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Psalm 19

1  The heavens are telling the glory of God ♦︎
   and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2  One day pours out its song to another ♦︎
   and one night unfolds knowledge to another.
3  They have neither speech nor language ♦︎
   and their voices are not heard,
4  Yet their sound has gone out into all lands ♦︎
   and their words to the ends of the world.
5  In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun, ♦︎
   that comes forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber
      and rejoices as a champion to run his course.
6  It goes forth from the end of the heavens
      and runs to the very end again, ♦︎
   and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7  The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; ♦︎
   the testimony of the Lord is sure
      and gives wisdom to the simple.
8  The statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart; ♦︎
   the commandment of the Lord is pure
      and gives light to the eyes.
9  The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; ♦︎
   the judgements of the Lord are true
      and righteous altogether.
10  More to be desired are they than gold,
      more than much fine gold, ♦︎
   sweeter also than honey,
      dripping from the honeycomb.
11  By them also is your servant taught ♦︎
   and in keeping them there is great reward.
12  Who can tell how often they offend? ♦︎
   O cleanse me from my secret faults!
13  Keep your servant also from presumptuous sins
      lest they get dominion over me; ♦︎
   so shall I be undefiled,
      and innocent of great offence.
14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
      be acceptable in your sight, ♦︎
   O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

21The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
   he turns it wherever he will.
² All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,
   but the Lord weighs the heart.
³ To do righteousness and justice
   is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
   the lamp of the wicked—are sin.
⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
   but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.
⁶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
   is a fleeting vapour and a snare^* of death.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
   because they refuse to do what is just.
⁸ The way of the guilty is crooked,
   but the conduct of the pure is right.
⁹ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
   than in a house shared with a contentious wife.
¹⁰ The souls of the wicked desire evil;
   their neighbours find no mercy in their eyes.
¹¹ When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;
   when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.
¹² The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
   he casts the wicked down to ruin.
¹³ If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,
   you will cry out and not be heard.
¹⁴ A gift in secret averts anger;
   and a concealed bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
¹⁵ When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous,
   but dismay to evildoers.
¹⁶ Whoever wanders from the way of understanding
   will rest in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
   whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ ²⁴Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” ²⁶But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ ²⁷So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” ²⁹He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰The father^* went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. ³¹Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. ³²For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.