Voices of Scripture
Every passage is traced to the person behind it — stated in the text,
carried by tradition, or spoken where no author is named.
You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience. We also all once lived among them in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
The letter names Paul as author; many scholars dispute this.
For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds. For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he didn’t open his mouth. He was taken away by oppression and judgment. As for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people? They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days and the LORD’s pleasure will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion with the great. He will divide the plunder with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
1 Peter 1:1 names Peter.
“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you. You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, the LORD of Armies is your name: great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of men, to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings; who performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even to this day, both in Israel and among other men; and made yourself a name, as it is today; and brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, with wonders, with a strong hand, with an outstretched arm, and with great terror; and gave them this land, which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Jeremiah 1:1 names Jeremiah.
Then again I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll. He said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.” Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land, for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side; and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side. I will cause it to go out,” says the LORD of Armies, “and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the middle of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones.” Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is that is appearing.” I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the ephah basket that is appearing.” He said moreover, “This is their appearance in all the land—
Zechariah 1:1 names Zechariah.
A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music. LORD, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Renew your work in the middle of the years. In the middle of the years make it known. In wrath, you remember mercy. God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and his praise filled the earth.
Habakkuk 1:1 names Habakkuk.
For the LORD says: “Behold, he will fly as an eagle, and will spread out his wings against Moab. Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized. The heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. Moab will be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against the LORD. Terror, the pit, and the snare are on you, inhabitant of Moab,” says the LORD. “He who flees from the terror will fall into the pit; and he who gets up out of the pit will be taken in the snare, for I will bring on him, even on Moab, the year of their visitation,” says the LORD.
Jeremiah 1:1 names Jeremiah.
Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine, the stock which your right hand planted, the branch that you made strong for yourself. It’s burned with fire. It’s cut down. They perish at your rebuke. Let your hand be on the man of your right hand, on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself. So we will not turn away from you. Revive us, and we will call on your name. Turn us again, LORD God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Heading: “For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph.”
A Psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me. Many there are who say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah. But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. I cry to the LORD with my voice, and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid myself down and slept. I awakened, for the LORD sustains me. I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side. Arise, LORD! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the LORD. May your blessing be on your people. Selah.
Heading: “A Psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son.”
A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song.
His foundation is in the holy mountains. The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken about you, city of God. Selah. I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia: “This one was born there.” Yes, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one was born in her;” the Most High himself will establish her. The LORD will count, when he writes up the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah. Those who sing as well as those who dance say, “All my springs are in you.”
Heading: “A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song.”
The wicked are overthrown, and are no more, but the house of the righteous shall stand. A man shall be commended according to his wisdom, but he who has a warped mind shall be despised. Better is he who is little known, and has a servant, than he who honors himself and lacks bread. A righteous man respects the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.
Proverbs 1:1 and 10:1 attribute these collections to Solomon.
That’s everything for now.