RESTORE
This chapter from the BFG Handbook (Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching) presents the gospel through a new "Expression" of God’s Love to RESTORE the Truth.
This chapter from the BFG Handbook (Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching) presents the gospel through a new “Expression” of God’s Love to RESTORE people to the Truth.
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Chapter 9: Overcoming Excessiveness
Holding a cup that overflows 1
Is not as wise as knowing when to stop
Keep sharpening your sword 2
And it will become dull and break
Filling your life with the love of money 3
And no one can protect it
Riches and titles bring arrogance 4
And disaster will follow
When you achieve success and gain fame 5
Remain humble
This is the Way of God
The Cup That Overflows
“Holding a cup that overflows
Is not as wise as knowing when to stop”
Chapter 9 of the Christian edition of the Tao Te Ching, titled Overcoming Excessiveness, teaches the value of moderation, humility, and discernment in all aspects of life. The chapter begins with the image of holding a cup that overflows, which is a metaphor for excess. “Is not as wise as knowing when to stop,” suggesting that wisdom lies not in indulging in abundance but in recognizing the proper limits. Proverbs 23:1-8 warns against excessive desires, particularly in the pursuit of material wealth, as it leads to ruin. This is similar to the wisdom found in the Bible that teaches contentment and discernment in all things.
There is a quiet surprise in this picture. Scripture also speaks of an overflowing cup: “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5). The difference is who is pouring, and why. When God fills our cup, the overflow is meant to spill onto others. When we try to hold more and more for ourselves, it simply runs through our fingers and leaves a mess.
“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist. When your eyes light upon it, it is gone, for suddenly it takes wings to itself, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”
Proverbs 23:4-5NRSVue
“Knowing when to stop” is what the Church calls temperance. It is not a gloomy rule against enjoying life. It is the freedom to enjoy God’s gifts without being owned by them: a good meal without overeating, a great show without losing the whole night, a nice purchase without the next one already waiting in the cart. Temperance keeps our desires in their place, so that God can keep His.
“Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.”
Ecclesiastes 4:6ESV
“Temperance is the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the will’s mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable.”Catechism 1809
“Christian spirituality proposes a growth marked by moderation and the capacity to be happy with little.”Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ 222
It is Friday night. You have already eaten, but you keep snacking. The show ended, but autoplay starts the next one. Your cart has what you came for, and the app suggests a few more things “you might like.” Nobody forces any of it. That is the overflowing cup: not one big sin, just a habit of never saying “enough.” Chapter 9 says it plainly: it “is not as wise as knowing when to stop.” Stopping is not losing out. It is the moment you get your evening, and your heart, back.
Try this today: Pick one thing you usually overdo, like snacking, scrolling or shopping, and decide ahead of time where you will stop today.
The Sword That Breaks
“Keep sharpening your sword
And it will become dull and break”
Next, the text speaks of a sword that is continually sharpened until it becomes dull and breaks. This is a metaphor for the dangers of overworking or overexerting oneself. The idea is that excessive effort, without balance or rest, leads to destruction. In Matthew 26:51-52, Jesus rebukes Peter for using a sword to defend Him, teaching that those who live by the sword will perish by it. The lesson is clear: excessive force or striving without wisdom brings harm, whether in physical or spiritual matters.
There is a second lesson in Peter’s sword. He reached for it because he wanted to fix things by his own strength, right now. The Psalm the chapter points to warns that force has a way of turning back on the one who uses it.
“He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head…”
Psalm 7:15-16ESV
The same is true of the pressure we put on ourselves. A blade sharpened again and again loses its edge, and a person who never rests loses joy, patience and even the strength to pray. God knows this. That is why He gave the Sabbath, and why Jesus pulled His tired disciples away from the crowds.
“…Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.…”
Mark 6:31NRSVue
Rest is not laziness. It is trust. When we stop, we admit that God runs the world and we do not, and we let Him renew us the way only He can: through prayer, Sunday worship, sleep and time with the people we love.
“God’s action is the model for human action. If God ‘rested and was refreshed’ on the seventh day, man too ought to ‘rest’ and should let others, especially the poor, ‘be refreshed.’ The sabbath brings everyday work to a halt and provides a respite. It is a day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money.”Catechism 2172
“…Work is for man, not man for work.”Catechism 2428
You are the one who always says yes. You stay late, cover the extra shift, answer the group chat at midnight and still feel behind. Your phone shows unread messages even on vacation. Then one day you snap at someone you love over something small, or you get sick the minute you finally slow down. That is the sword going dull. Chapter 9 is not telling you to stop caring. It is saying a blade sharpened without rest will “become dull and break.” God wants you whole, not worn out.
