Psalm 2

New International Version

Psalm 2

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

⁴The One enthroned^(F) in heaven laughs;^(G)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
⁵He rebukes them in his anger^(H)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,^(I) saying,
⁶“I have installed my king^(J)
    on Zion,^(K) my holy mountain.^(L)”

⁷I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;^(M)
    today I have become your father.^(N)
⁸Ask me,
    and I will make the nations^(O) your inheritance,^(P)
    the ends of the earth^(Q) your possession.
⁹You will break them with a rod of iron^[b];^(R)
    you will dash them to pieces^(S) like pottery.^(T)”

¹⁰Therefore, you kings, be wise;^(U)
    be warned, you rulers^(V) of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with fear^(W)
    and celebrate his rule^(X) with trembling.^(Y)
¹²Kiss his son,^(Z) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath^(AA) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed^(AB) are all who take refuge^(AC) in him.

Footnotes

Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)

Jeremiah 19

New International Version

19 This is what the Lord says: “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter.^(A) Take along some of the elders^(B) of the people and of the priests ²and go out to the Valley of Ben Hinnom,^(C) near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. There proclaim the words I tell you, ³and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings^(D) of Judah and people of Jerusalem. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Listen! I am going to bring a disaster^(E) on this place that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.^(F) ⁴For they have forsaken^(G) me and made this a place of foreign gods^(H); they have burned incense^(I) in it to gods that neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah ever knew, and they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.^(J) ⁵They have built the high places of Baal to burn their children^(K) in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind.^(L) ⁶So beware, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when people will no longer call this place Topheth^(M) or the Valley of Ben Hinnom,^(N) but the Valley of Slaughter.^(O)

⁷“‘In this place I will ruin^[a] the plans^(P) of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies,^(Q) at the hands of those who want to kill them, and I will give their carcasses^(R) as food^(S) to the birds and the wild animals. ⁸I will devastate this city and make it an object of horror and scorn;^(T) all who pass by will be appalled^(U) and will scoff because of all its wounds.^(V) ⁹I will make them eat^(W) the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh because their enemies^(X) will press the siege so hard against them to destroy them.’

¹⁰“Then break the jar^(Y) while those who go with you are watching, ¹¹and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I will smash^(Z) this nation and this city just as this potter’s jar is smashed and cannot be repaired. They will bury^(AA) the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. ¹²This is what I will do to this place and to those who live here, declares the Lord. I will make this city like Topheth. ¹³The houses^(AB) in Jerusalem and those of the kings of Judah will be defiled^(AC) like this place, Topheth—all the houses where they burned incense on the roofs^(AD) to all the starry hosts^(AE) and poured out drink offerings^(AF) to other gods.’”

¹⁴Jeremiah then returned from Topheth, where the Lord had sent him to prophesy, and stood in the court^(AG) of the Lord’s temple and said to all the people, ¹⁵“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on this city and all the villages around it every disaster^(AH) I pronounced against them, because they were stiff-necked^(AI) and would not listen^(AJ) to my words.’”

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Footnotes

Jeremiah 19:7 The Hebrew for ruin sounds like the Hebrew for jar (see verses 1 and 10).

1 Timothy 4:6-16

New International Version

⁶If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,^[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith^(A) and of the good teaching that you have followed.^(B) ⁷Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales;^(C) rather, train yourself to be godly.^(D) ⁸For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,^(E) holding promise for both the present life^(F) and the life to come.^(G) ⁹This is a trustworthy saying^(H) that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God,^(I) who is the Savior of all people,^(J) and especially of those who believe.

¹¹Command and teach these things.^(K) ¹²Don’t let anyone look down on you^(L) because you are young, but set an example^(M) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith^(N) and in purity. ¹³Until I come,^(O) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,^(P) to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy^(Q) when the body of elders^(R) laid their hands on you.^(S)

¹⁵Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save^(T) both yourself and your hearers.

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