Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

116 I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my prayers.

² For He has inclined His ear to me, when I called in my days.

³ The snares of death surrounded me and the griefs of the grave caught me. I found trouble and sorrow.

⁴ Then I called upon the Name of the LORD, “I implore You, O LORD, deliver my soul!”

⁵ The LORD is merciful and righteous; and our God is full of compassion.

⁶ The LORD preserves the simple. I was in misery and He saved me.

⁷ Return to your rest, O my soul; for the LORD has been beneficial to you.

⁸ For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

⁹ I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

¹⁵ Then she let them down by a cord through the window, for her house was upon the town wall; and she dwelt upon the wall.

¹⁶ And she said to them, “Go into the mountain, lest the pursuers encounter you, and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have turned back. Then, afterward, you may go your way.”

¹⁷ And the men said to her, “We will be blameless of this oath which you have made us swear

¹⁸ if, when we come into the land, you shall bind this cord of red in the window whereby you let us down. And you shall bring your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household home to you.

¹⁹ “And whoever then goes out at the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head. And we will be guiltless. But, whoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if any hand touches him.

²⁰ “And if you utter this matter, we will be released from your oath which you have made us swear.”

²¹ And she answered, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away and they departed. And she bound the red cord in the window.

²² And they departed and came into the mountain and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. And the pursuers sought them all along the road but did not find them.

²³ So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua, the son of Nun, and told him all things that happened to them.

²⁴ Also they said to Joshua, “Surely the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands. For all the inhabitants of the country faint because of us.”

¹⁷ Even so, faith - if it has no works - is dead by itself.

¹⁸ But someone might say, “You have faith, and I have works”. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. The demons also believe it, and tremble.

²⁰ But will you understand, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

²¹ Was not our father Abraham justified through works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?

²² Do you not see that faith worked with his works? And through works was faith made perfect?

²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness”. And he was called the friend of God.

²⁴ You see then how a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified through works when she had received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.