Try this today: Turn off work notifications tonight, and spend the time you get back with God or someone you love.
What No One Can Protect
“Filling your life with the love of money
And no one can protect it”
The chapter also speaks to the folly of filling one’s life with the love of money, noting that “no one can protect it.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10 speaks directly to this, saying that the love of money is the root of all evil. It warns that those who pursue wealth above all else will fall into temptation and destruction. The pursuit of wealth and material possessions can cause people to neglect their spiritual well-being and the things that truly matter. This perspective highlights the emptiness of materialism and the danger of allowing it to dominate one’s life.
The key word is “love.” The chapter does not say money is evil; it warns against “filling your life with the love of money.” Money is a tool. It pays the rent and feeds the kids, and it can do great good when it is shared. The trouble starts when it moves from our hands into our hearts and becomes the thing we trust.
“No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
Matthew 6:24NRSVue
Then comes the hard truth: “no one can protect it.” Jesus told of a rich man who built bigger barns and planned to take life easy, but that very night his life was demanded of him, and everything he had stored up went to someone else. Savings can vanish, prices rise, and nothing we own comes with us at the end.
“…Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”
Luke 12:15NRSVue
What lasts is what we give in love. Generosity loosens money’s grip on the heart, and trusting God as our Father gives us a safety no account balance ever could. He has promised, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
“The tenth commandment forbids greed and the desire to amass earthly goods without limit. It forbids avarice arising from a passion for riches and their attendant power.”Catechism 2536
“…the disordered desire for money cannot but produce perverse effects.”Catechism 2424
The banking app is the first thing you check in the morning and the last thing at night. You compare your paycheck with a friend’s, refresh the market and feel a knot in your stomach either way. Even when the numbers look good, you worry they will not stay good. That is what Chapter 9 means by “no one can protect it.” Money makes a fine servant and a terrible master. The peace you are looking for is not in a bigger balance. It is in trusting the Father who already knows what you need.
Try this today: Give something away today, money, time or something you do not need, and thank God that He is your security.
When Titles Go to Our Heads
“Riches and titles bring arrogance
And disaster will follow”
Additionally, the chapter reflects on the consequences of “riches and titles bringing arrogance,” which echoes the biblical principle that pride precedes a fall. In Matthew 23:5-8, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for seeking honor and recognition through outward appearances and titles. They are warned that such arrogance leads to spiritual destruction, and that humility before God is the true measure of greatness. Similarly, Habakkuk 2:5 warns against the arrogance of the wealthy, noting that such pride leads to their downfall.
Arrogance rarely announces itself. It creeps in slowly, after the promotion, the new house or the follower count that keeps climbing. Little by little we start to expect special treatment, to talk more than we listen, and to look down on people who have less. Scripture is blunt about where that road ends.
“Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Proverbs 16:18NRSVue
Jesus warned the Pharisees because they loved “the place of honor at banquets” (Matthew 23:6). Their problem was not the seat; it was a heart that needed it. Pride puts us at the center, where only God belongs, and many other sins grow from that root. St. Paul gives a remedy for anyone who has been given much.
“As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches but rather on God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
1 Timothy 6:17NRSVue
“They are called ‘capital’ because they engender other sins, other vices. They are pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth or acedia.”Catechism 1866
“Spiritual worldliness, which hides behind the appearance of piety and even love for the Church, consists in seeking not the Lord’s glory but human glory and personal well-being.”Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium 93
Pride comes first in the Church’s list of capital sins. The cure is not to fear success but to give the glory back to God.
Someone gets a new title at work and suddenly stops saying hello in the hallway. A teammate makes captain and starts barking orders. Maybe it is us: the post goes viral, the raise comes through, and we catch ourselves feeling a little better than everyone else. Chapter 9 says “riches and titles bring arrogance, and disaster will follow.” Pride quietly damages friendships, families and teams long before anyone notices. The fix is simple but not easy: treat everyone the same, whatever your title says.
Try this today: Today, go out of your way to thank someone whose work usually goes unnoticed, like a cleaner, a cashier or a new coworker.
Humble at the Top
“When you achieve success and gain fame
Remain humble
This is the Way of God”
Finally, the chapter advises that when one achieves success and gains fame, they should remain humble, for “this is the Way of God.” Matthew 23:12 reinforces this teaching: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Humility is at the heart of the Christian life, as followers of Christ are called to serve others and recognize that all gifts and achievements come from God, not from their own efforts. Sirach 3:18-20 also reminds us that humility leads to honor, and those who are humble will find favor with God.
