Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Warning for Ezekiel
7 “Now as for you, Son of Man, I’ve established you as a sentinel for the house of Israel. So whenever you hear a message from me,[a] you are to warn the people[b] from me. 8 If I should say to a certain wicked person, ‘You wicked man, you’re certainly about to die,’ but you don’t warn him to turn from his wicked behavior,[c] he’ll die in his guilt, but I’ll seek retribution for his bloodshed from you.[d] 9 However, if you warn the wicked to turn from his behavior[e] and he does not do so, he will die in his guilt, and you will have saved yourself.”[f]
God Hates the Death of the Wicked
10 “‘Now, Son of Man, tell this to the house of Israel:
‘You keep saying, “Our crimes and sins burden us so much that we’re rotting away, so how can we keep on living?”’
11 “Tell them, ‘As certainly as I’m alive and living,’ declares the Lord God, ‘I receive no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Instead, my pleasure is that the wicked repent from their behavior[g] and live. Turn back! Turn back, all of you, from your wicked behavior! Why do you have to die, you house of Israel?’”
He
Instructed by the Word
33 Teach me, Lord, about the way of your statutes,
and I will observe them without fail.[a]
34 Give me understanding
and I will observe your instruction.[b]
I will keep it with all of my heart.
35 Help me live my life by your commands,
because my joy is in them.
36 Turn my heart to your decrees
and away from unjust gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from gazing at worthless things,
and revive me by your ways.
38 Confirm your promise to your servant,
which is for those who fear you.
39 Turn away the shame that I dread,
because your ordinances are good.
40 Look, I long for your precepts;
revive me through your righteousness.
Love One Another
8 Do not owe anyone anything—except to love one another. For the one who loves another has fulfilled the Law. 9 For the commandments, “You must not commit adultery; you must not murder; you must not steal; you must not covet,”[a] and every other commandment are summed up in this statement: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love never does anything that is harmful to its neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law.
Live in the Light of the Messiah’s Return
11 This is necessary because you know the times—it’s already time for you to wake up from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we became believers. 12 The night is almost over, and the day is near. Let’s therefore put aside the actions of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let’s behave decently, as people who live in the light of day.[c] No wild parties, drunkenness, sexual immorality, promiscuity, quarreling, or jealousy! 14 Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[d] and do not obey your flesh and its desires.
Dealing with a Brother who Sins(A)
15 “If your brother sins against you,[a] go and confront him while the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two others with you so that ‘every word may be confirmed by the testimony[b] of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17 If, however, he ignores them, tell it to the congregation.[d] If he also ignores the congregation,[e] regard him as an unbeliever[f] and a tax collector.
18 “I tell all of you[g] with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited[h] in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted[i] in heaven. 19 Furthermore, I tell all of you[j] with certainty that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven, 20 because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.”
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