Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Praise the Lord’s Goodness
111 Praise the Lord!
I will ·thank [praise] the Lord with all my heart
in the ·meeting of his good people [council of the upright/virtuous, in the assembly].
2 The ·Lord does great things [L deeds of the Lord are great];
those who enjoy them ·seek [study] them.
3 ·What he does is [L His deeds are] ·glorious [beautiful] and ·splendid [majestic],
and his ·goodness [righteousness] ·continues [stands] forever.
4 His ·miracles [wonderful acts] are ·unforgettable [remembered; well-known].
The Lord is ·kind [gracious] and ·merciful [compassionate].
5 He gives ·food [L prey] to those who fear him [Prov. 1:7].
He remembers his ·agreement [covenant; treaty] forever.
6 He has ·shown [proclaimed to] his people ·his power [L the power/strength of his deeds]
when he gave them the ·lands [L inheritance] of other nations [C the conquest; Josh. 1–12].
7 ·Everything he does is [L The deeds of his hands are] ·good [faithful; true] and ·fair [just];
all his ·orders [precepts] ·can be trusted [are faithful/true/reliable].
8 They will ·continue [endure; be unshakeable] forever.
They were made ·true [faithful] and ·right [virtuous; with integrity].
9 He ·sets his people free [L sent redemption to his people].
He ·made his agreement everlasting [L commanded his covenant/treaty forever].
·He [L His name] is holy and ·wonderful [awesome].
10 ·Wisdom begins with respect for [L The beginning/foundation of wisdom is fear of] the Lord [Prov. 1:7];
those who ·obey [L do] ·his orders [L them] have good ·understanding [insight].
He ·should be praised [endures; L stands] forever.
The Levite Families
34 Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of ·Israel [L the community/congregation/assembly] counted the ·Kohathites [L sons/descendants of Kohath] by families and ·family groups [clans], 35 the men from thirty to fifty years old who were to work at the Meeting Tent. 36 There were 2,750 men in the ·family groups [clans]. 37 This was the total of the Kohath ·family groups [clans] who worked at the Meeting Tent, whom Moses and Aaron counted as the Lord had commanded Moses.
38 Also, the ·Gershonites [L the sons/descendants of Gershon] were counted by families and ·family groups [clans], 39 the men from thirty to fifty years old who were given work at the Meeting Tent. 40 The families and family groups had 2,630 men. 41 This was the total of the Gershon ·family groups [clans] who worked at the Meeting Tent, whom Moses and Aaron counted as the Lord had commanded.
42 Also, the men in the families and ·family groups [clans] of the ·Merari family [L sons/descendants of Merari] were counted, 43 the men from thirty to fifty years old who were to work at the Meeting Tent. 44 The family groups had 3,200 men. 45 This was the total of the Merari ·family groups [clans], whom Moses and Aaron counted as the Lord had commanded Moses.
46 So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by families and ·family groups [clans]. 47 They counted the men from thirty to fifty who were given work at the Meeting Tent and who carried the Tent. 48 The total number of these men was 8,580. 49 Each man was counted as the Lord had commanded Moses; each man was given his work and told what to carry as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Rules About Cleanliness
5 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] to send away from camp anyone with ·a harmful skin disease [T leprosy; C the term does not refer to modern leprosy (Hansen’s disease), but to various skin disorders; Lev. 13:2]. Send away anyone who gives off body fluid [Lev. 15:2] or who has become unclean by touching a dead body [Lev. 5:2; 21:11]. 3 Send both men and women outside the camp so that they won’t spread the disease there, where I am living among you.” 4 So ·Israel [L the sons/T children of Israel] obeyed the Lord’s command and sent those people outside the camp. They did just as the Lord had told Moses.
A Loyal Soldier of Christ Jesus
2 You then, Timothy, my child, be strong in the grace we have in Christ Jesus. 2 You should ·teach [entrust to; or pass on to] people ·whom you can trust [who are faithful/reliable] the things you have heard me say ·in the presence of [or confirmed by] many witnesses. Then they will be able to teach others. 3 ·Share in the troubles we have [or Join me in suffering] like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 A soldier wants to please the ·enlisting [or commanding] officer, so no one serving in the army ·wastes time with [gets involved/entangled with] ·everyday matters [civilian affairs]. 5 Also an athlete who takes part in a contest must ·obey all [play by] the rules in order to ·win [L be crowned; C with the victor’s wreath]. 6 The farmer who works hard should be the first person to get some of the food that was grown. 7 Think about what I am saying, because the Lord will give you the ability to understand everything.
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