2 Corinthians 3:4–9; Psalm 34; Mark 7:31–37

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2 Corinthians 3:4–9

ySuch is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. zNot that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but aour sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be bministers of ca new covenant, not of dthe letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but ethe Spirit gives life.

Now if fthe ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory gthat the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in hthe ministry of condemnation, ithe ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.


Psalm 34

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

1 Of David, when he nchanged his behavior before oAbimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

I will bless the Lord pat all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul qmakes its boast in the Lord;

let the humble hear and rbe glad.

Oh, smagnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!

I tsought the Lord, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are uradiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

vThis poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

and wsaved him out of all his troubles.

xThe angel of the Lord yencamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Oh, ztaste and see that athe Lord is good!

bBlessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no lack!

10  cThe young lions suffer want and hunger;

but those who dseek the Lord lack no good thing.

11  eCome, O children, listen to me;

fI will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12  gWhat man is there who desires life

and loves many days, that he may hsee good?

13  iKeep your tongue from evil

and your lips from jspeaking deceit.

14  kTurn away from evil and do good;

seek peace and lpursue it.

15  mThe eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous

nand his ears toward their cry.

16  oThe face of the Lord is against those who do evil,

to pcut off the memory of them from the earth.

17  nWhen the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

18  The Lord is near to qthe brokenhearted

and saves rthe crushed in spirit.

19  sMany are the afflictions of the righteous,

tbut the Lord delivers him out of them all.

20  He keeps all his bones;

unot one of them is broken.

21  vAffliction will slay the wicked,

and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

22  The Lord wredeems the life of his servants;

none of those who take refuge in him will be xcondemned.


Mark 7:31–37

Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

31 aThen he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to bthe Sea of Galilee, in the region of the cDecapolis. 32 And they brought to him da man who was deaf and dhad a speech impediment, and they begged him to elay his hand on him. 33 And ftaking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and fafter spitting touched his tongue. 34 And glooking up to heaven, hhe sighed and said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 dAnd his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And iJesus1 charged them to tell no one. But jthe more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were kastonished beyond measure, saying, He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.