Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
BOOK 1
The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.
1 How blessed is the man who (A)does not walk in the (B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the [a](C)path of sinners,
Nor (D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his (E)delight is (F)in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates (G)day and (H)night.
3 He will be like (I)a tree firmly planted by [b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its [c]leaf does not wither;
And [d]in whatever he does, (J)he prospers.
23 These also are (A)sayings of the wise.
To [a](B)show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 He (C)who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
(D)Peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him;
25 But (E)to those who rebuke the wicked will be delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 He kisses the lips
Who gives [b]a right answer.
27 Prepare your work outside
And (F)make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterwards, then, build your house.
28 Do not be a (G)witness against your neighbor without cause,
And (H)do not deceive with your lips.
29 (I)Do not say, “Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me;
I will [c]render to the man according to his work.”
30 I passed by the field of the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man (J)lacking [d]sense,
31 And behold, it was completely (K)overgrown with thistles;
Its surface was covered with [e](L)nettles,
And its stone (M)wall was broken down.
32 When I saw, I [f]reflected upon it;
I looked, and received instruction.
33 “(N)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
34 Then your poverty will come as [g]a robber
And your want like [h]an armed man.
Witness of the Scripture
39 [a](A)You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is (B)these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41 (C)I do not receive glory from men; 42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; (D)if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you (E)receive [b]glory from one another and you do not seek (F)the [c]glory that is from (G)the one and only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is (H)Moses, in whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for (I)he wrote about Me. 47 But (J)if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.