¹⁴For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: ¹⁵But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. ¹⁶Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ¹⁷But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; ¹⁸That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. ¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ²²The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. ²³But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! ²⁴No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. ²⁵Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? ²⁶Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? ²⁷Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? ²⁸And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: ²⁹And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? ³¹Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ³²(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. ³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³⁴Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

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English Standard Version
King James Version

¹In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ²Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ³Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. ⁴I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. ⁵But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! ⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. ⁸And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, ⁹but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. ¹⁰And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, ¹²for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. ¹³Someone in the crowd said to him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. ¹⁴But he said to him, Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you? ¹⁵And he said to them, Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. ¹⁶And he told them a parable, saying, The land of a rich man produced plentifully, ¹⁷and he thought to himself, What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops? ¹⁸And he said, I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. ²⁰But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? ²¹So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. ²²And he said to his disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. ²³For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ²⁴Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! ²⁵And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁶If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? ²⁷Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! ²⁹And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. ³⁰For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. ³²Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ³⁵Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. ³⁷Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. ³⁸If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! ³⁹But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. ⁴¹Peter said, Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all? ⁴²And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? ⁴³Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁴Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. ⁴⁵But if that servant says to himself, My master is delayed in coming, and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. ⁴⁷And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. ⁴⁸But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. ⁴⁹I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! ⁵¹Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. ⁵²For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. ⁵⁴He also said to the crowds, When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, A shower is coming. And so it happens. ⁵⁵And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, There will be scorching heat, and it happens. ⁵⁶You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? ⁵⁷And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. ⁵⁹I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.

¹In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ²For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. ³Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. ⁴And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. ⁵But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. ⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? ⁷But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. ⁸Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: ⁹But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. ¹⁰And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. ¹¹And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: ¹²For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. ¹³And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. ¹⁴And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? ¹⁵And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. ¹⁶And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: ¹⁷And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? ¹⁸And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. ²⁰But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? ²¹So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. ²²And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. ²³The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. ²⁴Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? ²⁵And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? ²⁶If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? ²⁷Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? ²⁹And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. ³⁰For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. ³¹But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³²Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ³⁵Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; ³⁶And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. ³⁷Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. ³⁸And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. ³⁹And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. ⁴⁰Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. ⁴¹Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? ⁴²And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? ⁴³Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. ⁴⁴Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. ⁴⁵But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; ⁴⁶The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. ⁴⁷And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. ⁴⁸But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. ⁴⁹I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? ⁵⁰But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! ⁵¹Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: ⁵²For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. ⁵³The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. ⁵⁴And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. ⁵⁵And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. ⁵⁶Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? ⁵⁷Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? ⁵⁸When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. ⁵⁹I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

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¹Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. ²And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. ³And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause? ⁴He answered, Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, ⁵and said, Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? ⁶So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. ⁷They said to him, Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away? ⁸He said to them, Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. ⁹And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery. ¹⁰The disciples said to him, If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry. ¹¹But he said to them, Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. ¹²For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it. ¹³Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, ¹⁴but Jesus said, Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven. ¹⁵And he laid his hands on them and went away. ¹⁶And behold, a man came up to him, saying, Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? ¹⁷And he said to him, Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments. ¹⁸He said to him, Which ones? And Jesus said, You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, ¹⁹Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ²⁰The young man said to him, All these I have kept. What do I still lack? ²¹Jesus said to him, If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. ²²When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. ²³And Jesus said to his disciples, Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. ²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, Who then can be saved? ²⁶But Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. ²⁷Then Peter said in reply, See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? ²⁸Jesus said to them, Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

¹And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; ²And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there. ³The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? ⁴And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, ⁵And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? ⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ⁷They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? ⁸He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. ⁹And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. ¹⁰His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. ¹¹But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. ¹²For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. ¹³Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. ¹⁵And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. ¹⁶And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? ¹⁷And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. ¹⁸He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, ¹⁹Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ²⁰The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? ²¹Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. ²²But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. ²³Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ²⁵When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? ²⁶But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. ²⁷Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? ²⁸And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. ³⁰But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

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¹And he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. ²When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ³And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. ⁵And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. ⁶He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, They will respect my son. ⁷But those tenants said to one another, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. ⁸And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰Have you not read this Scripture: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; ¹¹this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? ¹²And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away. ¹³And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. ¹⁴And they came and said to him, Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not? ¹⁵But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it. ¹⁶And they brought one. And he said to them, Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to him, Caesar's. ¹⁷Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marveled at him. ¹⁸And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, ¹⁹Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁰There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. ²¹And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. ²²And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. ²³In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife. ²⁴Jesus said to them, Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? ²⁵For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? ²⁷He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong. ²⁸And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, Which commandment is the most important of all? ²⁹Jesus answered, The most important is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. ³¹The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. ³²And the scribe said to him, You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. ³³And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. ³⁴And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God. And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. ³⁵And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? ³⁶David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet. ³⁷David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son? And the great throng heard him gladly. ³⁸And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces ³⁹and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, ⁴⁰who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation. ⁴¹And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴²And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. ⁴³And he called his disciples to him and said to them, Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. ⁴⁴For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.

