The Bible, quoted
in its own voices.

Have mercy on me, LORD. See my affliction by those who hate me, and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may show all of your praise. I will rejoice in your salvation in the gates of the daughter of Zion. The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made. In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken. The LORD has made himself known. He has executed judgment. The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah. The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol, even all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever. Arise, LORD! Don’t let man prevail. Let the nations be judged in your sight. Put them in fear, LORD. Let the nations know that they are only men. Selah.

Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews, to Greeks, or to the assembly of God; even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.

Now the upper rooms were shorter; for the galleries took away from these more than from the lower and the middle in the building. For they were in three stories, and they didn’t have pillars as the pillars of the courts. Therefore the uppermost was set back more than the lowest and the middle from the ground. The wall that was outside by the side of the rooms, toward the outer court before the rooms, was fifty cubits long. For the length of the rooms that were in the outer court was fifty cubits. Behold, those facing the temple were one hundred cubits. From under these rooms was the entry on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge. He who robs his father and drives away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach. If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge. A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity. Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

“For the Lord GOD says: ‘When I make you a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep on you, and the great waters cover you, then I will bring you down with those who descend into the pit, to the people of old time, and will make you dwell in the lower parts of the earth, in the places that are desolate of old, with those who go down to the pit, that you be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living. I will make you a terror, and you will no more have any being. Though you are sought for, yet you will never be found again,’ says the Lord GOD.”

and the LORD has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many within the land. If there is a tenth left in it, that also will in turn be consumed, as a terebinth, and as an oak whose stump remains when they are cut down, so the holy seed is its stump.”

To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ, to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory.

Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying. For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that perhaps there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots, that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness, sexual immorality, and lustfulness which they committed.

Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers. All vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t, for it is sealed;” and the book is delivered to one who is not educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t read.” The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught; therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden.”

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness. He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Like a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.