Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. ² But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely.

³ They are like trees along a riverbank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper.

⁴ But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like chaff before the wind. ⁵ They are not safe on Judgment Day; they shall not stand among the godly.

⁶ For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom.

¹⁰ The truth is this: You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised and bring you home again. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² In those days when you pray, I will listen. ¹³ You will find me when you seek me, if you look for me in earnest.

¹⁴ Yes, says the Lord, I will be found by you, and I will end your slavery and restore your fortunes; I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and bring you back home again to your own land.

¹⁵ But now, because you accept the false prophets among you and say the Lord has sent them, ^16-17 I will send war, famine, and plague upon the people left here in Jerusalem—on your relatives who were not exiled to Babylon, and on the king who sits on David’s throne—and make them like rotting figs, too bad to eat. ¹⁸ And I will scatter them around the world. And in every nation where I place them they will be cursed and hissed and mocked, ¹⁹ for they refuse to listen to me though I spoke to them again and again through my prophets.

¹³ Keep your eyes open for spiritual danger; stand true to the Lord; act like men; be strong; ¹⁴ and whatever you do, do it with kindness and love.

¹⁵ Do you remember Stephanas and his family? They were the first to become Christians in Greece, and they are spending their lives helping and serving Christians everywhere. ¹⁶ Please follow their instructions and do everything you can to help them as well as all others like them who work hard at your side with such real devotion. ¹⁷ I am so glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have arrived here for a visit. They have been making up for the help you aren’t here to give me. ¹⁸ They have cheered me greatly and have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as I am sure they were to you, too. I hope you properly appreciate the work of such men as these.

¹⁹ The churches here in Asia send you their loving greetings. Aquila and Priscilla send you their love, and so do all the others who meet in their home for their church service. ²⁰ All the friends here have asked me to say hello to you for them. And give each other a loving handshake when you meet.

²¹ I will write these final words of this letter with my own hand: ²² if anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed. Lord Jesus, come! ²³ May the love and favor of the Lord Jesus Christ rest upon you. ²⁴ My love to all of you, for we all belong to Christ Jesus.

Sincerely, Paul