Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Lord Be Praised

111 Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart where those who are right with God gather together and in the meeting of the people. ² The works of the Lord are great. All who find joy in them try to understand them. ³ His work is great and powerful. And He is right and good forever. ⁴ He has made His great works to be remembered. The Lord shows loving-favor and pity. ⁵ He gives food to those who fear Him. He will remember His agreement forever. ⁶ He has shown His people the power of His works by giving them the land of other nations.

⁷ The works of His hands are faithful and right. All His Laws are true. ⁸ They stand strong forever and ever. They are done by what is true and right. ⁹ He has made a way for His people to be free. He has set up His agreement forever. His holy name is to be honored with fear. ¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. All who obey His Laws have good understanding. His praise lasts forever.

Israel Agrees

24 Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the leaders of Israel and worship from far away. ² But Moses alone may come near the Lord. The others should not come near and should not come up with him.”

³ Moses came and told the people all the Lord said and all the Laws. All the people answered with one voice, saying, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken.” ⁴ Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve families of Israel. ⁵ Then he sent young men of Israel, who gave burnt gifts and killed young bulls as gifts of peace given in worship to the Lord. ⁶ Moses took half of the blood and put it in pots. The other half of the blood he put upon the altar. ⁷ Then he took the Book of the Agreement and read it for the people to hear. They said, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken. We will obey.” ⁸ So Moses took the blood and put some on the people. He said, “See, the blood of the agreement, which the Lord has made with you in these words.”

⁹ Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the leaders of Israel. ¹⁰ And they saw the God of Israel. The ground under His feet looked like sapphire stone, as clear as the sky itself. ¹¹ He did not let His hand come against the leaders of Israel. But they saw God, and ate and drank.

²² This is why I have been kept many times from coming to you. ²³ But now I am finished with my work here. I have been wanting to come and visit you for many years. ²⁴ I hope I can now. I am making plans to go to the country of Spain. On my way there I will stop and visit you. After I have had the joy of visiting you for awhile, you can help me on my way again. ²⁵ But now I am going to Jerusalem to hand the Christians the gift of money. ²⁶ The churches in the countries of Macedonia and Greece have decided to give money to help some of the poor Christians in Jerusalem. ²⁷ They wanted to do it. They should help them in this way because they owe much to the Christians in Jerusalem. The Jews shared the Good News with the people who are not Jews. For this reason, they should share what they can with the Jews. ²⁸ I will hand this gift of money to them. Then I will stop to see you on my way to the country of Spain. ²⁹ I know that when I come to you, Christ will give me much good to share with you.

³⁰ I ask you from my heart, Christian brothers, to pray much for me. I ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ³¹ Pray that God will keep me safe from the people in the country of Judea who are not Christians. Pray also that the work I am to do for the Christians in Jerusalem will help them. ³² Then I will be coming to you if God wants me to come. I will be full of joy, and together we can have some rest. ³³ May our God Who gives us peace, be with you all. Let it be so.