Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Praise for the Lord’s Mercies

A Psalm of David.

God’s Love for Jerusalem

16 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ² “Son of man, ^(A)cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, ³ and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem: “Your ^[a]birth ^(B)and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; ^(C)your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. ⁴ As for your nativity, ^(D)on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. ⁵ No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were ^[b]loathed on the day you were born.

⁶ “And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ ^7 (E)I made you ^[c]thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare.

⁸ “When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; ^(F)so I spread ^[d]My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I ^(G)swore an oath to you and entered into a ^(H)covenant with you, and ^(I)you became Mine,” says the Lord God.

⁹ “Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil. ¹⁰ I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of ^[e]badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. ¹¹ I adorned you with ornaments, ^(J)put bracelets on your wrists, ^(K)and a chain on your neck. ¹² And I put a ^[f]jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. ¹³ Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. ^(L)You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly ^(M)beautiful, and succeeded to royalty. ^14 (N)Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord God.

God’s Judgment Defended

3 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? ² Much in every way! Chiefly because ^(A)to them were committed the ^[a]oracles of God. ³ For what if ^(B)some did not believe? ^(C)Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? ^4 (D)Certainly not! Indeed, let ^(E)God be ^[b]true but ^(F)every man a liar. As it is written:

⁵ But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? ^(H)(I speak as a man.) ⁶ Certainly not! For then ^(I)how will God judge the world?

⁷ For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? ⁸ And why not say, ^(J)“Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their ^[c]condemnation is just.