Read The One Year Bible TLB Online
Authors: Tyndale
The One Year Bible TLB (118 page)
We can make our plans, but the final outcome is in God’s hands.
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We can always “prove” that we are right, but is the Lord convinced?
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Commit your work to the Lord, then it will succeed.
May 27So the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to tell David this story:
“There were two men in a certain city, one very rich, owning many flocks of sheep and herds of goats;
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and the other very poor, owning nothing but a little lamb he had managed to buy. It was his children’s pet, and he fed it from his own plate and let it drink from his own cup; he cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter.
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Recently a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing a lamb from his own flocks for food for the traveler, he took the poor man’s lamb and roasted it and served it.”
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David was furious. “I swear by the living God,” he vowed, “any man who would do a thing like that should be put to death;
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he shall repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
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Then Nathan said to David,
“You
are that rich man! The Lord God of Israel says, ‘I made you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.
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I gave you his palace and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah; and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.
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Why, then, have you despised the laws of God and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah and stolen his wife.
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Therefore murder shall be a constant threat in your family from this time on because you have insulted me by taking Uriah’s wife.
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I vow that because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man, and he will go to bed with them in public view.
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You did it secretly, but I will do this to you openly, in the sight of all Israel.’”
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“I have sinned against the Lord,” David confessed to Nathan.
Then Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.
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But you have given great opportunity to the enemies of the Lord to despise and blaspheme him, so your child shall die.”
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Then Nathan returned to his home. And the Lord made Bathsheba’s baby deathly sick.
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David begged him to spare the child and went without food, and lay all night before the Lord on the bare earth.
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The leaders of the nation pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.
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Then, on the seventh day, the baby died. David’s aides were afraid to tell him.
“He was so broken up about the baby being sick,” they said, “what will he do to himself when we tell him the child is dead?”
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But when David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened.
“Is the baby dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is.”
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Then David got up off the ground, washed himself, brushed his hair, changed his clothes, and went into the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. Then he returned to the palace and ate.
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His aides were amazed.
“We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the baby was still living, you wept and refused to eat; but now that the baby is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”
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David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’
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But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
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Then David comforted Bathsheba; and when he slept with her, she conceived and gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. And the Lord loved the baby,
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and sent congratulations
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and blessings through Nathan the prophet. David nicknamed the baby Jedidiah (meaning, “Beloved of Jehovah”) because of the Lord’s interest.
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Meanwhile Joab and the Israeli army were successfully ending their siege of Rabbah the capital of Ammon. Joab sent messengers to tell David, “Rabbah and its beautiful harbor are ours!
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Now bring the rest of the army and finish the job, so that you will get the credit for the victory instead of me.”
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So David led his army to Rabbah and captured it. Tremendous amounts of loot were carried back to Jerusalem, and David took the king of Rabbah’s crown—a $50,000 treasure made from solid gold set with gems—and placed it on his own head.
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He made slaves of the people of the city and made them labor with saws, picks, and axes and work in the brick kilns;
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that is the way he treated all of the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and the army returned to Jerusalem.
“I have told you these things so that you won’t be staggered by all that lies ahead.
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For you will be excommunicated from the synagogues, and indeed the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing God a service.
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This is because they have never known the Father or me.
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Yes, I’m telling you these things now so that when they happen you will remember I warned you. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.
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“But now I am going away to the one who sent me; and none of you seems interested in the purpose of my going; none wonders why.
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Instead you are only filled with sorrow.
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But the fact of the matter is that it is best for you that I go away, for if I don’t, the Comforter won’t come. If I do, he will—for I will send him to you.
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“And when he has come he will convince the world of its sin, and of the availability of God’s goodness, and of deliverance from judgment.
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The world’s sin is unbelief in me;
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there is righteousness available because I go to the Father and you shall see me no more;
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there is deliverance from judgment because the prince of this world has already been judged.
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“Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t understand it now.
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When the Holy Spirit, who is truth, comes, he shall guide you into all truth, for he will not be presenting his own ideas, but will be passing on to you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
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He shall praise me and bring me great honor by showing you my glory.
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All the Father’s glory is mine; this is what I mean when I say that he will show you my glory.
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“In just a little while I will be gone, and you will see me no more; but just a little while after that, and you will see me again!”
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“Whatever is he saying?” some of his disciples asked. “What is this about ‘going to the Father’? We don’t know what he means.”
