The prophet Micah has been lamenting the moral decay of Judah, where faithful people have vanished and everyone lies in wait to shed blood. He describes a society where family members betray one another, officials demand bribes, and judges accept payoffs. The powerful dictate what they desire, and they all conspire together in corruption. Micah declares that even the most upright person is like a brier, and the day of God's judgment announced by the watchmen has arrived. He warns that no one can trust neighbors or friends, and even a man's enemies will be members of his own household. Having painted this bleak picture of widespread corruption and broken relationships throughout Judah, Micah now turns from despair to hope, expressing his personal resolve to wait for God's deliverance despite the nation's dire circumstances.
[7] Therefore I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me.
[8] Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;
When I fall, I will arise;
When I sit in darkness,
The Lord will be a light to me.
[9] I will bear the indignation of the Lord,
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He pleads my case
And executes justice for me.
He will bring me forth to the light;
I will see His righteousness.
[10] Then she who is my enemy will see,
And shame will cover her who said to me,
“Where is the Lord your God?”
My eyes will see her;
Now she will be trampled down
Like mud in the streets.
Jesus has just revealed to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and rise again on the third day. Peter rebukes Jesus for speaking about His death, but Jesus sharply corrects Peter, calling him "Satan" and explaining that Peter is thinking from a human perspective rather than God's perspective. Jesus has just distinguished between human concerns focused on avoiding suffering and divine purposes that embrace the cross. This rebuke sets the stage for Jesus to explain the cost of following Him. Jesus is addressing His disciples.
[24] Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. [25] For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. [26] For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? [27] For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. [28] “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
In the opening of the Book of Wisdom, the author addresses rulers and judges, urging them to seek righteousness and wisdom while warning against wickedness and injustice. The text establishes that God created humanity for immortality and that death entered the world through the devil's envy. The author emphasizes that righteousness leads to immortality while ungodliness invites death. He cautions that God's spirit fills the world and knows all speech, so those who speak unjustly cannot escape divine notice. The passage then transitions to describe the reasoning and philosophy of the ungodly, contrasting their worldview with the righteous path previously outlined. The author is addressing those who seek wisdom and desire to understand the ways of the righteous versus the wicked.
[15] (for righteousness is immortal:)
[16] but ungodly men with their works and words called it to them: for when they thought to have it their friend, they consumed to nought, and made a covenant with it, because they are worthy to take part with it.
[1] For the ungodly said, reasoning with themselves, but not aright, Our life is short and tedious, and in the death of a man there is no remedy: neither was there any man known to have returned from the grave. [2] For we are born at all adventure: and we shall be hereafter as though we had never been: for the breath in our nostrils is as smoke, and a little spark in the moving of our heart: [3] which being extinguished, our body shall be turned into ashes, and our spirit shall vanish as the soft air, [4] and our name shall be forgotten in time, and no man shall have our works in remembrance, and our life shall pass away as the trace of a cloud, and shall be dispersed as a mist, that is driven away with the beams of the sun, and overcome with the heat thereof. [5] For our time is a very shadow that passeth away; and after our end there is no returning: for it is fast sealed, so that no man cometh again.
[6] Come on therefore, let us enjoy the good things that are present: and let us speedily use the creatures like as in youth. [7] Let us fill ourselves with costly wine and ointments: and let no flower of the spring pass by us: [8] let us crown ourselves with rosebuds, before they be withered: [9] let none of us go without his part of our voluptuousness: let us leave tokens of our joyfulness in every place: for this is our portion, and our lot is this.
[10] Let us oppress the poor righteous man, let us not spare the widow, nor reverence the ancient gray hairs of the aged. [11] Let our strength be the law of justice: for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth. [12] Therefore let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings: he upbraideth us with our offending the law, and objecteth to our infamy the transgressings of our education. [13] He professeth to have the knowledge of God: and he calleth himself the child of the Lord. [14] He was made to reprove our thoughts. [15] He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion. [16] We are esteemed of him as counterfeits: he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness: he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed, and maketh his boast that God is his father. [17] Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him. [18] For if the just man be the son of God, he will help him, and deliver him from the hand of his enemies. [19] Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience. [20] Let us condemn him with a shameful death: for by his own saying he shall be respected.
[21] Such things they did imagine, and were deceived: for their own wickedness hath blinded them. [22] As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousness, nor discerned a reward for blameless souls.
Paul writes from prison, likely in Rome, where he has been detained for preaching the gospel. Despite his imprisonment, the advancement of Christ's message has continued and even accelerated. His chains have become known throughout the imperial guard and beyond as being for Christ's sake. Other believers have grown bolder in proclaiming the word without fear because of Paul's example. Some preach Christ from genuine goodwill and love, knowing Paul is appointed for the defense of the gospel. Others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition and rivalry, hoping to add affliction to Paul's imprisonment. Nevertheless, Paul finds reason to rejoice because Christ is being proclaimed regardless of the motives involved. Paul is addressing the Christian community at Philippi.
[12] But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, [13] so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; [14] and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
[15] Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: [16] The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; [17] but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. [18] What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
[19] For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, [20] according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. [21] For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.