Micah 2

English Standard Version

Woe to the Oppressors

2 ^(A)Woe to those who devise wickedness
    and work evil ^(B)on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
    because it is in the power of their hand.
²They covet fields and ^(C)seize them,
    and houses, and take them away;
they oppress a man and his house,
    a man and his inheritance.
³Therefore thus says the Lord:
behold, against ^(D)this family I am devising disaster,^[a]
    from which you cannot remove your necks,
and you ^(E)shall not walk haughtily,
    ^(F)for it will be a time of disaster.
⁴In that day ^(G)they shall take up a taunt song against you
    and moan bitterly,
and say, “We are utterly ruined;
    ^(H)he changes the portion of my people;
^(I)how he removes it from me!
    ^(J)To an apostate he allots our fields.”
⁵Therefore you will have none ^(K)to cast the line by lot
    in the assembly of the Lord.

⁶^(L)“Do not preach”—thus they preach—
    ^(M)“one should not preach of such things;
    ^(N)disgrace will not overtake us.”
⁷Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
    ^(O)Has the Lord grown impatient?^[b]
    Are these his deeds?
Do not my words do good
    to him who walks uprightly?
⁸But lately ^(P)my people have risen up as an enemy;
you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly
    with no thought of war.^[c]
⁹The women of my people you drive out
    from their delightful houses;
from their young children you take away
    my splendor forever.
¹⁰^(Q)Arise and go,
    for this is no ^(R)place to rest,
because of ^(S)uncleanness that destroys
    with a grievous destruction.
¹¹If a man should go about and ^(T)utter wind and lies,
    saying, “I will preach to you ^(U)of wine and strong drink,”
    he would be the preacher for this people!
¹²I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob;
    ^(V)I will gather ^(W)the remnant of Israel;
I will set them together
    like sheep in a fold,
^(X)like a flock in its pasture,
    a noisy multitude of men.
¹³^(Y)He who opens the breach goes up before them;
    they break through and pass the gate,
    ^(Z)going out by it.
Their king passes on before them,
    ^(AA)the Lord at their head.

Footnotes

Micah 2:3 The same Hebrew word can mean evil or disaster, depending on the context
Micah 2:7 Hebrew Has the spirit of the Lord grown short?
Micah 2:8 Or returning from war

Psalm 119:25-32

English Standard Version

Daleth

²⁵^(A)My soul clings to the dust;
    ^(B)give me life ^(C)according to your word!
²⁶When ^(D)I told of my ways, you answered me;
    ^(E)teach me your statutes!
²⁷^(F)Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will ^(G)meditate on your wondrous works.
²⁸^(H)My soul melts away for sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word!
²⁹Put false ways far from me
    and graciously ^(I)teach me your law!
³⁰I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I ^(J)set your rules before me.
³¹I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
    ^(K)let me not be put to shame!
³²I will run in the way of your commandments
    when you ^(L)enlarge my heart!^[a]

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Footnotes

Psalm 119:32 Or for you set my heart free

Philippians 3-4

English Standard Version

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

3 Finally, my brothers,^[a] ^(A)rejoice in the Lord. ^(B)To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

²Look out for ^(C)the dogs, look out for ^(D)the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³For ^(E)we are the circumcision, ^(F)who worship ^(G)by the Spirit of God^[b] and ^(H)glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴^(I)though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵^(J)circumcised on the eighth day, ^(K)of the people of Israel, ^(L)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(M)a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^(N)a Pharisee; ⁶^(O)as to zeal, ^(P)a persecutor of the church; ^(Q)as to righteousness under the law,^[c] blameless. ⁷But ^(R)whatever gain I had, ^(S)I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^(T)the surpassing worth of ^(U)knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^(V)have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having ^(W)a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^(X)that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰^(Y)that I may know him and ^(Z)the power of his resurrection, and ^(AA)may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹that by any means possible I may ^(AB)attain the resurrection from the dead.

Straining Toward the Goal

¹²Not that I have already ^(AC)obtained this or ^(AD)am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: ^(AE)forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for ^(AF)the prize of the upward ^(AG)call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Let those of us who are ^(AH)mature think this way, and if in anything ^(AI)you think otherwise, ^(AJ)God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶Only ^(AK)let us hold true to what we have attained.

