Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
5 The Lord came to Solomon in a special dream in Gibeon during the night. God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.” 6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great loving-kindness to Your servant David my father because he was faithful and right and good and pure in heart before You. And You have kept for him this great and lasting love. You have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child. I do not know how to start or finish. 8 Your servant is among Your people which You have chosen. They are many people. There are too many people to number. 9 So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and know the difference between good and bad. For who is able to judge Your many people?”
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 God said to him, “You have asked this, and have not asked for a long life for yourself. You have not asked for riches, or for the life of those who hate you. But you have asked for understanding to know what is right. Because you have asked this, 12 I have done what you said. See, I have given you a wise and understanding heart. No one has been like you before, and there will be no one like you in the future.
129 Your Laws are wonderful, and so I obey them. 130 The opening up of Your Word gives light. It gives understanding to the child-like. 131 I opened my mouth wide, breathing with desire for Your Law. 132 Turn to me and show me loving-favor, as You always do to those who love Your name. 133 Set my steps in Your Word. Do not let sin rule over me. 134 Set me free from the power of man, and I will obey Your Law. 135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your Law. 136 Tears flow from my eyes because of those who do not keep Your Law.
26 In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us where we are weak. We do not know how to pray or what we should pray for, but the Holy Spirit prays to God for us with sounds that cannot be put into words. 27 God knows the hearts of men. He knows what the Holy Spirit is thinking. The Holy Spirit prays for those who belong to Christ the way God wants Him to pray.
28 We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan. 29 God knew from the beginning who would put their trust in Him. So He chose them and made them to be like His Son. Christ was first and all those who belong to God are His brothers. 30 He called to Himself also those He chose. Those He called, He made right with Himself. Then He shared His shining-greatness with those He made right with Himself.
31 What can we say about all these things? Since God is for us, who can be against us? 32 God did not keep His own Son for Himself but gave Him for us all. Then with His Son, will He not give us all things? 33 Who can say anything against the people God has chosen? It is God Who says they are right with Himself. 34 Who then can say we are guilty? It was Christ Jesus Who died. He was raised from the dead. He is on the right side of God praying to Him for us. 35 Who can keep us away from the love of Christ? Can trouble or problems? Can suffering wrong from others or having no food? Can it be because of no clothes or because of danger or war? 36 The Holy Writings say, “Because of belonging to Jesus, we are in danger of being killed all day long. We are thought of as sheep that are ready to be killed.” (A) 37 But we have power over all these things through Jesus Who loves us so much. 38 For I know that nothing can keep us from the love of God. Death cannot! Life cannot! Angels cannot! Leaders cannot! Any other power cannot! Hard things now or in the future cannot! 39 The world above or the world below cannot! Any other living thing cannot keep us away from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Picture-Story of the Mustard Seed
31 Jesus told them another picture-story. He said, “The holy nation of heaven is like mustard seed which a man planted in his field. 32 It is the smallest of seeds. But when it is full-grown, it is larger than the grain of the fields and it becomes a tree. The birds of the sky come and stay in its branches.”
The Picture-Story of the Yeast
33 Jesus gave them another picture-story. He said, “The holy nation of heaven is like yeast that a woman put into three pails of flour until it had become much more than at first.”
The Picture-Stories of the Gold Buried in the Field and of Buying a Pearl
44 “The holy nation of heaven is like a box of riches buried in a field. A man found it and then hid it again. In his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the holy nation of heaven is like a man who buys and sells. He is looking for good pearls. 46 When he finds one good pearl worth much money, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
The Picture-Story of the Fish Net
47 “The holy nation of heaven is like a big net which was let down into the sea. It gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, they took it to the shore. They sat down and put the good fish into pails. They threw the bad fish away. 49 It will be like this in the end of the world. Angels will come and take the sinful people from among those who are right with God. 50 They will put the sinful people into a stove of fire where there will be loud crying and grinding of teeth.”
51 Jesus asked them, “Have you understood all these picture-stories?” They said, “Yes, Lord!” 52 He said to them, “Every teacher of the Law who has become a follower of the holy nation of heaven is like a man who owns his house. He takes new and old riches from his house.”
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