Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
9 If you belong to the Lord, reverence him; for everyone who does this has everything he needs. 10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those of us who reverence the Lord will never lack any good thing.
11 Sons and daughters, come and listen and let me teach you the importance of trusting and fearing the Lord. 12 Do you want a long, good life? 13 Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from lying. 14 Turn from all known sin and spend your time in doing good. Try to live in peace with everyone; work hard at it.
13 “Look, I have seen many instances such as you describe. I understand what you are saying. 2 I know as much as you do. I’m not stupid. 3 Oh, how I long to speak directly to the Almighty. I want to talk this over with God himself. 4 For you are misinterpreting the whole thing. You are doctors who don’t know what they are doing. 5 Oh, please be quiet! That would be your highest wisdom.
6 “Listen to me now, to my reasons for what I think and to my pleadings.
7 “Must you go on ‘speaking for God’ when he never once has said the things that you are putting in his mouth? 8 Does God want your help if you are going to twist the truth for him? 9 Be careful that he doesn’t find out what you are doing! Or do you think you can fool God as well as men? 10 No, you will be in serious trouble with him if you use lies to try to help him out. 11 Doesn’t his majesty strike terror to your heart? How can you do this thing? 12 These tremendous statements you have made have about as much value as ashes. Your defense of God is as fragile as a clay vase!
13 “Be silent now and leave me alone, that I may speak—and I am willing to face the consequences. 14 Yes, I will take my life in my hand and say what I really think. 15 God may kill me for saying this—in fact, I expect him to. Nevertheless, I am going to argue my case with him.[a] 16 This at least will be in my favor, that I am not godless, to be rejected instantly from his presence. 17 Listen closely to what I am about to say. Hear me out.
18 “This is my case: I know that I am righteous. 19 Who can argue with me over this? If you could prove me wrong, I would stop defending myself and die.
7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus asked her for a drink. 8 He was alone at the time as his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised that a Jew would ask a “despised Samaritan” for anything—usually they wouldn’t even speak to them!—and she remarked about this to Jesus.
10 He replied,
11 “But you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this is a very deep well! Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob? How can you offer better water than this which he and his sons and cattle enjoyed?”
13 Jesus replied that people soon became thirsty again after drinking this water. 14 “But the water I give them,” he said, “becomes a perpetual spring within them, watering them forever with eternal life.”
15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me some of that water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again and won’t have to make this long trip out here every day.”
16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
17-18 “But I’m not married,” the woman replied.
“All too true!” Jesus said. “For you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now.”
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 But say, tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim,[a] where our ancestors worshiped?”
21-24 Jesus replied,
25 The woman said, “Well, at least I know that the Messiah will come—the one they call Christ—and when he does, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.