Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Book 1: Psalms 1–41
Two Ways to Live
1 ·Happy [Blessed] are those who don’t ·listen to [L walk in the counsel of] the wicked,
who don’t ·go where sinners go [L stand in the way of sinners],
who don’t ·do what evil people do [L sit in the seat of mockers].
2 They ·love [delight in] the Lord’s ·teachings [laws; instructions],
and they ·think about [meditate on] those ·teachings [laws; instructions] day and night.
3 They are like a tree planted by ·a river [L streams of water; C full of life, strong, vibrant].
The tree produces fruit in season,
and its leaves don’t ·die [wither].
Everything they do will ·succeed [prosper].
4 But wicked people are not like that.
They are like chaff that the wind blows away [C dead, unstable].
5 So the wicked will not ·escape God’s punishment [L stand in the judgment].
Sinners will not ·worship with God’s people [L be in the assembly of the righteous].
6 This is because the Lord ·takes care of his people [L knows the way of the righteous],
but the way of the wicked will be destroyed.
10 This is what the Lord says: “·Babylon will be powerful for seventy years. After that time I will come to [L Only after the seventy years of Babylon are filled will I visit; 25:11] you, and I will ·keep my promise [L confirm my good word] to ·bring [restore] you back to ·Jerusalem [L this place]. 11 I say this because I know ·what [L the plans] I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have ·good plans for you [L plans for your peace/security], not plans ·to hurt you [L for your harm]. I will give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call ·my name [L me]. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me [Dan. 9:4–19]! 14 I will let you find me,” says the Lord. “And I will ·bring you back from your captivity [restore your fortunes]. I ·forced you to leave [drove you from] this place, but I will gather you from all the nations, from the places I have ·sent you as captives [exiled you],” says the Lord. “And I will ·bring you back [restore you] to this place.”
15 You might say, “The Lord has ·given [raised up/established/confirmed for; Deut. 18:18] us prophets here in Babylon.”
16 But the Lord says this about the king who is sitting on David’s throne now and all the other people still in this city [C Jerusalem], your ·relatives [L brothers] who did not go ·as captives to Babylon [L out as exiles] with you. 17 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “I will soon send ·war [L sword], ·hunger [famine], and ·terrible diseases [plague; pestilence; C against those still in Jerusalem]. I will make them like bad figs that are too rotten to eat [24:1–10]. 18 I will ·chase [pursue] them with ·war [L sword], ·hunger [famine], and ·terrible diseases [plague; pestilence]. I will make them ·hated by [a horror to] all the kingdoms of the earth. ·People will curse them and be shocked and will use them as a shameful example [L …an object of cursing, shock, hissing and reproach] ·wherever I make them go [L among the nations where I have driven them]. 19 This is because they have not listened to my message,” says the Lord. “I sent my ·message [word] to them again and again through my servants, the prophets, but they did not listen,” says the Lord.
Paul Ends His Letter
13 Be ·alert [watchful; on your guard]. ·Continue strong [Stand firm] in the faith. ·Have courage [or Act like men (ready for battle)], and be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
15 You know that the ·family [household] of Stephanas were the ·first believers in [L firstfruits of] Achaia [C southern Greece] and that they have given themselves to the service of ·God’s people [T the saints]. I ask you, brothers and sisters, 16 to ·follow the leading of [or submit to the authority of] people like these and anyone else who ·works and serves with them [or works hard in our common task].
17 I ·am happy [rejoice] that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come. ·You are not here, but they have filled your place [or They have supplied the help you could not]. 18 [L For] They have refreshed my spirit and yours. You should ·recognize the value of [or give recognition to] people like these.
19 The churches in Asia [C the Roman province, in present-day Turkey] send greetings to you. Aquila and Priscilla [Acts 18:2–3, 18, 26] greet you in the Lord, as does the church that meets in their house. 20 All the brothers and sisters here send greetings. Greet each other with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand [C the rest of the letter was evidently dictated to a scribe, called an amanuensis; see Rom. 16:22].
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be ·separated from God—lost forever [L anathema]!
·Come, O Lord [L Maranatha; C Aramaic phrase meaning either “Our Lord, Come!” or “Our Lord has come”]!
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.[a]
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