rulers

²When just men are multiplied, the common people shall rejoice. When the impious take up the leadership, the people shall mourn.

¹And so I beg you, first of all, to make supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings for all men, ²for kings, and for all who are in high places, so that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all piety and chastity.

¹Admonish them to be subordinate to the rulers and authorities, to obey their dictates, to be prepared for every good work, ²to speak evil of no one, not to be litigious, but to be reserved, displaying all meekness toward all men.

¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the directors of this world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in high places.

¹Let every soul be subject to higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those who have been ordained by God. ²And so, whoever resists authority, resists what has been ordained by God. And those who resist are acquiring damnation for themselves.

⁴For he is a minister of God for you unto good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid. For it is not without reason that he carries a sword. For he is a minister of God; an avenger to execute wrath upon whomever does evil.

¹⁶For in him was created everything in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers. All things were created through him and in him.

⁶Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom. ⁷For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader, ⁸she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.

¹⁹Do not defend yourselves, dearest ones. Instead, step aside from wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is mine. I shall give retribution, says the Lord.”

³⁶Jesus responded: “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my ministers would certainly strive so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not now from here.”

¹¹By the blessing of the just, the city shall be exalted. And by the mouth of the impious, it will be subverted.

¹In that day, Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang out, saying: ²“All you of Israel who have willingly offered your lives to danger, bless the Lord! ³Listen, O kings! Pay attention, O princes! It is I, it is I, who will sing to the Lord. I will sing a psalm to the Lord, the God of Israel! ⁴O Lord, when you departed from Seir, and you crossed through the regions of Edom, the earth and the heavens were moved, and the clouds rained down water. ⁵The mountains flowed away before the face of the Lord, and Sinai, before the face of the Lord God of Israel. ⁶In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the paths were quiet. And whoever entered by them, walked along rough byways.

²⁶And he said: “Let us make Man to our image and likeness. And let him rule over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and the wild beasts, and the entire earth, and every animal that moves on the earth.”

¹A Psalm of David versus Goliath. Blessed is the Lord, my God, who trains my hands for the battle and my fingers for the war.

¹I am the Lord your God. You shall not make for yourselves an idol or a graven image. Neither shall you erect a monument, or set up a conspicuous stone in your land, in order that you may adore it. For I am the Lord your God. ²Observe my Sabbaths, and be fearful toward my Sanctuary. I am the Lord. ³If you will walk in my precepts, and observe my commandments, and accomplish them, I will give to you rain in its time, ⁴and the ground shall bring forth its seedlings, and the trees shall be filled again with fruit. ⁵The threshing of the harvest shall last until the vintage, and the vintage shall overtake the sowing. And you shall eat your bread to fullness, and you shall live in your land without fear. ⁶I will give peace to your most distant regions. You will sleep, and there will be no one to strike you with terror. I will take away harmful wild beasts, and the sword will not cross your borders.