Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

45 Thus says the LORD to Cyrus, His anointed, whose right hand I have strengthened to subdue nations before him, and I will weaken the loins of kings, and open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:

² “I will go before you, and make the crooked straight. I will break the bronze doors and burst the iron bars.

³ “And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and the things hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, Who calls you by your name, even the God of Israel.

⁴ “For Jacob, My servant’s, sake, and Israel, My elect, I will call you by your name, and name you, though you have not known Me.

⁵ “I am the LORD, and there is no other. There is no God besides Me. I girded you, though you have not known Me,

⁶ “so that they may know from the rising of the Sun, and from the west, that there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.

⁷ “I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create misery. I, the LORD, do all these things.

96 Sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD all the Earth!

² Sing to the LORD! Praise His Name! Declare His salvation from day to day.

³ Declare His Glory among all nations, His wonders among all people.

⁴ For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised. He is to be feared above all gods.

⁵ For all the gods of the people are idols. But the LORD made the heavens.

⁶ Strength and glory are before Him. Power and beauty are in His Sanctuary.

⁷ Give to the LORD, you families of the people! Give to the LORD glory and power!

⁸ Give to the LORD the glory of His Name. Bring an offering and enter into His courts.

⁹ Worship the LORD in the glorious Sanctuary. Tremble before Him, all the Earth.

¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!” Surely, the world shall be stable and not move; and He shall judge the people in righteousness.

¹¹ Let the heavens rejoice, and let the Earth be glad! Let the sea roar, and all that therein is.

¹² Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it! Let all the trees of the wood then rejoice

¹³ before the LORD. For He comes. For He comes to judge the Earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the people in His truth.

1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be with you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

² We always give God thanks for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,

³ unceasingly remembering your work of faith and diligent love and the patience of your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (in the sight of God our Father),

⁴ knowing - beloved brothers - that you are the Elect of God.

⁵ For our Gospel did not come to you in word only, but in power also and in the Holy Ghost and much certainty (as you know how we behaved among you for your sakes).

⁶ And you became followers of us and of the Lord and received the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost,

⁷ so that you were examples to all believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

⁸ For the Word of the Lord has resounded from you - not only in Macedonia and in Achaia - but in all quarters. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we need not say anything.

⁹ For they themselves tell of how we approached you and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

¹⁰ and to look for His Son from Heaven - Whom He raised from the dead – Who is Jesus; Who delivers us from the wrath to come.

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might trap Him in talk.

¹⁶ And they sent their disciples to Him, with the Herodians, saying, “Master, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God truly. Nor do You care for anyone. For You do not look on the appearance of man.

¹⁷ “Therefore, tell us what You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, hypocrites?

¹⁹ “Show Me the money for the tribute.” And they brought Him a coin.

²⁰ And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription are these?”

²¹ They said to Him, “Caesar’s”. Then He said to them, “Therefore, give to Caesar those things which are Caesar’s. And give to God those things which are God’s.”

²² And when they heard it, they marveled, and left Him, and went their way.