Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Prayer for God to Guide
Of David.
25 Lord, I ·give myself [L lift my soul] to you;
2 my God, I ·trust [have confidence in] you.
Do not let me be ·disgraced [shamed];
do not let my enemies ·laugh at [triumph/exult over] me.
3 No one who ·trusts [hopes in; waits on] you will be ·disgraced [shamed],
but those who ·sin [betray; are treacherous] without excuse will be ·disgraced [shamed].
4 Lord, ·tell me [make me know] your ways.
·Show [L Teach] me ·how to live [L your paths].
5 ·Guide [Lead] me in your truth,
and teach me, my God, my ·Savior [Helper; Victor].
I ·trust [hope in; wait on] you all day long.
6 Lord, remember your ·mercy [compassion] and ·love [loyalty; covenant love]
that you have shown since long ago.
7 Do not remember the sins
and ·wrong things I did when I was young [transgressions of my youth].
But remember ·to love me [L according to your love/loyalty/covenant love] always
·because you are good [on account of your goodness], Lord.
8 The Lord is good and ·right [upright; virtuous];
he ·points [instructs] sinners to the right way.
9 He shows those who are humble how to do right,
and he teaches them his ways.
The Lesson of Ezekiel’s Shaking
17 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 18 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], tremble as you eat your ·food [bread], and shake with fear as you drink your water. 19 Then say to the people of the land: ‘This is what the Lord God says about the ·people who live in [inhabitants of] Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their food with ·fear [anxiety] and drink their water in ·shock [dread; despair], because their land will be stripped bare because of the violence of the people who live in it. 20 The ·cities [towns] where people live will become ruins, and the land will become ·empty [desolate; devastated]. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
The Visions Will Come True
21 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 22 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], what is this ·saying [proverb] you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days ·go by [pass slowly; grow long] and every vision comes to nothing’? 23 So say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will ·make them stop saying this [L put an end to this proverb], and nobody in Israel will use this ·saying [proverb] anymore.’ But tell them, ‘The ·time is [days are] near when every vision will ·come true [be fulfilled]. 24 There will be no more false visions or ·pleasing prophecies [flattering omens/divinations] inside the ·nation [L house] of Israel, 25 but I, the Lord, will speak. What I say will be done, and it will not be delayed. You ·refuse to obey [are a rebellious house], but in your ·time [days] I will say the word and do it, says the Lord God.’”
26 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 27 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], the ·people [L house] of Israel are saying, ‘The vision that Ezekiel sees is for a time many ·years [L days] from now. He is prophesying about times far away.’
28 “So say to them: ‘The Lord God says this: None of my words will be delayed anymore. ·What I have said [L The word I speak] will be done, says the Lord God.’”
You Are Not the Judge
11 Brothers and sisters [C fellow believers], do not ·tell evil lies about [slander] each other [Lev. 19:16]. If you ·speak against [slander] your ·fellow believers [L a brother or sister] or judge them, you are judging and ·speaking against [slandering] the law [C because the law commanded love]. And when you are judging the law, you are no longer a ·follower [L doer] of the law. You have become a judge [C sitting in judgment over the law]. 12 ·God is the only [L There is one] ·Lawmaker [Lawgiver] and Judge. He is the only One who can save and destroy [Matt. 10:28]. ·So it is not right for you [L So who are you…?] to judge your neighbor [Lev. 19:18].
Let God Plan Your Life
13 ·Some of you say [L Come now, you who say], “Today or tomorrow we will go to some city. We will stay there a year, do business, and make money.” 14 But you do not know what will happen tomorrow! Your life is like a ·mist [vapor; puff of smoke]. ·You can see it [It appears] for a short time, but then it ·goes away [vanishes; Prov. 27:1]. 15 ·So [or Instead] you should say, “If the Lord ·wants [wills; wishes], we will live and do this or that [Matt. 6:10].” 16 But now you are ·proud [arrogant; C probably referring to their plans for the future] and you brag [boast]. All of this bragging [boasting] is wrong [L evil; wicked; 3:14].
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