Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 Let me hear what the God, Yahweh, will speak;
For He will (A)speak peace to His people, [a]to His holy ones;
But let them not (B)turn back to [b]folly.
9 Surely (C)His salvation is near to those who [c]fear Him,
That (D)glory may dwell in our land.
10 (E)Lovingkindness and [d]truth have met together;
(F)Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 [e]Truth (G)springs up from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 Indeed, (H)Yahweh will give what is good,
And our (I)land will yield its produce.
13 (J)Righteousness will go before Him
And will establish the way of His steps.
Yahweh Speaks Against Israel
3 Hear this word which Yahweh has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire [a](A)family which [b]He brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
2 “(B)You only have I known among all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will [c](C)punish you for all your iniquities.”
3 Do two men walk together unless they have made an [d]appointment?
4 Does a (D)lion roar in the forest when it has no prey?
Does a young lion give forth its voice from its den unless it has captured something?
5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no [e]bait in it?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?
6 If a (E)trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble?
If a (F)calamity happens in a city has not Yahweh done it?
7 [f]Surely Lord Yahweh does nothing
Unless He (G)reveals His secret counsel
To His slaves the prophets.
8 A (H)lion has roared! Who will not fear?
(I)Lord Yahweh has spoken! (J)Who can but prophesy?
9 Make it heard on the citadels in (K)Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Gather yourselves on the (L)mountains of Samaria and see the great confusions within her and the (M)oppressions in her midst. 10 But they (N)do not know how to do what is right,” declares Yahweh, “these who (O)hoard up [g]violence and devastation in their citadels.”
11 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh,
“An (P)adversary, even one surrounding the land,
Will pull down your [h]strength from you,
And your (Q)citadels will be plundered.”
12 Thus says Yahweh,
2 (A)Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time (B)for us as well, that God will open up to us a (C)door for (D)the word, so that we may speak (E)the mystery of Christ, for which I have also (F)been bound, 4 that I may make it (G)manifest (H)in the way I ought to speak.
5 (I)Walk in wisdom toward (J)outsiders, (K)redeeming the time. 6 (L)Let your [a]words always be [b]with grace, seasoned with (M)salt, so that you will know how you should (N)answer each person.
7 (O)Tychicus, our (P)beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you (Q)all my affairs, 8 (R)whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may (S)encourage your hearts; 9 [c]and with him (T)Onesimus, our faithful and (U)beloved brother, (V)who is one of you. They will inform you about the whole situation here.
10 (W)Aristarchus, my (X)fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Mark, the cousin of (Y)Barnabas (about whom you received [d]instructions; (Z)if he comes to you, welcome him); 11 and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only (AA)fellow workers for the kingdom of God (AB)who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be a comfort to me. 12 (AC)Epaphras, (AD)who is one of your number, a slave of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always (AE)striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand [e](AF)complete and (AG)fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I testify for him that he has [f]a deep concern for you and for those who are in (AH)Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 (AI)Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also (AJ)Demas. 15 Greet the brothers who are in (AK)Laodicea and also [g]Nympha and (AL)the church that is in [h]her house. 16 (AM)And when [i]this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part (AN)read [j]my letter that is coming from (AO)Laodicea. 17 And say to (AP)Archippus, “Take heed to the (AQ)ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may [k]fulfill it.”
18 (AR)The greeting is in my own hand—[l]Paul. (AS)Remember my (AT)chains. (AU)Grace be with you.
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