Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Welcome for God into the Temple
A psalm of David.
24 The earth belongs to the Lord, and ·everything in it [L its fullness]—
the world and all its ·people [inhabitants].
2 He ·built [founded] it on the waters
and ·set [established] it on the rivers [Gen. 1:9–10; Is. 45:18].
3 Who may go up on the mountain of the Lord [C Zion, the location of the Temple]?
Who may stand in his holy ·Temple [L place]?
4 Only those with clean hands and pure hearts [C innocent in actions and thoughts],
who have not ·worshiped idols [L lifted their souls to false things],
who have not made promises ·in the name of a false god [or deceitfully].
5 They will receive a blessing from the Lord;
the God who ·saves [rescues; T delivers] them will ·declare them right [vindicate them].
6 ·They try to follow God [L This is the generation/people of those who seek him];
they ·look to the God of Jacob for help [L search for your face, O God of Jacob]. ·
7 ·Open up [L Lift up your heads], you gates.
·Open wide [L Be lifted up], you ·aged [ancient] doors
and the ·glorious King [King of glory] will come in.
8 Who is this ·glorious King [King of glory]?
The Lord, strong and mighty.
The Lord, ·the powerful warrior [mighty in battle].
9 ·Open up [L Lift up your heads], you gates.
·Open wide [L Be lifted up], you ·aged [ancient] doors
and the ·glorious King [King of glory] will come in.
10 Who is this ·glorious King [King of glory]?
The Lord ·All-Powerful [of Heaven’s Armies/T Hosts]—
he is the ·glorious King [King of glory]. ·
8 “·The people are returning to you [L Who are these who fly…?] like clouds,
like doves flying to their ·nests [shelters; L windows].
9 ·People in faraway lands [L For the coastlands/or islands] ·are waiting [or look] for me.
The ·great trading ships [L ships of Tarshish; 2:16] will come first,
bringing your children from ·faraway lands [afar],
and with them silver and gold.
·This will honor [L …for the name of] the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel [1:4],
·who does wonderful things for you [L because he has glorified/beautified you].
10 “Jerusalem, foreigners will rebuild your walls,
and their kings will serve you.
·When I was angry [L In my wrath], I ·hurt [struck] you,
but now ·I want to be kind to you and comfort you [L in grace/favor I will have compassion/mercy on you].
11 Your gates will always be open;
they will not be closed day or night
so the nations can bring their wealth to you,
and their kings ·will be led to you [or leading the way; C either as captives or leading the procession of gifts].
12 The nation or kingdom that doesn’t serve you will ·be destroyed [perish];
it will be completely ruined.
13 “The ·great trees [L glory] of Lebanon will ·be given [come] to you [35:2]:
its ·pine [juniper], fir, and cypress trees together.
You will use them to make ·my Temple [L the place of my sanctuary] beautiful,
and I will ·give much honor to [glorify] ·this place where I rest [L the place of] my feet [Ezek. 43:7].
14 The ·people who have hurt you [L children/sons of your oppressors] will bow down to you;
those who ·hated [despised] you will bow down at your feet.
They will call you The City of the Lord,
·Jerusalem, city [L Zion; 59:20] of the Holy One of Israel [1:4].
15 “You have been ·hated [despised] and ·left empty [abandoned; forsaken]
with no one passing through.
But I will make you great from now on;
you will be a place of ·happiness [pride; majesty] ·forever and ever [for generations to come].
16 You will ·be given what you need from [L drink the milk of] the nations,
like a child ·drinking milk from its mother [nursing at royal breasts].
Then you will know that it is I, the Lord, ·who saves you [your savior].
You will know that the Powerful One of Jacob ·protects [redeems] you.
Luke Writes About Jesus’ Life
1 Many have ·tried to report on [set out to compile an account/narrative of] the things that ·happened [have been fulfilled/accomplished] among us [John 20:31; Acts 1:1–3; 2 Pet. 1:16–19]. 2 They have written the same things that ·we learned from [L were handed down by] others—the ·people who saw those things [L eyewitnesses] from the beginning and ·served God by telling people his message [L were servants of the word; Acts 10:39–41; 1 John 1:1–3]. 3 Since I myself have ·studied [investigated; followed closely] everything carefully from the beginning, most excellent [C a designation for someone with high social or political status] Theophilus, it seemed ·good [fitting] for me to write it out for you. I arranged it ·in order [or in an orderly manner], 4 to help you know that what you have been taught is ·true [certain; reliable; John 20:31].
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