Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 The Lord is merciful, compassionate, patient,
and always ready to forgive.
9 The Lord is good to everyone
and has compassion for everything that he has made.
10 Everything that you have made will give thanks to you, O Lord,
and your faithful ones will praise you.
11 Everyone will talk about the glory of your kingdom
and will tell the descendants of Adam about your might
12 in order to make known your mighty deeds
and the glorious honor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
Your empire endures throughout every generation.
14 The Lord supports everyone who falls.
He straightens ⌞the backs⌟ of those who are bent over.
6 “Hurry, hurry! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. I’ve scattered you to the four winds of heaven. 7 Hurry, Zion! Escape, you inhabitants of Babylon! 8 This is what the Lord of Armies says: Afterwards, the Glory sent me to the nations who looted you. Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye. 9 I’m going to shake my fist at the nations, and their own slaves will loot them. Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me. 10 Sing for joy and rejoice, people of Zion. I’m going to come and live among you, declares the Lord. 11 On that day many nations will join the Lord and become my people. I will live among you. Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will claim Judah as his own in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.
13 “Everyone be silent in the presence of the Lord. He is waking up and setting out from his holy dwelling place.”
Moses’ Laws Show What Sin Is
7 What should we say, then? Are the laws in Moses’ Teachings sinful? That’s unthinkable! In fact, I wouldn’t have recognized sin if those laws hadn’t shown it to me. For example, I wouldn’t have known that some desires are sinful if Moses’ Teachings hadn’t said, “Never have wrong desires.” 8 But sin took the opportunity provided by this commandment and made me have all kinds of wrong desires. Clearly, without laws sin is dead. 9 At one time I was alive without any laws. But when this commandment came, sin became alive 10 and I died. I found that the commandment which was intended to bring me life actually brought me death. 11 Sin, taking the opportunity provided by this commandment, deceived me and then killed me.
12 So the laws in Moses’ Teachings are holy, and the commandment is holy, right, and good. 13 Now, did something good cause my death? That’s unthinkable! Rather, my death was caused by sin so that sin would be recognized for what it is. Through a commandment sin became more sinful than ever.
God’s Standards Are at War with Sin’s Standards
14 I know that God’s standards in Moses’ Teachings are spiritual, but I have a corrupt nature, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I don’t realize what I’m doing. I don’t do what I want to do. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 I don’t do what I want to do, but I agree that God’s standards are good. 17 So I am no longer the one who is doing the things I hate, but sin that lives in me is doing them.
18 I know that nothing good lives in me; that is, nothing good lives in my corrupt nature. Although I have the desire to do what is right, I don’t do it. 19 I don’t do the good I want to do. Instead, I do the evil that I don’t want to do. 20 Now, when I do what I don’t want to do, I am no longer the one who is doing it. Sin that lives in me is doing it.
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