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Jesus realized they wanted to ask him so he said,
“Are you asking yourselves what I mean?
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The world will greatly rejoice over what is going to happen to me, and you will weep. But your weeping shall suddenly be turned to wonderful joy when you see me again.
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It will be the same joy as that of a woman in labor when her child is born—her anguish gives place to rapturous joy and the pain is forgotten.
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You have sorrow now, but I will see you again and then you will rejoice; and no one can rob you of that joy.
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At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything, for you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and he will give you what you ask for because you use my name.
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You haven’t tried this before, but begin now.
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Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and your cup of joy will overflow.
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“I have spoken of these matters very guardedly, but the time will come when this will not be necessary and I will tell you plainly all about the Father.
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Then you will present your petitions over my signature!
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And I won’t need to ask the Father to grant you these requests,
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for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from the Father.
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Yes, I came from the Father into the world and will leave the world and return to the Father.”
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“At last you are speaking plainly,” his disciples said, “and not in riddles.
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Now we understand that you know everything and don’t need anyone to tell you anything.
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From this we believe that you came from God.”
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“Do you finally believe this?”
Jesus asked.
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“But the time is coming—in fact, it is here—when you will be scattered, each one returning to his own home, leaving me alone. Yet I will not be alone, for the Father is with me.
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I have told you all this so that you will have peace of heart and mind. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows; but cheer up, for I have overcome the world.”
Lord, I am overflowing with your blessings, just as you promised.
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Now teach me good judgment as well as knowledge. For your laws are my guide.
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I used to wander off until you punished me; now I closely follow all you say.
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You are good and do only good; make me follow your lead.
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Proud men have made up lies about me, but the truth is that I obey your laws with all my heart.
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Their minds are dull and stupid, but I have sense enough to follow you.
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The punishment you gave me was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws. They are more valuable to me than millions in silver and gold!
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You made my body, Lord; now give me sense to heed your laws.
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All those who fear and trust in you will welcome me because I too am trusting in your Word.
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I know, O Lord, that your decisions are right and that your punishment was right and did me good. Now let your loving-kindness comfort me, just as you promised. Surround me with your tender mercies that I may live. For your law is my delight.
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Let the proud be disgraced, for they have cut me down with all their lies. But I will concentrate my thoughts upon your laws.
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Let all others join me who trust and fear you, and we will discuss your laws.
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Help me to love your every wish; then I will never have to be ashamed of myself.
The Lord has made everything for his own purposes—even the wicked for punishment.
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Pride disgusts the Lord. Take my word for it
—proud men shall be punished.
May 28Prince Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Prince Amnon (her half brother) fell desperately in love with her.
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Amnon became so tormented by his love for her that he became ill. He had no way of talking to her, for the girls and young men were kept strictly apart.
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But Amnon had a very crafty friend—his cousin Jonadab (the son of David’s brother Shimeah).
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One day Jonadab said to Amnon, “What’s the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so haggard morning after morning?”
So Amnon told him, “I am in love with Tamar, my half sister.”
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“Well,” Jonadab said, “I’ll tell you what to do. Go back to bed and pretend you are sick; when your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you’ll feel better if she feeds you.”
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So Amnon did. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him for this favor—that his sister Tamar be permitted to come and cook a little something for him to eat.
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David agreed and sent word to Tamar to go to Amnon’s quarters and prepare some food for him.
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So she did and went into his bedroom so that he could watch her mix some dough; then she baked some special bread for him.
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But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat!
“Everyone get out of here,” he told his servants; so they all left the apartment.
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Then he said to Tamar, “Now bring me the food again here in my bedroom and feed it to me.” So Tamar took it to him.
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But as she was standing there before him, he grabbed her and demanded, “Come to bed with me, my darling.”
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“Oh, Amnon,” she cried. “Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! You know what a serious crime it is in Israel.
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Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, for he will let you marry me.”
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But he wouldn’t listen to her; and since he was stronger than she, he forced her.
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Then suddenly his love turned to hate, and now he hated her more than he had loved her.
“Get out of here!” he snarled at her.
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“No, no!” she cried. “To reject me now is a greater crime than the other you did to me.”
But he wouldn’t listen to her.
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He shouted for his valet and demanded, “Throw this woman out and lock the door behind her.”
So he put her out. She was wearing a long robe with sleeves, as was the custom in those days for virgin daughters of the king.
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Now she tore the robe and put ashes on her head and with her head in her hands went away crying.
