Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Ayin
121 I have lived with fairness and integrity;
do not leave me at the mercy of my tormenters.
122 Provide security and protection for Your servant’s welfare;
do not let the proud oppress me.
123 My eyes are strained as I look for Your salvation
and for Your righteous promise to be fulfilled.
124 Treat Your servant in a manner that shows Your unfailing love,
and help me to learn Your decrees.
125 I am Your servant; impart to me understanding
so that I may fully grasp the depths of Your statutes.
126 It is time for the Eternal to step in and do something
because some have broken Your law.
127 Indeed, I love Your commands
more than gold, even more than the highest quality gold.
128 It’s true that I regard all Your guidance to be correct and good;
I despise every deceptive path.
16 Two prostitutes visited Solomon asking for a judgment.
First Woman (indicating the other): 17 My lord, she and I live under the same roof. She was in the house when my child was born. 18 Three days after my child was born, she had her own child. She and I were alone in the house with our newborns. 19 One night her baby died because she lay on it during her sleep. 20 She woke up, and after seeing her dead baby, she stole my baby out of my arms while I was sleeping and placed her dead baby in my arms. 21 When I woke up the next morning to feed my son, I found him dead. When I took a closer look at him, I saw that it was not the same child who came from my womb.
Second Woman: 22 She lies! My son is alive, and her son is dead!
First Woman: She lies! Her son is dead, and my son is alive!
Solomon: 23 This woman says, “My son is alive, and your son is dead.” The other woman says, “My son is alive, and your son is dead.” 24 Bring me a sword.
25 (receiving a sword) Cut the living child in half, and give each woman one of the halves.
26 The woman who truly was the mother of the living child was overcome with compassion and pleaded with the king.
First Woman: Please don’t cut the child in half! Just give the whole child to her! Please do not kill him!
Second Woman: Nonsense! The child will belong to neither one of us! Cut him in half!
Solomon: 27 The living child belongs to the first woman. Give the boy to her, and do not harm him. She is the true mother.
28 When the news of the king’s wise judgment spread throughout Israel, they all feared him. They respected him because they perceived God’s wisdom in his just judgment.
13 Who in your community is understanding and wise? Let his example, which is marked by wisdom and gentleness, blaze a trail for others. 14 If your heart is one that bleeds dark streams of jealousy and selfishness, do not be so proud that you ignore your depraved state. 15 The wisdom of this world should never be mistaken for heavenly wisdom; it originates below in the earthly realms, with the demons. 16 Any place where you find jealousy and selfish ambition, you will discover chaos and evil thriving under its rule. 17 Heavenly wisdom centers on purity, peace, gentleness, deference, mercy, and other good fruits untainted by hypocrisy. 18 The seed that flowers into righteousness will always be planted in peace by those who embrace peace.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.