Notice that the chapter does not say “never succeed.” Success, and even fame, can come to faithful people. The real question is what we do when it comes. St. Paul shows why humility is simply honest: everything we have was first given to us.
“…What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive?”
1 Corinthians 4:7NRSVue
“This is the Way of God” points straight to Jesus, who called Himself “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). He had every right to claim honor, yet He knelt to wash His disciples’ feet. When the crowds wanted to make Him king, He slipped away to pray. His greatness looked like service.
“For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:45NRSVue
Mary sang the same truth: God “has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble” (Luke 1:52). Humility is not thinking less of our gifts. It is remembering whose they are, and using them for others. The higher God lifts us, the lower we can bend to serve.
“It means living in thanksgiving: if God is the only One, everything we are and have comes from him: ‘What have you that you did not receive?’”Catechism 224
“The Word speaks of voluntary humility as ‘poverty in spirit’; the Apostle gives an example of God’s poverty when he says: ‘For your sakes he became poor.’”Catechism 2546
You nailed the presentation, won the game or got the acceptance letter. People are congratulating you, and it feels great. Enjoy it! Then comes the quiet test Chapter 9 talks about: “remain humble.” Do you mention the teammate who stayed late with you, the parent who drove you everywhere, the teacher who believed in you? Do you thank God out loud, or only in your head? Humility does not shrink your success. It shares it, and it keeps you the same person your friends loved before the win.
Try this today: The next time someone praises you, thank them, name one person who helped you, and quietly thank God.
Living the Chapter
The whole chapter, put into practice
In summary, Chapter 9 of the Christian edition of the Tao Te Ching teaches that wisdom comes from knowing when to stop, avoiding excess, and living a balanced life. It warns against the love of money, the dangers of arrogance, and the importance of humility. In the Christian perspective, these principles align with the teachings of Jesus, who calls His followers to prioritize the Kingdom of God, live with moderation, and humbly serve others.
Put together, the chapter’s lines draw a simple map for a life not ruled by “more.” Know when your cup is full. Put the sword down and rest. Hold money loosely. Let titles serve others instead of lifting you above them. And when success comes, stay low and give God the glory.
None of this means having less fun or dreaming smaller. It means being free. A heart that knows “enough” has room for joy, for people and for God. That is why the chapter ends with a promise as much as a command: humility “is the Way of God,” and Jesus walks that way with us.
“He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?”
Micah 6:8NRSVue
“Happiness means knowing how to limit some needs which only diminish us, and being open to the many different possibilities which life can offer.”Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ 223
“All Christ’s faithful are to ‘direct their affections rightly, lest they be hindered in their pursuit of perfect charity by the use of worldly things and by an adherence to riches which is contrary to the spirit of evangelical poverty.’”Catechism 2545
Picture a week lived Chapter 9’s way. You leave a little room in your schedule instead of filling every hour. You skip one purchase and give the money to someone in need. You go to Mass on Sunday and actually rest afterward. When your work is praised, you share the credit. Nothing dramatic happens, but you sleep better, worry less and notice the people around you more. That is the quiet freedom of “knowing when to stop,” and the people around you will see it.
Try this today: Choose one area of your life where you will practice “enough” this week, and tell a friend or family member so they can cheer you on.
RENEWAL
The Trinitarian M.A.P. is the method for RENEWAL, where God’s Love shapes our MINDSET, Trust in the Son directs our AIM, and Faith in the Holy Spirit guides our PRACTICE.
This chapter offers a new “Method” for the New Evangelization to RENEW our hearts and minds through the Trinitarian M.A.P. Bring this chapter into your day with the BFG Companion App. Pick Chapter 9 and an area of your life, and get Guidance made for you.
Renewal starts in the mind. Chapter 9 opens with a picture everyone understands: “Holding a cup that overflows is not as wise as knowing when to stop.” Our culture says more is always better: more followers, more hours, more stuff, one more episode. A renewed mind asks a different question: how much is enough? The writer of Proverbs prayed, “give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8). That is not a small life. It is a free one, because a heart that knows “enough” still has room for God.
The chapter also warns, “Keep sharpening your sword and it will become dull and break.” Some of us believe our worth depends on how hard we push. We answer emails at midnight and feel guilty when we rest. But Jesus did not say, “Work harder.” He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NRSVue). A mind renewed by Christ knows that God, not our nonstop effort, holds our lives together, and that rest is an act of trust, not laziness.
Try this: Before you add one more thing today, a purchase, a task or a scroll, ask yourself, “Is this enough?” and stop there.
