From heaven you pronounced judgment,
    and the land feared(A) and was quiet—
when you, God, rose up to judge,(B)
    to save all the afflicted(C) of the land.
10 Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,(D)
    and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.[a]

11 Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;(E)
    let all the neighboring lands
    bring gifts(F) to the One to be feared.
12 He breaks the spirit of rulers;
    he is feared by the kings of the earth.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 76:10 Or Surely the wrath of mankind brings you praise, / and with the remainder of wrath you arm yourself

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(A)
    it is attained in the way of righteousness.

32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
    one with self-control than one who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast(B) into the lap,
    but its every decision(C) is from the Lord.(D)

Read full chapter

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel(A) of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.(B) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior(C) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,(D) the Lord.(E) 12 This will be a sign(F) to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace(G) to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.(H) 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.(I) 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God(J) for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child,(K) he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.(L)

Read full chapter

Freedom in Christ

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.(A) Stand firm,(B) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.(C)

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,(D) Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.(E) You who are trying to be justified by the law(F) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.(G) For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.(H) For in Christ Jesus(I) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.(J) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.(K)

You were running a good race.(L) Who cut in on you(M) to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(N) “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”(O) 10 I am confident(P) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(Q) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(R) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?(S) In that case the offense(T) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,(U) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends