Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Prayer for Mercy
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].
130 Lord, ·I am in great trouble [L from the depths],
so I ·call out [pray] to you.
2 Lord, hear my voice;
·listen to my prayer for help [L let your ear pay attention to the sound of my supplication].
3 Lord, if you ·punished people for all their sins [L observed/watched/guarded against iniquity],
·no one would be left [L who could stand…?], Lord.
4 But you forgive ·us [L your people],
so you are ·respected [feared; Prov. 1:7].
5 I ·wait [hope] for the Lord ·to help me [L my soul hopes],
and I ·trust [hope in] his word.
6 I ·wait for the Lord to help me [hope for the Lord]
more than night watchmen wait for the ·dawn [morning],
more than night watchmen wait for the ·dawn [morning].
7 People of Israel, put your hope in the Lord
because he is ·loving [loyal]
and ·able to save [L with him is abundant redemption].
8 He will ·save [redeem] Israel
from all their ·sins [iniquities].
9 ·The Lord is trying to teach the people a lesson [L Who is he teaching knowledge?];
·he is trying to make them understand his teachings [L To whom is he explaining the message?].
·But the people are like babies too old for breast milk [Those weaned from milk?],
·like those who no longer nurse at their mother’s breast [Those taken from the breast?].
10 So ·they make fun of the Lord’s prophet and say [or the Lord must repeat himself again and again; L For it is]:
“·A command here, a command there [T Precept upon precept, precept upon precept].
·A rule here, a rule there [T Line upon line, line upon line; C Hebrew: tsav latsav tsav latsav / kav lakav kav lakav; it may be the people mocking the words of the prophets as nonsense; or it may refer to God repeating himself because the people will not listen].
A little lesson here, a little lesson there [L A little there, a little there].”
11 So the Lord will use ·strange words [mocking/stammering lips] and foreign ·languages [tongues]
to speak to these people.
12 God said to them,
“Here is a place of rest;
let the ·tired people [weary] come and rest.
This is the place of peace.”
But the people would not listen.
13 So the words of the Lord will be,
“·A command here, a command there [T Precept upon precept, precept upon precept].
·A rule here, a rule there [T Line upon line, line upon line].
·A little lesson here, a little lesson there [L A little there, a little there; C see v. 10; God now uses the same words to mimic the foreign language of the Assyrian invaders].”
They will fall back and be ·defeated [broken];
they will be ·trapped and captured [snared and taken].
Use God’s Gifts Wisely
7 The ·time is near when all things will end [T end of all things is near]. So ·think clearly [be serious/alert] and ·control [discipline] yourselves so you will be able to pray. 8 Most importantly, love each other ·deeply [earnestly], because love ·will cause people to forgive each other for many sins [L covers a multitude of sins; Prov. 10:12; Luke 7:46–47]. 9 ·Open your homes [Be hospitable] to each other, without ·complaining [grumbling]. 10 Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good ·servants [stewards; managers] of God’s various gifts of grace [Rom. 5:15–16; 6:23]. 11 Anyone who speaks should speak ·words from God [or oracles from God; or as one bringing God’s message]. Anyone who serves should serve with the strength God gives so that in everything God will be ·praised [glorified] through Jesus Christ. Glory and power belong to him forever and ever [Col. 3:17]. Amen.
Suffering as a Christian
12 ·My friends [Beloved], do not be surprised at the ·terrible trouble [fiery ordeal; Zech. 13:9; Mal. 3:1–3] which now comes to test you. Do not think that something strange is happening to you. 13 But ·be happy [rejoice] that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings so that you will ·be happy and full of joy [L rejoice exulting/joyously] ·when Christ comes again in glory [L at the revelation of his glory]. 14 When people ·insult [ridicule] you ·because you follow Christ [L for the name of Christ], you are blessed, because the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, ·is with [rests on] you [Is. 11:1–2]. 15 Do not suffer for murder, theft, or any other crime, nor ·because you trouble other people [as a meddler/troublemaker]. 16 But if you suffer because you are a Christian, do not be ashamed. ·Praise [Glorify] God ·because you wear that name [or because you are called by his name; L in that name]. 17 [L For] It is time for judgment to begin with ·God’s family [T the household of God; 2:4–5]. And if that judging begins with us, what will ·happen to [L be the end for] those people who do not obey the ·Good News [Gospel] of God?
18 “If it is very hard for a ·good [righteous] person to be saved,
·the wicked person and the sinner will surely be lost! [or What will happen to the wicked person and the sinner?; Prov. 11:31]”
19 So those who suffer ·as God wants [or because God has allowed it; L according to the will of God] should trust their souls to the faithful Creator as they continue to do what is ·right [good].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.