Proverbs 21

Proverbs 21

1 The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD;
  he guides it wherever he pleases.

2 People may be right in their own eyes,
  but the LORD examines their heart.

3 The LORD is more pleased when we do what is right and just
  than when we offer him sacrifices.

4 Haughty eyes, a proud heart,
  and evil actions are all sin.

5 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
  but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

6 Wealth created by a lying tongue
  is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.*

7 The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,
  because they refuse to do what is just.

8 The guilty walk a crooked path;
  the innocent travel a straight road.

9 It's better to live alone in the corner of an attic
  than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.

10 Evil people desire evil;
  their neighbors get no mercy from them.

11 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise;
  if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

12 The Righteous One* knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked;
  he will bring disaster on them.

13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor
  will be ignored in their own time of need.

14 A secret gift calms anger;
  a bribe under the table pacifies fury.

15 Justice is a joy to the godly,
  but it terrifies evildoers.

16 The person who strays from common sense
  will end up in the company of the dead.

17 Those who love pleasure become poor;
  those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.

18 The wicked are punished in place of the godly,
  and traitors in place of the honest.

19 It's better to live alone in the desert
  than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.

20 The wise have wealth and luxury,
  but fools spend whatever they get.

21 Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love
  will find life, righteousness, and honor.

22 The wise conquer the city of the strong
  and level the fortress in which they trust.

23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,
  and you will stay out of trouble.

24 Mockers are proud and haughty;
  they act with boundless arrogance.

25 Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin,
  for their hands refuse to work.

26 Some people are always greedy for more,
  but the godly love to give!

27 The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable,
  especially when it is offered with wrong motives.

28 A false witness will be cut off,
  but a credible witness will be allowed to speak.

29 The wicked bluff their way through,
  but the virtuous think before they act.

30 No human wisdom or understanding or plan
  can stand against the LORD.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
  but the victory belongs to the LORD.

Daniel 3

Daniel 3

NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S GOLD STATUE

1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide* and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up.3 So all these officials* came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

  4 Then a herald shouted out, "People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king's command!5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments,* bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue.6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."

  7 So at the sound of the musical instruments,* all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

  8 But some of the astrologers* went to the king and informed on the Jews.9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "Long live the king!10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments.11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace.12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up."

  13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in,14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments.* But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?"

  16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.18 But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."

THE BLAZING FURNACE

19 Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual.20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments.22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in.23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.

 24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?"
  "Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did," they replied.

  25 "Look!" Nebuchadnezzar shouted. "I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god*!"

  26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"

  So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire.27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn't even smell of smoke!

  28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king's command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!"

  30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

Daniel 2

Daniel 2

NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM

1 One night during the second year of his reign,* Nebuchadnezzar had such disturbing dreams that he couldn't sleep.2 He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers,* and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king,3 he said, "I have had a dream that deeply troubles me, and I must know what it means."

  4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic,* "Long live the king! Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means."

  5 But the king said to the astrologers, "I am serious about this. If you don't tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into heaps of rubble!6 But if you tell me what I dreamed and what the dream means, I will give you many wonderful gifts and honors. Just tell me the dream and what it means!"

  7 They said again, "Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means."

  8 The king replied, "I know what you are doing! You're stalling for time because you know I am serious when I say,9 'If you don't tell me the dream, you are doomed.' So you have conspired to tell me lies, hoping I will change my mind. But tell me the dream, and then I'll know that you can tell me what it means."

  10 The astrologers replied to the king, "No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer!11 The king's demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people."

  12 The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed.13 And because of the king's decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends.

  14 When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion.15 He asked Arioch, "Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?" So Arioch told him all that had happened.16 Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant.

  17 Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened.18 He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.19 That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.20 He said,

"Praise the name of God forever and ever,
  for he has all wisdom and power.
21 He controls the course of world events;
  he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
  and knowledge to the scholars.
22 He reveals deep and mysterious things
  and knows what lies hidden in darkness,
  though he is surrounded by light.
23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors,
  for you have given me wisdom and strength.
You have told me what we asked of you
  and revealed to us what the king demanded."

DANIEL INTERPRETS THE DREAM

24 Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, "Don't kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream."

  25 Arioch quickly took Daniel to the king and said, "I have found one of the captives from Judah who will tell the king the meaning of his dream!"

