Psalm 118

Psalm 145^[a]

A psalm of praise. Of David.

¹⁶ “Go, assemble the elders^(A) of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob^(B)—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen^(C) what has been done to you in Egypt. ¹⁷ And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt^(D) into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’^(E)

¹⁸ “The elders of Israel will listen^(F) to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews,^(G) has met^(H) with us. Let us take a three-day journey^(I) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices^(J) to the Lord our God.’ ¹⁹ But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand^(K) compels him. ²⁰ So I will stretch out my hand^(L) and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders^(M) that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.^(N)

²¹ “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed^(O) toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.^{(P) 22} Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver^(Q) and gold^(R) and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder^(S) the Egyptians.”^(T)

Signs for Moses

4 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen^(U) to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

² Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,”^(V) he replied.

³ The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake,^(W) and he ran from it. ⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ⁵ “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe^(X) that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous^[a]—it had become as white as snow.^(Y)

⁷ “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored,^(Z) like the rest of his flesh.

⁸ Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe^(AA) you or pay attention to the first sign,^(AB) they may believe the second. ⁹ But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood^(AC) on the ground.”

¹⁰ Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”^(AD)

¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute?^(AE) Who gives them sight or makes them blind?^(AF) Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now go;^(AG) I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”^(AH)

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you,^(A) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,^(B) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform^(C) to the pattern of this world,^(D) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.^(E) Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is^(F)—his good, pleasing^(G) and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³ For by the grace given me^(H) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,^{(I) 5} so in Christ we, though many, form one body,^(J) and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts,^(K) according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,^(L) then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith;^{(M) 7} if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;^{(N) 8} if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;^(O) if it is giving, then give generously;^(P) if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be sincere.^(Q) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.^{(R) 10} Be devoted to one another in love.^(S) Honor one another above yourselves.^{(T) 11} Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,^(U) serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope,^(V) patient in affliction,^(W) faithful in prayer.^{(X) 13} Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.^(Y) Practice hospitality.^(Z)

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you;^(AA) bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.^{(AB) 16} Live in harmony with one another.^(AC) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.^(AD)

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil.^(AE) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.^{(AF) 18} If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.^{(AG) 19} Do not take revenge,^(AH) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d](AI) says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

⁴⁶ Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.^(A) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

⁴⁸ The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan^(B) and demon-possessed?”^(C)

⁴⁹ “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ I am not seeking glory for myself;^(D) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. ⁵¹ Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”^(E)

⁵² At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!^(F) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham?^(G) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

⁵⁴ Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,^(H) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.^{(I) 55} Though you do not know him,^(J) I know him.^(K) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.^{(L) 56} Your father Abraham^(M) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it^(N) and was glad.”

⁵⁷ “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

⁵⁸ “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,^(O) I am!”^{(P) 59} At this, they picked up stones to stone him,^(Q) but Jesus hid himself,^(R) slipping away from the temple grounds.