Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

God—Our Helper

12 Help, Lord! For God-like men are here no more. The faithful can no longer be seen among the sons of men. ² They lie to each other. Their lips speak with sweet-sounding words that are not true. ³ May the Lord cut off all lips of false respect, and the tongue that speaks of great things. ⁴ They say, “We can win with our tongues. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?”

⁵ “Because of the suffering of the weak, and because of the cries of the poor, I will now rise up,” says the Lord. “I will keep him safe as he has wanted to be.”

⁶ The words of the Lord are pure words. They are like silver that has been made pure seven times in a stove of earth. ⁷ O Lord, You will keep us. You will keep us safe forever from the people of this day. ⁸ The sinful walk on every side when bad actions are held in honor among the sons of men.

¹⁰ The soul of the sinful has a desire for what is bad. His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

¹¹ When the man who laughs at the truth is punished, the fool becomes wise. When a wise man is taught, he gets much learning.

¹² The One Who is right and good thinks about the house of the sinful, and the sinful are thrown down to be destroyed.

¹³ He who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.

¹⁴ A gift in secret quiets anger. A gift from the heart quiets strong anger.

¹⁵ When what is right and fair is done, it is a joy for those who are right with God. But it fills the sinful with fear.

¹⁶ A man who goes away from the way of understanding will rest in the gathering of the dead.

False Teachers ^(A)

⁴⁵ All the people were listening. He said to His followers, ⁴⁶ “Look out for the teachers of the Law. They like to walk around in long coats. They like to have people speak words of respect to them in the center of town where people gather. They like the important seats in the places of worship. They like the important places at big suppers. ⁴⁷ They take houses from poor women whose husbands have died. They cover up their actions by making long prayers. They will be punished all the more.”

A Woman Whose Husband Had Died Gave All She Had ^(B)

21 Jesus looked up and saw rich men putting their money into the money box in the house of God. ² He saw a poor woman whose husband had died. She put in two very small pieces of money. ³ He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor woman has put in more than all of them. ⁴ For they have put in a little of the money they had no need for. She is very poor and has put in all she had. She has put in what she needed for her own living.”