Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 Show us, O Lord, your kindness[a]
and grant us your salvation.
9 [b]I will listen for God’s response;
surely the Lord will proclaim peace to his people, his saints,[c]
to those who turn to him with their whole heart.
10 His salvation is indeed near for those who fear him;
his glory[d] will dwell in our land.
11 [e]Kindness and faithfulness[f] will meet;
righteousness and peace will embrace.
12 Faithfulness will spring forth from the earth,
and righteousness[g] will look down from heaven.
13 [h]The Lord will grant us prosperity,[i]
and our land will yield its harvest.
The Trial of Israel
For Three Crimes of Israel
6 Thus says the Lord:
For three crimes of Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke my decree.
They sell righteous people for silver
and the poor for a pair of sandals.
7 They have trampled the heads of the poor
into the dust of the earth
and thrust the lowly out of their way.
Father and son lie with the same prostitute,
profaning my holy name.
8 They lie down beside every altar
upon garments acquired as surety,[a]
while drinking in the house of their God
the wine purchased with the fines they impose.
9 Yet I was the one
who destroyed the Amorites[b] before them;
they were as tall as the cedars
and as strong as the oaks.
I was the one
who destroyed their fruit above
and their roots below.
10 I was the one
who brought you up from the land of Egypt
and for forty years led you through the desert
to take possession of the land of the Amorites.
11 I was the one
who raised up some of your sons to be prophets
and some of your young men to be Nazirites.
Is this not indeed true, O Israelites?
says the Lord.
12 But you forced the Nazirites to drink wine
and commanded the prophets, “Do not prophesy!”
13 Therefore, I will crush you
just as a cart crushes when it is fully laden.
14 The swift will be unable to take flight;
the strong man will not retain his strength,
and the warrior will be unable to save his life.
15 The archer will not stand his ground;
the swift of foot will not escape,
nor will the horseman save his life.
16 Even the bravest of warriors
will flee away naked on that day,
says the Lord.
Chapter 2
Closely United in Love.[a] 1 I want you to realize how greatly I am struggling for you as well as for those in Laodicea[b] and all the others who have never seen me face to face. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love so that they may grow rich in their complete understanding as they come to the knowledge of the mystery of God, that is, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 I am telling you all this so that no one may deceive you with deceptive arguments. 5 Even if I am not physically present to you, I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your unity and the resolute firmness of your faith in Christ.
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