Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
What the Lord Demands
A psalm of David.
15 Lord, who may enter your Holy Tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 Only those who are innocent
and who do what is right.
Such people speak the truth from their hearts
3 and do not tell lies about others.
They do no wrong to their neighbors
and do not gossip.
4 They do not respect hateful people
but honor those who honor the Lord.
They keep their promises to their neighbors,
even when it hurts.
5 They do not charge interest on money they lend
and do not take money to hurt innocent people.
Whoever does all these things will never be destroyed.
17 Do not be unfair to a foreigner or an orphan. Don’t take a widow’s coat to make sure she pays you back. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and the Lord your God saved you from there. That is why I am commanding you to do this.
19 When you are gathering your harvest in the field and leave behind a bundle of grain, don’t go back and get it. Leave it there for foreigners, orphans, and widows so that the Lord your God can bless everything you do. 20 When you beat your olive trees to knock the olives off, don’t beat the trees a second time. Leave what is left for foreigners, orphans, and widows. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, don’t pick the vines a second time. Leave what is left for foreigners, orphans, and widows. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt; that is why I am commanding you to do this.
25 If two people have an argument and go to court, the judges will decide the case. They will declare one person right and the other guilty. 2 If the guilty person has to be punished with a beating, the judge will make that person lie down and be beaten in front of him. The number of lashes should match the crime. 3 But don’t hit a person more than forty times, because more than that would disgrace him before others.
4 When an ox is working in the grain, do not cover its mouth to keep it from eating.
17 The elders who lead the church well should receive double honor, especially those who work hard by speaking and teaching, 18 because the Scripture says: “When an ox is working in the grain, do not cover its mouth to keep it from eating,”[a] and “A worker should be given his pay.”[b]
19 Do not listen to someone who accuses an elder, without two or three witnesses. 20 Tell those who continue sinning that they are wrong. Do this in front of the whole church so that the others will have a warning.
21 Before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels, I command you to do these things without showing favor of any kind to anyone.
22 Think carefully before you lay your hands on[c] anyone, and don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Stop drinking only water, but drink a little wine to help your stomach and your frequent sicknesses.
24 The sins of some people are easy to see even before they are judged, but the sins of others are seen only later.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.