Proverbs 30:8-9NRSVue “…give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?”…”
Matthew 11:28NRSVue “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
More Scripture: Proverbs 25:16 · Psalm 127:2
A renewed mind needs a target, and Chapter 9 is honest about the wrong one: “Filling your life with the love of money, and no one can protect it.” Money is not evil, but when it becomes the goal, it can never be made safe. Markets fall, things break, and we cannot take any of it with us. Jesus points our aim higher: “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy” (Matthew 6:20). So we aim at what no one can steal: God, the people He gives us, and the good we do in His name.
The chapter adds, “Riches and titles bring arrogance, and disaster will follow.” A title can be a gift and a way to serve, but when we aim at the title itself, pride is waiting. St. Paul learned a better aim: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11). Our goal is not the bigger job, the nicer car or the verified badge next to our name. Our goal is Christ, and serving Him in whatever place He gives us, high or low.
Try this: Write down one goal you are chasing right now, and ask Jesus honestly, “Is this for You, or for me?”
Matthew 6:19-20NRSVue “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Philippians 4:11NRSVue “…for I have learned to be content with whatever I have.”
More Scripture: Hebrews 13:5 · Proverbs 16:18
Renewal becomes real in daily habits. Chapter 9 ends with its key: “When you achieve success and gain fame, remain humble. This is the Way of God.” Humility is practiced in small moments: thanking the people who helped you, letting someone else share the good news, giving God the credit out loud. St. Paul asks, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Every talent and every open door came from God first. Remembering that each day keeps success from going to our heads.
Practice also means making room to stop. God built rest into creation: “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God” (Exodus 20:9-10). For Catholics, Sunday Mass and a slower Lord’s Day are where we put the sword down and let God refill the cup. A simple rhythm of prayer, real rest and giving away a little more than feels comfortable trains the heart to live the way Chapter 9 describes.
Try this: This week, keep part of Sunday free from work and shopping, and spend it with God and the people you love.
1 Corinthians 4:7NRSVue “For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive?”
Exodus 20:9-10NRSVue “Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God…”
More Scripture: James 4:6 · 1 Peter 5:6
In short: think humbly, aim at what is eternal, live by the Spirit. Know when your cup is full, put the sword down to rest in God, aim at treasure no one can steal, and when success comes, remain humble, because this is the Way of God.
RESPOND
Renewal brings the transformation of our spirit with ardor, empowering us to RESPOND to the call of holiness and make disciples of all nations. This encourages meaningful dialogue to embrace shared truths that transcend cultural and religious boundaries.
Renewal does not end with us. When God frees a heart from the endless chase for “more,” He sends it out to people who are tired of chasing. Chapter 9 carries a message the world rarely hears: it is wise to know “when to stop,” money cannot keep us safe, and true greatness is humble. We do not bring this as people who have mastered it, but as fellow travelers still learning it. The humble go out with open hands, because this is the Way of God.
In 1983, Saint John Paul II called the Church to an evangelization that is “new in its ardor, new in its methods, new in its expression.” The Gospel never changes. The way we carry it must be alive for our time. Chapter 9 shows why: in a world that never stops selling “more,” people need fresh words that show the freedom of knowing when to stop.
Ardor is the fire of a heart that has been loved by God. People feel it before they hear a single word. Chapter 9 warns, “Keep sharpening your sword and it will become dull and break.” Real fire for the Gospel is not burnout; it is a flame God keeps lit through prayer and rest.
Use the words people use today: simple, honest and personal. Share your story, not a lecture. Chapter 9 says “remain humble,” so share the Gospel the way a friend shares good news, not the way an expert shows off.
Meet people where they are: on the phone in their hand. The BFG Handbook and the BFG Companion turn one conversation into a path to Christ and His Church. Chapter 9 warns about the sword sharpened until it breaks. Our tools are meant to lighten the load, not add to it: use what helps, and let the rest go.
Use the words people use today: simple, honest and personal. Share your story, not a lecture. Chapter 9 says “remain humble,” so share the Gospel the way a friend shares good news, not the way an expert shows off.
What my life was like before I really met Jesus.
How He met me, and the moment things began to change.
What is different now, and the hope I carry. When did you learn that “knowing when to stop” was wiser than holding a cup that overflows?
Meet people where they are: on the phone in their hand. The BFG Handbook and the BFG Companion turn one conversation into a path to Christ and His Church. Chapter 9 warns about the sword sharpened until it breaks. Our tools are meant to lighten the load, not add to it: use what helps, and let the rest go.
