Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
23 “Am I a God Who is near,” says the Lord, “and not a God Who is far away? 24 Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?” says the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.
25 “I have heard what the men say who speak false words in My name. They say, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ 26 How long will there be lies in the hearts of those who speak false words in My name, who speak the lies of their own heart? 27 They plan to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they tell one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal. 28 The one who has a dream may tell about his dream, but let him who has My Word speak My Word in truth. How can straw be compared with grain?” says the Lord. 29 “Is not My Word like fire,” says the Lord, “and like iron that breaks a rock in pieces?
God’s Rule
82 God takes His stand in the great meeting of His people. He judges among the rulers. 2 How long will you rulers be wrong in how you judge? How long will you show favor to the sinful? 3 Do the right thing for the weak and those without a father. Stand up for the rights of those who are suffering and in need. 4 Save the weak and those in need. Set them free from the hand of the sinful.
5 They know nothing; they understand nothing. They walk around in the dark. All that the earth is built upon is shaking. 6 I said, “You are gods. You are all sons of the Most High. 7 But you will die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”
8 Rise up, O God! Say who is guilty or not guilty upon the earth! For all the nations belong to You.
29 Because the Jews had faith, they went through the Red Sea as if they were on dry ground. But when the people of Egypt tried to go through, they were all killed by the water.
30 Because the Jews had faith, the walls of the city of Jericho fell down after the Jews had walked around the city for seven days. 31 Because Rahab had faith, she was kept from being killed along with those who did not obey God. She was a woman who sold the use of her body. But she helped the men who had come in secret to look over the country.
There Were Many More Who Had Faith in God
32 What more should I say? There is not enough time to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthah and of David and of Samuel and of the early preachers. 33 It was because these people had faith that they won wars over other countries. They were good leaders. They received what God promised to them. They closed the mouths of lions 34 and stopped fire that was burning. They got away from being killed with swords. They were made strong again after they had been weak and sick. They were strong in war. They made fighting men from other countries run home. 35 It was because some women had faith that they received their dead back to life. Others chose to be beaten instead of being set free, because they would not turn against God. In this way, they would be raised to a better life. 36 Others were talked against. Some were beaten. Some were put in chains and in prison. 37 They were killed by stones being thrown at them. People were cut in pieces. They were tested. They were killed with swords. They wore skins of sheep and goats and had nothing they could call their own. They were hungry and sick. Everyone was bad to them. 38 They walked around in deserts and in mountains. They looked for caves and holes in the earth to live in. They were too good for this world. 39 It was because of their faith that God was pleased with them. But they did not receive what God had promised. 40 God had planned something better for us. These men could not be made perfect without us.
Christ the Perfect One
12 All these many people who have had faith in God are around us like a cloud. Let us put every thing out of our lives that keeps us from doing what we should. Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us. 2 Let us keep looking to Jesus. Our faith comes from Him and He is the One Who makes it perfect. He did not give up when He had to suffer shame and die on a cross. He knew of the joy that would be His later. Now He is sitting at the right side of God.
Men Are Divided When They Follow Christ
49 “I have come to bring fire down to the earth. I wish it were already started! 50 I have a baptism to go through. How troubled I am until it is over! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on the earth? I tell you, no! I came to divide. 52 From now on there will be five in one house divided. Three will be against two and two will be against three. 53 The father will be against the son. The son will be against the father. The mother will be against the daughter. The daughter will be against the mother. The mother-in-law will be against the daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law will be against the mother-in-law.”
54 Then Jesus also said to the people, “When you see a cloud coming in the west, you say at once, ‘It is going to rain.’ And it does. 55 When you see the wind blow from the south, you say, ‘It will be a hot day.’ And it is. 56 You who pretend to be someone you are not, you know all about the sky and the earth. But why do you not know what is happening these days?
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