They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law.
When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.
For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—
Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
Now therefore send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not stay tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’”
And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.