¹And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. ²And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. ³And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. ⁴And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. ⁵And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. ⁶Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. ⁷But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our's. ⁸And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. ⁹What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. ¹⁰And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: ¹¹This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? ¹²And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. ¹³And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. ¹⁴And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? ¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. ¹⁶And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. ¹⁷And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him. ¹⁸Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, ¹⁹Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. ²⁰Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. ²¹And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. ²²And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. ²³In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. ²⁴And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? ²⁵For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. ²⁶And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? ²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. ²⁸And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? ²⁹And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: ³⁰And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. ³¹And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. ³²And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: ³³And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. ³⁴And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. ³⁵And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? ³⁶For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. ³⁷David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. ³⁸And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, ³⁹And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: ⁴⁰Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. ⁴¹And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. ⁴²And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. ⁴³And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: ⁴⁴For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

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¹Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. ²And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: ³Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. ⁵Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. ⁷Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. ⁸Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. ⁹Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. ¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. ¹³You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. ¹⁴You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. ¹⁷Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ²¹You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. ²²But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, You fool! will be liable to the hell of fire. ²³So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. ²⁷You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. ²⁸But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. ³¹It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. ³²But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. ³³Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn. ³⁴But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷Let what you say be simply Yes or No; anything more than this comes from evil. ³⁸You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. ³⁹But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. ⁴³You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

¹And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: ²And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ³Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. ⁵Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. ⁷Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. ⁹Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. ¹⁰Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹²Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. ¹³Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. ¹⁴Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ¹⁷Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. ¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²¹Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ²²But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. ²³Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; ²⁴Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. ²⁵Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. ²⁶Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. ²⁷Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: ²⁸But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. ²⁹And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ³⁰And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ³¹It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: ³²But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. ³³Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: ³⁴But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: ³⁵Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. ³⁷But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. ³⁸Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: ³⁹But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. ⁴¹And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. ⁴²Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. ⁴³Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. ⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? ⁴⁷And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? ⁴⁸Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

English Standard Version
King James Version

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ²Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶But at midnight there was a cry, Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him. ⁷Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. ⁹But the wise answered, saying, Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves. ¹⁰And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. ¹¹Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us. ¹²But he answered, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you. ¹³Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. ¹⁴For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more. ²¹His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. ²²And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more. ²³His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. ²⁴He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours. ²⁶But his master answered him, You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ³¹When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. ³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? ⁴⁰And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. ⁴¹Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. ⁴⁴Then they also will answer, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you? ⁴⁵Then he will answer them, saying, Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. ⁴⁶And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

¹Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. ²And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: ⁴But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. ⁶And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. ⁷Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. ⁸And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. ⁹But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. ¹⁰And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. ¹¹Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. ¹²But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. ¹³Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. ¹⁴For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. ¹⁵And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. ¹⁶Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. ¹⁷And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. ¹⁸But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. ¹⁹After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. ²⁰And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. ²¹His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²²He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. ²³His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²⁴Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: ²⁵And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. ²⁶His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: ²⁷Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. ²⁸Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. ²⁹For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. ³⁰And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ³¹When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: ³²And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: ³³And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁵For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: ³⁶Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. ³⁷Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? ³⁸When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? ³⁹Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? ⁴⁰And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. ⁴¹Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴²For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: ⁴³I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. ⁴⁴Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? ⁴⁵Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. ⁴⁶And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. ⁵Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷And they were amazed and astonished, saying, Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians - we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God. ¹²And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean? ¹³But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine. ¹⁴But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. ¹⁵For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. ¹⁶But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: ¹⁷And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; ¹⁸even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. ¹⁹And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; ²⁰the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. ²¹And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ²²Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know - ²³this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ²⁴God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. ²⁵For David says concerning him, I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; ²⁶therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. ²⁷For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. ²⁸You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence. ²⁹Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, ³¹he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. ³²This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. ³³Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. ³⁴For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, ³⁵until I make your enemies your footstool. ³⁶Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. ³⁷Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? ³⁸And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. ⁴⁰And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. ⁴¹So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. ⁴²And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

¹And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ²And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ³And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ⁵And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. ⁶Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. ⁷And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? ⁸And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? ⁹Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, ¹¹Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. ¹²And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? ¹³Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. ¹⁴But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: ¹⁵For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. ¹⁶But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; ¹⁷And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: ¹⁸And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: ¹⁹And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: ²⁰The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: ²¹And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. ²²Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: ²³Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: ²⁴Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. ²⁵For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: ²⁶Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: ²⁷Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. ²⁸Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. ²⁹Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. ³⁰Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; ³¹He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. ³²This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. ³³Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. ³⁴For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, ³⁵Until I make thy foes thy footstool. ³⁶Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. ³⁷Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? ³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ³⁹For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call. ⁴⁰And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. ⁴¹Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. ⁴²And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴And all that believed were together, and had all things common; ⁴⁵And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. ⁴⁶And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, ⁴⁷Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. ²Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. False Teachers and True Contentment Teach and urge these things. ³If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, ⁴he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. ⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain, ⁷for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. ¹¹But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, ¹⁴to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵which he will display at the proper time - he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. ¹⁷As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, ¹⁹thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. ²⁰O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.

¹Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. ²And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. ³If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; ⁴He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, ⁵Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. ⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ⁸And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. ⁹But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. ¹¹But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. ¹²Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. ¹³I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; ¹⁴That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: ¹⁵Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; ¹⁶Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. ¹⁷Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; ¹⁸That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; ¹⁹Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. ²⁰O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: ²¹Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

English Standard Version
King James Version

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. ²For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, ³and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, You sit here in a good place, while you say to the poor man, You stand over there, or, Sit down at my feet, ⁴have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? ⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. ⁹But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. ¹¹For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ¹²So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. ¹³For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. ¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder! ²⁰Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; ²³and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness - and he was called a friend of God. ²⁴You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

¹My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. ²For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; ³And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: ⁴Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? ⁵Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? ⁶But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? ⁷Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? ⁸If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: ⁹But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. ¹¹For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. ¹²So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. ¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? ¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ¹⁸Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. ¹⁹Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ²⁰But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ²²Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ²³And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. ²⁴Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. ²⁵Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? ²⁶For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

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