Psalm 37:1-11

New International Version

Psalm 37^[a]

Of David.

¹Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious^(A) of those who do wrong;^(B)
²for like the grass they will soon wither,^(C)
like green plants they will soon die away.^(D)

³Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land^(E) and enjoy safe pasture.^(F)
⁴Take delight^(G) in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.^(H)

⁵Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him^(I) and he will do this:
⁶He will make your righteous reward^(J) shine like the dawn,^(K)
your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷Be still^(L) before the Lord
and wait patiently^(M) for him;
do not fret^(N) when people succeed in their ways,^(O)
when they carry out their wicked schemes.^(P)

⁸Refrain from anger^(Q) and turn from wrath;
do not fret^(R)—it leads only to evil.
⁹For those who are evil will be destroyed,^(S)
but those who hope^(T) in the Lord will inherit the land.^(U)

¹⁰A little while, and the wicked will be no more;^(V)
though you look for them, they will not be found.
¹¹But the meek will inherit the land^(W)
and enjoy peace and prosperity.^(X)

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Footnotes

Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Psalm 37:39-40

New International Version

³⁹The salvation^(A) of the righteous comes from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in time of trouble.^(B)
⁴⁰The Lord helps^(C) them and delivers^(D) them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves^(E) them,
    because they take refuge^(F) in him.

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Genesis 44:1-17

New International Version

A Silver Cup in a Sack

44 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house:^(A) “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.^(B) ²Then put my cup,^(C) the silver one,^(D) in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.

³As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.^(E) ⁴They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward,^(F) “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?^(G) ⁵Isn’t this the cup^(H) my master drinks from and also uses for divination?^(I) This is a wicked thing you have done.’”

⁶When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. ⁷But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants^(J) to do anything like that!^(K) ⁸We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan^(L) the silver^(M) we found inside the mouths of our sacks.^(N) So why would we steal^(O) silver or gold from your master’s house? ⁹If any of your servants^(P) is found to have it, he will die;^(Q) and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.^(R)”

¹⁰“Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it^(S) will become my slave;^(T) the rest of you will be free from blame.”^(U)

¹¹Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. ¹²Then the steward^(V) proceeded to search,^(W) beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest.^(X) And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.^(Y) ¹³At this, they tore their clothes.^(Z) Then they all loaded their donkeys^(AA) and returned to the city.

¹⁴Joseph was still in the house^(AB) when Judah^(AC) and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.^(AD) ¹⁵Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done?^(AE) Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?^(AF)”

¹⁶“What can we say to my lord?^(AG)” Judah^(AH) replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence?^(AI) God has uncovered your servants’^(AJ) guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves^(AK)—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.^(AL)”

¹⁷But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing!^(AM) Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave.^(AN) The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”^(AO)

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1 John 2:12-17

New International Version

Reasons for Writing

¹²I am writing to you, dear children,^(A)
    because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.^(B)
¹³I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.^(C)
I am writing to you, young men,
    because you have overcome^(D) the evil one.^(E)

¹⁴I write to you, dear children,^(F)
    because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.^(G)
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,^(H)
    and the word of God^(I) lives in you,^(J)
    and you have overcome the evil one.^(K)

On Not Loving the World

¹⁵Do not love the world or anything in the world.^(L) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father^[a] is not in them.^(M) ¹⁶For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,^(N) the lust of the eyes,^(O) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷The world and its desires pass away,^(P) but whoever does the will of God^(Q) lives forever.