1
Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3
Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
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Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
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Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
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Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
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For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8
Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9
And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10
All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
11
False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
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They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
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But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14
I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15
But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
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With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
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Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18
I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19
Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
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For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
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Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
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This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23
Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
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Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25
Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
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Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
27
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28
And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
1
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9
For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
10
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12
The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13
The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15
Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16
A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
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For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
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The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
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They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
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But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22
For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
24
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
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I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
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He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
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Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
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For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
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The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
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The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
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The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
32
The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
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The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
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Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
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But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40
And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
1
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2
Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
3
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4
That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
5
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7
And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8
And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
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According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
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And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
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And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
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And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
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But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
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And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
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And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
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And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
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And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19
And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20
And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
21
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
22
And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23
And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
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Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
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And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
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To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
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And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
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For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
40
And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
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And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
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For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
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And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
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And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
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And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
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For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
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For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
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He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
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He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
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He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
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He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
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As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
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And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
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Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
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And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
59
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60
And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
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And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
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And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
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And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
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And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
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And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
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And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
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Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
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And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
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As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
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That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
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To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
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The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
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That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
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In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
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And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
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To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
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Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
1
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2
And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
21
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23
As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24
And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
25
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
28
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
30
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
33
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
34
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35
Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
37
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39
And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
40
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
41
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
42
And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
43
And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
44
But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
45
And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46
And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47
And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48
And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
49
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
50
And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
51
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
