1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;

    listen to my plea!

    Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.

2 Don’t put your servant on trial,

    for no one is innocent before you.

3 My enemy has chased me.

    He has knocked me to the ground

    and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.

4 I am losing all hope;

    I am paralyzed with fear.

5 I remember the days of old.

    I ponder all your great works

    and think about what you have done.

6 I lift my hands to you in prayer.

    I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude

7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me,

    for my depression deepens.

Don’t turn away from me,

    or I will die.

8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,

    for I am trusting you.

Show me where to walk,

    for I give myself to you.

9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;

    I run to you to hide me.

10 Teach me to do your will,

    for you are my God.

May your gracious Spirit lead me forward

    on a firm footing.

11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.

    Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.

12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies

    and destroy all my foes,

    for I am your servant.

33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.] 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

12 “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment.

    I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.

13 All who fear the Lord will hate evil.

    Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,

    corruption and perverse speech.

14 Common sense and success belong to me.

    Insight and strength are mine.

15 Because of me, kings reign,

    and rulers make just decrees.

16 Rulers lead with my help,

    and nobles make righteous judgments.

17 “I love all who love me.

    Those who search will surely find me.

18 I have riches and honor,

    as well as enduring wealth and justice.

19 My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold,

    my wages better than sterling silver!

20 I walk in righteousness,

    in paths of justice.

21 Those who love me inherit wealth.

    I will fill their treasuries.

1 “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen.

    He is my chosen one, who pleases me.

I have put my Spirit upon him.

    He will bring justice to the nations.

2 He will not shout

    or raise his voice in public.

3 He will not crush the weakest reed

    or put out a flickering candle.

    He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.

4 He will not falter or lose heart

    until justice prevails throughout the earth.

    Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.”

5 God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out.

    He created the earth and everything in it.

He gives breath to everyone,

    life to everyone who walks the earth.

And it is he who says,

6 “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness.

    I will take you by the hand and guard you,

and I will give you to my people, Israel,

    as a symbol of my covenant with them.

And you will be a light to guide the nations.

7 You will open the eyes of the blind.

You will free the captives from prison,

    releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.

8 “I am the Lord; that is my name!

    I will not give my glory to anyone else,

    nor share my praise with carved idols.

9 Everything I prophesied has come true,

    and now I will prophesy again.

I will tell you the future before it happens.”

18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise

    and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”

20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

1 Please, God, rescue me!

    Come quickly, Lord, and help me.

2 May those who try to kill me

    be humiliated and put to shame.

May those who take delight in my trouble

    be turned back in disgrace.

3 Let them be horrified by their shame,

    for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”

4But may all who search for you

    be filled with joy and gladness in you.

May those who love your salvation

    repeatedly shout, “God is great!”

5 But as for me, I am poor and needy;

    please hurry to my aid, O God.

You are my helper and my savior;

    O Lord, do not delay.

13 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

1 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

7 While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. 9 In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.

10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, 11 and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? 12 Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’”

13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! 16 Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. 18 When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!”

19 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. 20 The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night.

21 Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!

23 Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers—chased them into the middle of the sea. 24 But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion. 25 He twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. “Let’s get out of here—away from these Israelites!” the Egyptians shouted. “The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”

26 When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers.” 27 So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.

29 But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. 30 That is how the Lord rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore. 31 When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

    His faithful love endures forever.

2 Let all Israel repeat:

    “His faithful love endures forever.”

38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

22 The Lord formed me from the beginning,

      Before He created anything else,

23 I was appointed in ages past,

    at the very first, before the earth began.

24 I was born before the oceans were created,

    before the springs bubbled forth their waters.

25 Before the mountains were formed,

    before the hills, I was born—

26 before he had made the earth and fields

    and the first handfuls of soil.

27 I was there when he established the heavens,

    when he drew the horizon on the oceans.

28 I was there when he set the clouds above,

    when he established springs deep in the earth.

29 I was there when he set the limits of the seas,

    so they would not spread beyond their boundaries.

And when he marked off the earth’s foundations,

30 I was the architect at his side.

I was his constant delight,

    rejoicing always in his presence.

31 And how happy I was with the world he created;

    how I rejoiced with the human family!

32 “And so, my children, listen to me,

    for all who follow my ways are joyful.

33 Listen to my instruction and be wise.

    Don’t ignore it.

34 Joyful are those who listen to me,

    watching for me daily at my gates,

    waiting for me outside my home!

35 For whoever finds me finds life

    and receives favor from the Lord.

36 But those who miss me injure themselves.

    All who hate me love death.”

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, 37 prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” 38 And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.

39 Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” 40 So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.

19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. 25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) 28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

1 When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—

    when the family of Jacob left that foreign land—

2 the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary,

    and Israel became his kingdom.

3 The Red Sea[a] saw them coming and hurried out of their way!

    The water of the Jordan River turned away.

4 The mountains skipped like rams,

    the hills like lambs!

5 What’s wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way?

    What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away?

6 Why, mountains, did you skip like rams?

    Why, hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,

    at the presence of the God of Jacob.

8 He turned the rock into a pool of water;

    yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock.

1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

1 Wisdom has built her house;

    she has carved its seven columns.

2 She has prepared a great banquet,

    mixed the wines, and set the table.

3 She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come.

    She calls out from the heights overlooking the city.

4 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.

    To those who lack good judgment, she says,

5 “Come, eat my food,

    and drink the wine I have mixed.

6 Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live;

    learn to use good judgment.”

7 Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.

    Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.

8 So don’t bother correcting mockers;

    they will only hate you.

But correct the wise,

    and they will love you.

9 Instruct the wise,

    and they will be even wiser.

Teach the righteous,

    and they will learn even more.

10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.

    Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

11 Wisdom will multiply your days

    and add years to your life.

12 If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.

    If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.

13 The woman named Folly is brash.

    She is ignorant and doesn’t know it.

14 She sits in her doorway

    on the heights overlooking the city.

15 She calls out to men going by

    who are minding their own business.

16 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.

    To those who lack good judgment, she says,

17 “Stolen water is refreshing;

    food eaten in secret tastes the best!”

18 But little do they know that the dead are there.

    Her guests are in the depths of the grave.

1 The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.

3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. 4 Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. 5 And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.”

“All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”

6 So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” 7 Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 8 When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.

9 “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked.

“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.

10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”

Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 11 Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 12 So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”

13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

1 Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,

    you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.

2 Lift your hands toward the sanctuary,

    and praise the Lord.

3 May the Lord, who made heaven and earth,

    bless you from Jerusalem.

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

    may your name be kept holy.

10 May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done on earth,

    as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today the food we need,

12 and forgive us our sins,

    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,

    but rescue us from the evil one.

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.