Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁶⁵ TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Jehovah, according to thy word.

⁶⁶ Teach me good discernment and knowledge; for I have believed in thy commandments.

⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word.

⁶⁸ Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

⁶⁹ The proud have forged falsehood against me: I will observe thy precepts with [my] whole heart.

⁷⁰ Their heart is as fat as grease: as for me, I delight in thy law.

⁷¹ It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.

⁷² The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

² If there be found in thy midst in any of thy gates which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that doeth what is evil in the sight of Jehovah thy God, in transgressing his covenant,

³ and goeth and serveth other gods, and boweth down to them, either to the sun or to the moon, or to the whole host of heaven, which I have not commanded;

⁴ and it be told thee, and thou hearest of it; then thou shalt make thorough inquiry, and if it be truth [and] the thing be certain, that this abomination hath been wrought in Israel,

⁵ thou shalt bring forth that man or that woman, who committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, the man or the woman, and shalt stone them with stones, that they die.

⁶ At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is to die be put to death: he shall not be put to death at the mouth of one witness.

⁷ The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people; and thou shalt put evil away from thy midst.

⁸ If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between cause and cause, and between stroke and stroke, matters of controversy within thy gates, then shalt thou arise, and go up to the place which Jehovah thy God will choose.

⁹ And thou shalt come unto the priests, the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall declare unto thee the sentence of judgment;

¹⁰ and thou shalt do according to the tenor of the word, which they of that place which Jehovah will choose shall declare unto thee; and thou shalt take heed to do according to all that they instruct thee:

¹¹ according to the sentence of the law which they shall declare unto thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the word which they shall declare unto thee, to the right hand, or the left.

¹² And the man that shall act presumptuously, and not hearken unto the priest that standeth to serve there before Jehovah thy God, or unto the judge, that man shall die; and thou shalt put away evil from Israel.

¹³ And all the people shall hear, and fear, and no more act presumptuously.

13 Let every soul be subject to the authorities that are above [him]. For there is no authority except from God; and those that exist are set up by God.

² So that he that sets himself in opposition to the authority resists the ordinance of God; and they who [thus] resist shall bring sentence of guilt on themselves.

³ For rulers are not a terror to a good work, but to an evil [one]. Dost thou desire then not to be afraid of the authority? practise [what is] good, and thou shalt have praise from it;

⁴ for it is God's minister to thee for good. But if thou practisest evil, fear; for it bears not the sword in vain; for it is God's minister, an avenger for wrath to him that does evil.

⁵ Wherefore it is necessary to be subject, not only on account of wrath, but also on account of conscience.

⁶ For on this account ye pay tribute also; for they are God's officers, attending continually on this very thing.

⁷ Render to all their dues: to whom tribute [is due], tribute; to whom custom, custom; to whom fear, fear; to whom honour, honour.