Sin Separates Us from God (Psalm 14:1–7; Psalm 53:1–6; Romans 3:9–20)
1 RV Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: BSB BSB: Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.
2 RV but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. BSB BSB: But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.
3 RV For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue muttereth wickedness. BSB BSB: For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice.
4 RV None sueth in righteousness, and none pleadeth in truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. BSB BSB: No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case honestly. They rely on empty pleas; they tell lies; they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
5 RV They hatch basilisks’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. BSB BSB: They hatch the eggs of vipers and weave a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die; crack one open, and a viper is hatched.
6 RV Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. BSB BSB: Their cobwebs cannot be made into clothing, and they cannot cover themselves with their works. Their deeds are sinful deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands.
7 RV Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation ard destruction are in their paths. BSB BSB: Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
8 RV The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace. BSB BSB: The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their tracks. They have turned them into crooked paths; no one who treads on them will know peace.
9 RV Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth righteousness overtake us: we look for light, but behold darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity. BSB BSB: Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
10 RV We grope for the wall like the blind, yea, we grope as they that have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among them that are lusty we are as dead men. BSB BSB: Like the blind, we feel our way along the wall, groping like those without eyes. We stumble at midday as in the twilight; among the vigorous we are like the dead.
11 RV We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. BSB BSB: We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but find none, for salvation, but it is far from us.
12 RV For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them: BSB BSB: For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us. Our transgressions are indeed with us, and we know our iniquities:
13 RV in transgressing and denying the LORD, and turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. BSB BSB: rebelling and denying the LORD, turning away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lies from the heart.
14 RV And judgment is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. BSB BSB: So justice is turned away, and righteousness stands at a distance. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.
15 RV Yea, truth is lacking; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. BSB BSB: Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil becomes prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.
16 RV And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his own arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it upheld him. BSB BSB: He saw that there was no man; He was amazed that there was no one to intercede. So His own arm brought salvation, and His own righteousness sustained Him.
17 RV And he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. BSB BSB: He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in a cloak of zeal.
The Covenant of the Redeemer 18 RV According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. BSB BSB: So He will repay according to their deeds: fury to His enemies, retribution to His foes, and recompense to the islands.
19 RV So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun: for he shall come as a rushing stream, which the breath of the LORD driveth. BSB BSB: So shall they fear the name of the LORD where the sun sets, and His glory where it rises. For He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD.
20 RV And a redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. BSB BSB: “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD.
21 RV And as for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD: my spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. BSB BSB: “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and grandchildren, from now on and forevermore,” says the LORD.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.