Psalm 1-3

New International Version

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

¹Blessed is the one^(A)
    who does not walk^(B) in step with the wicked^(C)
or stand in the way^(D) that sinners take^(E)
    or sit^(F) in the company of mockers,^(G)
²but whose delight^(H) is in the law of the Lord,^(I)
    and who meditates^(J) on his law day and night.
³That person is like a tree^(K) planted by streams^(L) of water,^(M)
    which yields its fruit^(N) in season
and whose leaf^(O) does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.^(P)

⁴Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff^(Q)
    that the wind blows away.
⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand^(R) in the judgment,^(S)
    nor sinners in the assembly^(T) of the righteous.

⁶For the Lord watches over^(U) the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.^(V)

Psalm 2

¹Why do the nations conspire^[a]
    and the peoples plot^(W) in vain?
²The kings^(X) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,^(Y) saying,
³“Let us break their chains^(Z)
    and throw off their shackles.”^(AA)

⁴The One enthroned^(AB) in heaven laughs;^(AC)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
⁵He rebukes them in his anger^(AD)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,^(AE) saying,
⁶“I have installed my king^(AF)
    on Zion,^(AG) my holy mountain.^(AH)”

⁷I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;^(AI)
    today I have become your father.^(AJ)
⁸Ask me,
    and I will make the nations^(AK) your inheritance,^(AL)
    the ends of the earth^(AM) your possession.
⁹You will break them with a rod of iron^[b];^(AN)
    you will dash them to pieces^(AO) like pottery.^(AP)”

¹⁰Therefore, you kings, be wise;^(AQ)
    be warned, you rulers^(AR) of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with fear^(AS)
    and celebrate his rule^(AT) with trembling.^(AU)
¹²Kiss his son,^(AV) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath^(AW) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed^(AX) are all who take refuge^(AY) in him.

Psalm 3^[c]

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.^(AZ)

¹Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
²Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.^(BA)”^[d]

³But you, Lord, are a shield^(BB) around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.^(BC)
⁴I call out to the Lord,^(BD)
and he answers me from his holy mountain.^(BE)

⁵I lie down and sleep;^(BF)
I wake again,^(BG) because the Lord sustains me.
⁶I will not fear^(BH) though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.^(BI)

⁷Arise,^(BJ) Lord!
Deliver me,^(BK) my God!
Strike^(BL) all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth^(BM) of the wicked.

⁸From the Lord comes deliverance.^(BN)
May your blessing^(BO) be on your people.

Footnotes

Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)
Psalm 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-8 is numbered 3:2-9.
Psalm 3:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 4 and 8.

Acts 17:1-15

New International Version

In Thessalonica

17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,^(A) where there was a Jewish synagogue. ²As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,^(B) and on three Sabbath^(C) days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,^(D) ³explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer^(E) and rise from the dead.^(F) “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,”^(G) he said. ⁴Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,^(H) as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

⁵But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.^(I) They rushed to Jason’s^(J) house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.^[a] ⁶But when they did not find them, they dragged^(K) Jason and some other believers^(L) before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world^(M) have now come here,^(N) ⁷and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”^(O) ⁸When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. ⁹Then they made Jason^(P) and the others post bond and let them go.

In Berea

¹⁰As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas^(Q) away to Berea.^(R) On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.^(S) ¹¹Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,^(T) for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures^(U) every day to see if what Paul said was true.^(V) ¹²As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.^(W)

¹³But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea,^(X) some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. ¹⁴The believers^(Y) immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas^(Z) and Timothy^(AA) stayed at Berea. ¹⁵Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens^(AB) and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.^(AC)