Psalm 17

New International Version

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

¹Hear me,^(A) Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.^(B)
Hear^(C) my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.^(D)
²Let my vindication^(E) come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.^(F)

³Though you probe my heart,^(G)
    though you examine me at night and test me,^(H)
you will find that I have planned no evil;^(I)
    my mouth has not transgressed.^(J)
⁴Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
⁵My steps have held to your paths;^(K)
    my feet have not stumbled.^(L)

⁶I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;^(M)
    turn your ear to me^(N) and hear my prayer.^(O)
⁷Show me the wonders of your great love,^(P)
    you who save by your right hand^(Q)
    those who take refuge^(R) in you from their foes.
⁸Keep me^(S) as the apple of your eye;^(T)
    hide me^(U) in the shadow of your wings^(V)
⁹from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.^(W)

¹⁰They close up their callous hearts,^(X)
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.^(Y)
¹¹They have tracked me down, they now surround me,^(Z)
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
¹²They are like a lion^(AA) hungry for prey,^(AB)
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

¹³Rise up,^(AC) Lord, confront them, bring them down;^(AD)
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
¹⁴By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world^(AE) whose reward is in this life.^(AF)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers^(AG) for their little ones.

¹⁵As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake,^(AH) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.^(AI)

2 Corinthians 10

New International Version

Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness^(A) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,^(B) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! ²I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold^(C) as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.^(D) ³For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.^(E) ⁴The weapons we fight with^(F) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power^(G) to demolish strongholds.^(H) ⁵We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,^(I) and we take captive every thought to make it obedient^(J) to Christ. ⁶And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.^(K)

⁷You are judging by appearances.^[a]^(L) If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,^(M) they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.^(N) ⁸So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us^(O) for building you up rather than tearing you down,^(P) I will not be ashamed of it. ⁹I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. ¹⁰For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive^(Q) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”^(R) ¹¹Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

¹²We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.^(S) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. ¹³We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,^(T) a sphere that also includes you. ¹⁴We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you^(U) with the gospel of Christ.^(V) ¹⁵Neither do we go beyond our limits^(W) by boasting of work done by others.^(X) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,^(Y) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, ¹⁶so that we can preach the gospel^(Z) in the regions beyond you.^(AA) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. ¹⁷But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^[b]^(AB) ¹⁸For it is not the one who commends himself^(AC) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.^(AD)