Every chapter has its own song and is written in a language people of every faith can understand. A doorway for dialogue. Chapter 9, Overcoming Excessiveness, helps anyone who is worn out, overspent or caught in the race for more.
A friend shares a struggle. Together, pick a chapter and an area of life (start with Chapter 9 when someone is burned out, buried in spending, or struggling with pride after a big win). In seconds: a reflection, the M.A.P., a saint, a prayer, Scripture, a song and a church nearby. Send it by email, PDF or a share link.
Hard question? Ask it together. Answers are grounded in Catholic teaching, the saints and the BFG Handbook. Talk or type. Try asking together: “How do I know when enough is enough?”
Pray the Rosary with a guided voice, the daily mysteries and beads that follow along. Pray it with someone, even over the phone. Praying the Rosary slowly, one bead at a time, is a gentle way to practice Chapter 9’s wisdom of “knowing when to stop.”
Catholic churches near anyone, with Mass and Confession times, directions, and one tap to add a time to the calendar. Every conversation can end at a church door. Sunday Mass is where we lay down the sword of the week’s work and let God fill our cup again.
Morning, midday and evening prayer reminders, a daily streak and a steady prayer rhythm help a new believer keep going. A daily nudge to pause, because “knowing when to stop” is wisdom.
Free to start, no card needed. Read aloud in 48 languages.
One tool that walks with a person from the first question to the church door.
Jesus sent His apostles first to Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria, then to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Start where you are. Chapter 9 is for the coworker who never logs off and the friend who never feels they have enough, and they are already around you.
- Pray the Rosary together on Pray My Rosary.
- Bless your children at bedtime.
- Share a Guidance with a spouse or child who is struggling.
- Find Sunday Mass times together with Church Finder.
- Ask at dinner: “What do we have more than enough of, and how could we share it?”
- Text a verse from your Guidance.
- Ask, “How can I pray for you?” and pray right then.
- Invite a friend to Mass, then go for coffee.
- Send the line: “Holding a cup that overflows is not as wise as knowing when to stop.”
- Be the calm, kind one.
- Pray on your lunch break with a reminder.
- Start a small chapter group that meets once a week. Begin with Chapter 9, Overcoming Excessiveness.
- Respect the rules: invite, never push.
- Listen for the moment: “Things have been hard.”
- Offer: “Can I send you something that helped me?”
- Share the Chapter 9 song.
- Ask good questions and really listen.
- Share your three-part story.
- Open Ask BFG together when a question comes up.
- When a friend is burning out, share “Keep sharpening your sword and it will become dull and break,” and invite them to rest, not just push harder.
- Visit the sick, the elderly and the lonely; pray the Rosary with them.
- Serve at a food bank.
- Welcome newcomers at Mass.
- Join your parish evangelization team.
- Ask shops, cafés and offices to display a BFG card with a QR code.
- Offer a short lunch talk on faith at work.
- Business owners: offer the Companion to staff as a free gift, never a requirement.
- Go where people already gather, and be the friendly one who listens.
- Pray quietly for the people around you.
- When a talk turns real, share a Guidance or the chapter song.
- Wear or carry a simple sign of your faith, like a cross or a rosary, that can start a conversation.
- At the gym, where everyone pushes to the limit, share that Chapter 9 says real strength also means “knowing when to stop.”
- Host a Chapter 9 “Overcoming Excessiveness” night, a Handbook chapter night, a Rosary night or an “Ask Anything” faith night.
- Show the Companion on a big screen and let people try it.
- We did this at our free conference, The New Evangelization in the Age of AI, at Christ Cathedral.
- Share a Guidance, a chapter song or a Scripture card. Try: “When you achieve success and gain fame, remain humble. This is the Way of God.”
- One post can reach someone you will never meet.
- Join a parish or diocese mission trip.
- The Companion speaks 48 languages, so you leave behind something that keeps speaking after you go home.
- Every culture knows the warning of the overflowing cup and the broken sword, a natural bridge to the humble Christ.
- Your parish ministries, the Legion of Mary, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, prison, hospital and campus ministries, and mission groups.
- Bring the BFG tools to their work.
You will be tempted to measure your mission by numbers, likes and results. Chapter 9 says “remain humble,” and warns that a sword sharpened too long will “become dull and break.” Go rested. Go humble. Go together. The same Spirit who renewed you now sends you, not to win praise but to walk the Way of God.
God who fills our cup, Holy Spirit, set my heart on fire. Jesus, send me to the one You love. Father, make me Your witness today. Amen.
NRSVue © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.