  26 The king said to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar), "Is this true? Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?"

  27 Daniel replied, "There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king's secret.28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.

  29 "While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events. He who reveals secrets has shown you what is going to happen.30 And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart.

  31 "In your vision, Your Majesty, you saw standing before you a huge, shining statue of a man. It was a frightening sight.32 The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze,33 its legs were iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and baked clay.34 As you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits.35 The whole statue was crushed into small pieces of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. Then the wind blew them away without a trace, like chaff on a threshing floor. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.

  36 "That was the dream. Now we will tell the king what it means.37 Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor.38 He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the wild animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold.

  39 "But after your kingdom comes to an end, another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third kingdom, represented by bronze, will rise to rule the world.40 Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth one, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes.41 The feet and toes you saw were a combination of iron and baked clay, showing that this kingdom will be divided. Like iron mixed with clay, it will have some of the strength of iron.42 But while some parts of it will be as strong as iron, other parts will be as weak as clay.43 This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But they will not hold together, just as iron and clay do not mix.

  44 "During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.45 That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain, though not by human hands, that crushed to pieces the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God was showing the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain."

NEBUCHADNEZZAR REWARDS DANIEL

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar threw himself down before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense before him.47 The king said to Daniel, "Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret."

 48 Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men.49 At Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king's court.

Daniel 1

Daniel 1

DANIEL IN NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S COURT

1 During the third year of King Jehoiakim's reign in Judah,* King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia* and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.

  3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah's royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives.4 "Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men," he said. "Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.*"5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.

  6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah.7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:

Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego.

  8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel.10 But he responded, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded."

  11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.12 "Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water," Daniel said.13 "At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king's food. Then make your decision in light of what you see."14 The attendant agreed to Daniel's suggestion and tested them for ten days.

  15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king.16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.

  17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.

  18 When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar.19 The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service.20 Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.

  21 Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus.*

Psalm 47

Psalm 47

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF THE DESCENDANTS OF KORAH.

1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands!
  Shout to God with joyful praise!

2 For the LORD Most High is awesome.
  He is the great King of all the earth.

3 He subdues the nations before us,
  putting our enemies beneath our feet.

4 He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance,
  the proud possession of Jacob's descendants, whom he loves. 

 Interlude

5 God has ascended with a mighty shout.
  The LORD has ascended with trumpets blaring.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
  sing praises to our King, sing praises!

7 For God is the King over all the earth.
  Praise him with a psalm.*

8 God reigns above the nations,
  sitting on his holy throne.

9 The rulers of the world have gathered together
  with the people of the God of Abraham.
For all the kings of the earth belong to God.
  He is highly honored everywhere.

Psalm 45

Psalm 45

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A LOVE SONG TO BE SUNG TO THE TUNE "LILIES." A PSALM* OF THE DESCENDANTS OF KORAH.

1 Beautiful words stir my heart.
  I will recite a lovely poem about the king,
  for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.

2 You are the most handsome of all.
  Gracious words stream from your lips.
  God himself has blessed you forever.

3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!
  You are so glorious, so majestic!

4 In your majesty, ride out to victory,
  defending truth, humility, and justice.
  Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

5 Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies' hearts.
  The nations fall beneath your feet.

6 Your throne, O God,* endures forever and ever.
  You rule with a scepter of justice.

7 You love justice and hate evil.
  Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,
  pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.

8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume your robes.
  In ivory palaces the music of strings entertains you.

9 Kings' daughters are among your noble women.
  At your right side stands the queen,
  wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!

10 Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say.
  Forget your people and your family far away.

11 For your royal husband delights in your beauty;
  honor him, for he is your lord.

12 The princess of Tyre* will shower you with gifts.
  The wealthy will beg your favor.

13 The bride, a princess, looks glorious
  in her golden gown.

14 In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king,
  accompanied by her bridesmaids.

15 What a joyful and enthusiastic procession
  as they enter the king's palace!


16 Your sons will become kings like their father.
  You will make them rulers over many lands.

17 I will bring honor to your name in every generation.
  Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.

Psalm 44

Psalm 44

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A PSALM* OF THE DESCENDANTS OF KORAH.

1 O God, we have heard it with our own ears—
  our ancestors have told us
of all you did in their day,
  in days long ago:

2 You drove out the pagan nations by your power
  and gave all the land to our ancestors.
You crushed their enemies
  and set our ancestors free.

