This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations. The entire chapter is included to provide context.
Information about the meaning the original Hebrew or Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue. That information is provided beneath the specific reading the words are contained in.
Excerpts collected in yellow at the end of this post tell us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him.
Excerpts collected in green at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us to do.
Excerpts collected in red at the end of this post tell us about something God does not want us to do.
Reading I
The wicked say:
Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
he sets himself against our doings,
reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training.
***
Let us see whether his words be true;
let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him
and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
for according to his own words, God will take care of him.
just = δίκαιος = dikaios
righteously, in accordance with what is right;without prejudice or partiality; righteous, observing divine laws; virtuous, keeping the commands of God; innocent, faultless, guiltless; used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God; approved of or acceptable of God; in a narrower sense, rendering to each his due and that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others, whether expressed in words or shown by the manner of dealing with them;
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
observant of custom or rule, well-ordered, civilized,in due form, decently; observant of duty to gods and men, righteous; equal, even, well-balanced, evengoing;fair, impartial; lawful, just; meet and right, fitting; real, genuine; of equity
gentleness = επιεικειαν = epieikeia
mildness, gentleness, kindness; fairness, moderation, sweet reasonableness;mildness, fairness
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
Reasonableness, fairness; goodness, virtuousness; clemency
Responsorial Psalm
R. (6b) The Lord upholds my life.
O God, by your name save me, and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer; hearken to the words of my mouth.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
For the haughty have risen up against me, the ruthless seek my life;
they set not God before their eyes.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
Behold, God is my helper; the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice; I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
upholds = נָצַל= nāṣal
to snatch away, deliver, rescue; to be torn out or away; defend; preserve; draw out, pull out
sustains = סָמַךְ= sāmaḵ
to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon; to support or brace oneself; refresh, revive; bear up, stand fast; to be propped
goodness =טוֹב= ṭôḇ
good, pleasant, agreeable; excellent; rich, valuable in estimation; appropriate, becoming; happy, prosperous, kind, benign; right (ethical); welfare, prosperity, happiness
Reading II
Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.
Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Pure = ἁγνός =hagnos
pure from every fault, immaculate; clean; not contaminated;Sincere, Sincerely, Sincerity; with pure motive
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
chaste, holy, hallowed; undefiled; guiltless; upright
peaceable = εἰρηνικός = eirēnikos
pacific, loving peace; bring peace with it, salutary
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
of or for peace, of or in peace, peaceful
gentle =ἐπιεικής=epieikēs
"forbearance," "moderation," "sweet reasonableness"; denotes "seemly, fitting;" hence, "equitable, fair, moderate, forbearing, not insisting on the letter of the law;" it expresses that considerateness that looks "humanely and reasonably at the facts of a case;" in contrast to contentiousness; suitable equitable, fair, mild, gentle, moderation, patient
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
Fitting, meet, suitable; reasonable; fair, equitable, not according to the letter of the law; able, capable; fair, good; with moderation, mildly, kindly
mercy = ἔλεος = eleos
the outward manifestation of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it; kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them; compassion (human or divine, especially active); readiness to help those in trouble
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
pity, mercy, compassion
Peace = εἰρήνη = eirēnē
harmonious relationships between men; friendliness; the sense of rest and contentment; The corresponding Heb. word shalom primarily signifies "wholeness";quietness; harmony, concord; security, safety, prosperity, felicity; quietness, rest;way leading to peace, a course of life promoting harmony; a formula of wishing well, blessing, addressed by the Hebrews to departing friends
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
profound peace
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”
receives = δέχομαι = dechomai
deliberate and ready reception; taking with the hand, taking hold, taking hold of, taking up;to receive favourably, give ear to, embrace, make one's own, approve; to take upon one's self, sustain, bear, endure; to learn; to receive, grant access to; not to refuse contact or friendship
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
take, accept; take, accept without complaint; accept graciously; approve; give ear to, hear; take or regard as,understand in a certain sense; take upon oneself; accept or admit as an ally;accept as security, entertain; expect, wait; occupy, engage one; hold
What these readings tell us about God & His ways:
his words be true
God will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
God will take care of him
The Lord upholds my life
your might
defend my cause
The Lord upholds my life
The Lord upholds my life
God is my helper
the Lord sustains my life
goodness
The Lord upholds my life
the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity
the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace
God has called us through the Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise
they did not understand
Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me
whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me
What these readings tell us to do:
gentleness
patience
prayer
the words of my mouth
offer you sacrifice
praise your name
ask
be the last of all and the servant of all
receives one child such as this in my name
receives me
What these readings tell us not to do:
The wicked
beset the just one
revilement
torture
jealousy
selfish ambition
disorder
foul practice
wars
conflicts
passions that make war within your members
covet
kill
envy
fight
wage war
ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions
discussing ... who was the greatest
