Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my (A)shepherd,
I [a]shall (B)not want.
2 He makes me lie down in (C)green pastures;
He (D)leads me beside [b](E)quiet waters.
3 He (F)restores my soul;
He (G)guides me in the [c](H)paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I (I)walk through the [d]valley of the shadow of death,
I (J)fear no [e]evil, for (K)You are with me;
Your (L)rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You (M)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You [f]have (N)anointed my head with oil;
My (O)cup overflows.
6 [g]Surely (P)goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will [h](Q)dwell in the house of the Lord [i]forever.
The Valley of Vision
22 The [a]oracle concerning the (A)valley of vision.
What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the (B)housetops?
2 You who were full of noise,
You boisterous town, you (C)exultant city;
Your slain were (D)not slain with the sword,
Nor [b]did they die in battle.
3 (E)All your rulers have fled together,
And have been captured [c]without the bow;
All of you who were found were taken captive together,
[d]Though they had fled far away.
4 Therefore I say, “Turn your eyes away from me,
Let me (F)weep bitterly,
Do not [e]try to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.”
5 (G)For the Lord [f]God of hosts has a (H)day of panic, (I)subjugation and confusion
(J)In the valley of vision,
A breaking down of walls
And a crying [g]to the mountain.
6 (K)Elam took up the quiver
With the chariots, [h]infantry and horsemen;
And (L)Kir uncovered the shield.
7 Then your choicest valleys were full of chariots,
And the horsemen took up fixed positions at the gate.
8 And He removed the [i]defense of Judah.
In that day you [j]depended on the weapons of the (M)house of the forest,
Serve God Willingly
5 (A)Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your (B)fellow elder and (C)witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a (D)partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd (E)the flock of God among you, exercising oversight (F)not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and (G)not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as (H)lording it over [a]those allotted to your charge, but [b]proving to be (I)examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief (J)Shepherd appears, you will receive the (K)unfading [c](L)crown of glory. 5 (M)You younger men, likewise, (N)be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with (O)humility toward one another, for (P)God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
12 Through (A)Silvanus, our faithful brother [a](for so I regard him), (B)I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is (C)the true grace of God. (D)Stand firm in it! 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, (E)Mark. 14 (F)Greet one another with a kiss of love.
(G)Peace be to you all who are in Christ.
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