3 They did not conquer the land with their swords;
  it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory.
It was your right hand and strong arm
  and the blinding light from your face that helped them,
  for you loved them.

4 You are my King and my God.

You command victories for Israel.*

5 Only by your power can we push back our enemies;

 only in your name can we trample our foes.

6 I do not trust in my bow;
  I do not count on my sword to save me.

7 You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies;
  you disgrace those who hate us.

8 O God, we give glory to you all day long
  and constantly praise your name.   

Interlude

9 But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor.
  You no longer lead our armies to battle.

10 You make us retreat from our enemies
  and allow those who hate us to plunder our land.

11 You have butchered us like sheep
  and scattered us among the nations.

12 You sold your precious people for a pittance,
  making nothing on the sale.

13 You let our neighbors mock us.
  We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us.

14 You have made us the butt of their jokes;
  they shake their heads at us in scorn.

15 We can't escape the constant humiliation;
  shame is written across our faces.

16 All we hear are the taunts of our mockers.
  All we see are our vengeful enemies.

17 All this has happened though we have not forgotten you.
  We have not violated your covenant.

18 Our hearts have not deserted you.
  We have not strayed from your path.

19 Yet you have crushed us in the jackal's desert home.
  You have covered us with darkness and death.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
  or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods,

21 God would surely have known it,
  for he knows the secrets of every heart.

22 But for your sake we are killed every day;
  we are being slaughtered like sheep.

23 Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?
  Get up! Do not reject us forever.

24 Why do you look the other way?
  Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?

25 We collapse in the dust,
  lying face down in the dirt.

26 Rise up! Help us!
  Ransom us because of your unfailing love.

Psalm 43

Psalm 43

1 Declare me innocent, O God!
  Defend me against these ungodly people.
  Rescue me from these unjust liars.

2 For you are God, my only safe haven.
  Why have you tossed me aside?
Why must I wander around in grief,
  oppressed by my enemies?

3 Send out your light and your truth;
  let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
  to the place where you live.

4 There I will go to the altar of God,
  to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
  O God, my God!

5 Why am I discouraged?
  Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
  I will praise him again—
  my Savior and my God!

Psalm 42

Psalm 42

For the choir director: A psalm* of the descendants of Korah.

1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
  so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
  When can I go and stand before him?
3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
  while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
  "Where is this God of yours?"

4 My heart is breaking
  as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
  leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
  amid the sound of a great celebration!

5 Why am I discouraged?
  Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
  I will praise him again—
  my Savior and6 my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged,
  but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
  from the land of Mount Mizar.
7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas
  as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
8 But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,
  and through each night I sing his songs,
  praying to God who gives me life.

9 "O God my rock," I cry,
  "Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
  oppressed by my enemies?"
10 Their taunts break my bones.
  They scoff, "Where is this God of yours?"

11 Why am I discouraged?
  Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
  I will praise him again—
  my Savior and my God!

Psalm 41

Psalm 41

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID.

1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!
  The LORD rescues them when they are in trouble.
2 The LORD protects them
  and keeps them alive.
He gives them prosperity in the land
  and rescues them from their enemies.
3 The LORD nurses them when they are sick
  and restores them to health.

4 "O LORD," I prayed, "have mercy on me.
  Heal me, for I have sinned against you."
5 But my enemies say nothing but evil about me.
  "How soon will he die and be forgotten?" they ask.
6 They visit me as if they were my friends,
  but all the while they gather gossip,
  and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
7 All who hate me whisper about me,
  imagining the worst.
8 "He has some fatal disease," they say.
  "He will never get out of that bed!"
9 Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely,
  the one who shared my food, has turned against me.

10 LORD, have mercy on me.
  Make me well again, so I can pay them back!
11 I know you are pleased with me,
  for you have not let my enemies triumph over me.
12 You have preserved my life because I am innocent;
  you have brought me into your presence forever.

13 Praise the LORD, the God of Israel,
  who lives from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and amen!

Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2

He Tore Down the Wall

1-6 It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

7-10 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

11-13 But don’t take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God’s ways had no idea of any of this, didn’t know the first thing about the way God works, hadn’t the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God’s covenants and promises in Israel, hadn’t a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.

14-15 The Messiah has made things up between us so that we’re now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.

16-18 Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.

19-22 That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.