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Her brother Absalom asked her, “Is it true that Amnon raped you? Don’t be so upset, since it’s all in the family anyway. It’s not anything to worry about!”
So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s quarters.
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When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry, but Absalom said nothing one way or the other about this to Amnon. However, he hated him with a deep hatred because of what he had done to his sister. Then, two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor in Ephraim, Absalom invited his father and all his brothers to come to a feast to celebrate the occasion.
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The king replied, “No, my boy; if we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.”
Absalom pressed him, but he wouldn’t come, though he sent his thanks.
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“Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon instead?”
“Why Amnon?” the king asked.
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Absalom kept on urging the matter until finally the king agreed and let all of his sons attend, including Amnon.
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Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk, then, at my signal, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who gives the orders around here, and this is a command. Take courage and do it!”
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So they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled. As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, the report reached David: “Absalom has killed all of your sons, and not one is left alive!”
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The king jumped up, ripped off his robe, and fell prostrate to the ground. His aides also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.
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But just then Jonadab (the son of David’s brother Shimeah) arrived and said, “No, not all have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped Tamar. No, no! Your sons aren’t all dead! It was only Amnon.”
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Meanwhile Absalom escaped. Now the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming toward the city along the road at the side of the hill.
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“See!” Jonadab told the king. “There they are now! Your sons are coming, just as I said.”
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They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and his officials wept with them.
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Absalom fled to King Talmai of Geshur
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(the son of Ammihud) and stayed there three years. Meanwhile David, now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed day after day for fellowship with his son Absalom.
When Jesus had finished saying all these things he looked up to heaven and said,
“Father, the time has come. Reveal the glory of your Son so that he can give the glory back to you.
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For you have given him authority over every man and woman in all the earth. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him.
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And this is the way to have eternal life—by knowing you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth!
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I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to.
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And now, Father, reveal my glory as I stand in your presence, the glory we shared before the world began.
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“I have told these men all about you. They were in the world, but then you gave them to me. Actually, they were always yours, and you gave them to me; and they have obeyed you.
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Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you,
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for I have passed on to them the commands you gave me; and they accepted them and know of a certainty that I came down to earth from you, and they believe you sent me.
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“My plea is not for the world but for those you have given me because they belong to you.
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And all of them, since they are mine, belong to you; and you have given them back to me with everything else of yours, and so
they are my glory!
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Now I am leaving the world, and leaving them behind, and coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your own care—all those you have given me—so that they will be united just as we are, with none missing.
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During my time here I have kept safe within your family all of these you gave me.
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I guarded them so that not one perished, except the son of hell, as the Scriptures foretold.
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“And now I am coming to you. I have told them many things while I was with them so that they would be filled with my joy.
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I have given them your commands. And the world hates them because they don’t fit in with it, just as I don’t.
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I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from Satan’s power.
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They are not part of this world any more than I am.
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Make them pure and holy through teaching them your words of truth.
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As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world,
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and I consecrate myself to meet their need for growth in truth and holiness.
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“I am not praying for these alone but also for the future believers who will come to me because of the testimony of these.
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My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.
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“I have given them the glory you gave me—the glorious unity of being one, as we are—
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I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one—so that the world will know you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me.
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Father, I want them with me—these you’ve given me—so that they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me before the world began!
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“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me.
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And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you so that the mighty love you have for me may be in them, and I in them.”
I faint for your salvation; but I expect your help, for you have promised it.
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My eyes are straining to see your promises come true. When will you comfort me with your help?
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I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke, exhausted with waiting. But still I cling to your laws and obey them.
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How long must I wait before you punish those who persecute me?
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These proud men who hate your truth and laws have dug deep pits for me to fall in. Their lies have brought me into deep trouble. Help me, for you love only truth.
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They had almost finished me off, yet I refused to yield and disobey your laws.
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In your kindness, spare my life; then I can continue to obey you.
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Forever, O Lord, your Word stands firm in heaven.
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Your faithfulness extends to every generation, like the earth you created; it endures by your decree, for everything serves your plans.
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I would have despaired and perished unless your laws had been my deepest delight.
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I will never lay aside your laws, for you have used them to restore my joy and health.
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I am yours! Save me! For I have tried to live according to your desires.
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Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind upon your promises.
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Nothing is perfect except your words.
Iniquity is atoned for by mercy and truth; evil is avoided by reverence for God.
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When a man is trying to please God, God makes even his worst enemies to be at peace with him.