NKJV

Old Testament

The Second Book of Samuel: Chapter 22:17-31

"He sent from above, He took me,
He drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me;
For they were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.

He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.

"The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.

For all His judgments were before me;
And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.

I was also blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.

Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to my cleanness in His eyes.

"With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;

With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.

You will save the humble people;
But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down.

"For You are my lamp, O Lord;
The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.

For by You I can run against a troop;
By my God I can leap over a wall.

As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

New Testament

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians: Chapter 4:1-6-14-21

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God.

Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us--and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?