¹⁷Brothers, ^(AL)join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk ^(AM)according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸For ^(AN)many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you ^(AO)even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹^(AP)Their end is destruction, ^(AQ)their god is their belly, and ^(AR)they glory in their shame, with ^(AS)minds set on earthly things. ²⁰But ^(AT)our citizenship is in heaven, and ^(AU)from it we ^(AV)await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹who will transform ^(AW)our lowly body ^(AX)to be like his glorious body, ^(AY)by the power that enables him even ^(AZ)to subject all things to himself.

4 Therefore, my brothers,^[d] whom I love and ^(BA)long for, ^(BB)my joy and ^(BC)crown, ^(BD)stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

²I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to ^(BE)agree in the Lord. ³Yes, I ask you also, true companion,^[e] help these women, who have labored^[f] side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, ^(BF)whose names are in the book of life.

⁴^(BG)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵Let your reasonableness^[g] be known to everyone. ^(BH)The Lord is at hand; ⁶^(BI)do not be anxious about anything, ^(BJ)but in everything by prayer and supplication ^(BK)with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And ^(BL)the peace of God, ^(BM)which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹What you have learned^[h] and ^(BN)received and heard and seen ^(BO)in me—practice these things, and ^(BP)the God of peace will be with you.

God's Provision

¹⁰I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length ^(BQ)you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ¹¹Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be ^(BR)content. ¹²I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and ^(BS)hunger, abundance and ^(BT)need. ¹³I can do all things ^(BU)through him who strengthens me.

¹⁴Yet it was kind of you ^(BV)to share^[i] my trouble. ¹⁵And you Philippians yourselves know that ^(BW)in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, ^(BX)no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. ¹⁶Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. ¹⁷^(BY)Not that I seek the gift, but I seek ^(BZ)the fruit that increases to your credit.^[j] ¹⁸I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, ^(CA)having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, ^(CB)a fragrant offering, ^(CC)a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. ¹⁹And my God ^(CD)will supply every need of yours ^(CE)according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰To ^(CF)our God and Father be ^(CG)glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

²¹Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. ^(CH)The brothers who are with me greet you. ²²^(CI)All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.

²³^(CJ)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Footnotes

Philippians 3:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 13, 17
Philippians 3:3 Some manuscripts God in spirit
Philippians 3:6 Greek in the law
Philippians 4:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 8, 21
Philippians 4:3 Or loyal Syzygus; Greek true yokefellow
Philippians 4:3 Or strived (see 1:27)
Philippians 4:5 Or gentleness
Philippians 4:9 Or these things—⁹which things you have also learned
Philippians 4:14 Or have fellowship in
Philippians 4:17 Or I seek the profit that accrues to your account

Philemon

English Standard Version

Greeting

¹Paul, ^(A)a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and ^(B)Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker ²and Apphia our sister and ^(C)Archippus our ^(D)fellow soldier, and ^(E)the church in your house:

³^(F)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon's Love and Faith

⁴^(G)I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, ⁵because I ^(H)hear of your love and ^(I)of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, ⁶and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full ^(J)knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.^[a] ⁷For I have derived much joy and ^(K)comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints ^(L)have been refreshed through you.

Paul's Plea for Onesimus

⁸Accordingly, ^(M)though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do ^(N)what is required, ⁹yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now ^(O)a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— ¹⁰I appeal to you for ^(P)my child, ^(Q)Onesimus,^[b] ^(R)whose father I became in my imprisonment. ¹¹(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) ¹²I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. ¹³I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me ^(S)on your behalf ^(T)during my imprisonment for the gospel, ¹⁴but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be ^(U)by compulsion but of your own accord. ¹⁵For this perhaps is why ^(V)he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, ¹⁶^(W)no longer as a bondservant^[c] but more than a bondservant, as ^(X)a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, ^(Y)both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷So if you consider me ^(Z)your partner, receive him as you would receive me. ¹⁸If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. ¹⁹^(AA)I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. ²⁰Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. ^(AB)Refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹^(AC)Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. ²²At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for ^(AD)I am hoping that ^(AE)through your prayers ^(AF)I will be graciously given to you.

Final Greetings

²³^(AG)Epaphras, my ^(AH)fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, ²⁴and so do ^(AI)Mark, ^(AJ)Aristarchus, ^(AK)Demas, and ^(AL)Luke, my fellow workers.

²⁵^(AM)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Footnotes

Philemon 1:6 Or for Christ's service
Philemon 1:10 Onesimus means useful (see verse 11) or beneficial (see verse 20)
Philemon 1:16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; twice in this verse