God Who Judges the Earth
To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam1 of David.
1 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?2
Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;
your hands deal out violence on earth.
3 The wicked are hestranged from the womb;
they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
4 They have venom like the ivenom of a serpent,
like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
5 so that it does not hear the voice of jcharmers
or of the cunning enchanter.
6 O God, kbreak the teeth in their mouths;
tear out the fangs of the young llions, O Lord!
7 Let them vanish like water that runs away;
when he maims his arrows, let them be blunted.
8 Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime,
like the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,
whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!3
10 nThe righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
he will bathe his ofeet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
surely there is a pGod who judges on earth.”
Children and Parents
1 nChildren, oobey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 p“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 qFathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but rbring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Bondservants and Masters
5 sBondservants,1 tobey your earthly masters2 with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, uas you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this vhe will receive back from the Lord, wwhether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is xboth their Master3 and yours is in heaven, and that there is yno partiality with him.
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, zbe strong in the Lord and in the astrength of his might. 11 bPut on the cwhole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the drulers, against the authorities, against the ecosmic powers over this present fdarkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the gheavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the hevil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the ibelt of truth, and having put on the jbreastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as kshoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the lshield of faith, with which you can mextinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the nhelmet of salvation, and the osword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 ppraying qat all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, rkeep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and salso for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth tboldly to proclaim the umystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an vambassador win chains, that I may declare it boldly, xas I ought to speak.
Final Greetings
21 ySo that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, zTychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may aencourage your hearts.
23 Peace be to the brothers,4 and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
