Psalms 97

 ¹  The LORD is king!
  Let the earth rejoice!
  Let the farthest coastlands be glad.
 ²  Dark clouds surround him.
  Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
 ³  Fire spreads ahead of him
  and burns up all his foes.
 ⁴  His lightning flashes out across the world.
  The earth sees and trembles.
 ⁵  The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
  before the Lord of all the earth.
 ⁶  The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
  every nation sees his glory.
 ⁷  Those who worship idols are disgraced—
  all who brag about their worthless gods—
  for every god must bow to him.
 ⁸  Jerusalem [8]  has heard and rejoiced,
  and all the towns of Judah are glad
  because of your justice, O LORD!
 ⁹  For you, O LORD, are supreme over all the earth;
  you are exalted far above all gods.

 ¹⁰  You who love the LORD, hate evil!
  He protects the lives of his godly people
  and rescues them from the power of the wicked.
 ¹¹  Light shines on the godly,
  and joy on those whose hearts are right.
 ¹²  May all who are godly rejoice in the LORD
  and praise his holy name!

Psalms 98

A psalm.
 ¹  Sing a new song to the LORD,
  for he has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory;
  his holy arm has shown his saving power!
 ²  The LORD has announced his victory
  and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
 ³  He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel.
  The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

 ⁴  Shout to the LORD, all the earth;
  break out in praise and sing for joy!
 ⁵  Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp,
  with the harp and melodious song,
 ⁶  with trumpets and the sound of the ram's horn.
  Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the King!

 ⁷  Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in.  ⁸  Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!
  Let the hills sing out their songs of joy
 ⁹  before the LORD.
  For the LORD is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice,
  and the nations with fairness.

Psalms 99

 ¹  The LORD is king!
  Let the nations tremble!
He sits on his throne between the cherubim.
  Let the whole earth quake!
 ²  The LORD sits in majesty in Jerusalem, [2] 
  exalted above all the nations.
 ³  Let them praise your great and awesome name.
  Your name is holy!
 ⁴  Mighty King, lover of justice,
  you have established fairness.
You have acted with justice
  and righteousness throughout Israel. [4] 
 ⁵  Exalt the LORD our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!  ⁶  Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
  Samuel also called on his name.
They cried to the LORD for help,
  and he answered them.
 ⁷  He spoke to Israel from the pillar of cloud,
  and they followed the laws and decrees he gave them.
 ⁸  O LORD our God, you answered them.
  You were a forgiving God to them,
  but you punished them when they went wrong.

 ⁹  Exalt the LORD our God,
  and worship at his holy mountain in Jerusalem,
  for the LORD our God is holy!

<<  97:8 Hebrew Zion.
<<  99:2 Hebrew Zion.
<<  99:4 Hebrew Jacob. See note on 44:4.

Romans 16 : 1-26

Paul Greets His Friends
 ¹  I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea.  ²  Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God's people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.
   ³  Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus.  ⁴  In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches.  ⁵  Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home.
  Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.  ⁶  Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit.  ⁷  Greet Andronicus and Junia, [7]  my fellow Jews, [7]  who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.  ⁸  Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.  ⁹  Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
   ¹⁰  Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus.  ¹¹  Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. [11]  Greet the Lord's people from the household of Narcissus.  ¹²  Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord's workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord.  ¹³  Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.
   ¹⁴  Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters [14]  who meet with them.  ¹⁵  Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers [15]  who meet with them.  ¹⁶  Greet each other in Christian love. [16]  All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.

Paul's Final Instructions
 ¹⁷  And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people's faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.  ¹⁸  Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.  ¹⁹  But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.  ²⁰  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.    ²¹  Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
   ²²  I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord's followers.
   ²³  Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus. [23] 
   ²⁵  Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.  ²⁶  But now as the prophets [26]  foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.

<<  16:7a Junia is a feminine name. Some late manuscripts accent the word so it reads Junias, a masculine name; still others read Julia (feminine). 16:7b Or compatriots; also in 16:21.
<<  16:11 Or compatriot.
<<  16:14 Greek brothers; also in 16:17.
<<  16:15 Greek all of God's holy people.
<<  16:16 Greek with a sacred kiss.
<<  16:20 Some manuscripts read Lord Jesus Christ.
<<  16:23 Some manuscripts add verse 24, May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Still others add this sentence after verse 27.
<<  16:26 Greek the prophetic writings.