Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁶⁹ Let my cry come to You, O Lord. Give me understanding because of Your Word. ¹⁷⁰ Let my prayer come to You. Help me because of Your Word. ¹⁷¹ May praise come from my lips, for You teach me Your Law. ¹⁷² May my tongue sing about Your Word, for all of Your Word is right and good. ¹⁷³ May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your Law. ¹⁷⁴ I have much desire for Your saving power, O Lord. Your Law is my joy. ¹⁷⁵ Let me live so I may praise You, and let Your Law help me. ¹⁷⁶ I have gone from the way like a lost sheep. Look for Your servant, for I do not forget Your Word.

The Man of God from Judah

13 A man of God came from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn special perfume. ² The man cried against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, “O altar, altar, this is what the Lord says. ‘See, a son will be born to the family of David. His name will be Josiah. On you he will burn the religious leaders of the high places who burn special perfume on you. Human bones will be burned on you.’” ³ He gave a special thing to be seen the same day. He said, “This is what the Lord says will be seen. ‘See, the altar will be broken in two. And the ashes on it will be poured out.’” ⁴ When King Jeroboam heard the words the man of God cried against the altar in Bethel, he put out his hand from the altar, saying, “Take hold of him!” But his hand which he put out against him dried up. So he could not pull it back to himself. ⁵ The altar was broken in two and the ashes were poured out. It was the special thing to see that happened just as the man of God said it would by the word of the Lord. ⁶ The king said to the man of God, “I beg you, ask for the favor of the Lord your God. Pray for me, that my hand may be made well again.” So the man of God asked for the Lord’s favor. And the king’s hand was made well again. It became as it was before. ⁷ Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and have something to eat to make yourself strong again. And I will pay you.” ⁸ But the man of God said to the king, “I would not go with you if you were to give me half your house. I would not eat bread or drink water in this place. ⁹ For the word of the Lord said to me, ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’” ¹⁰ So he went another way. He did not return by the way he came to Bethel.

⁹ What about it then? Are we Jews better than the people who are not Jews? Not at all! I have already said that Jews and the people who are not Jews are all sinners. ¹⁰ The Holy Writings say, “There is not one person who is right with God. No, not even one! ¹¹ There is not one who understands. There is not one who tries to find God.” ^{(A) 12} Everyone has turned away from God. They have all done wrong. Not one of them does what is good. No, not even one! ¹³ Their mouth is like an open grave. They tell lies with their tongues. ^(B) Whatever they say is like the poison of snakes. ¹⁴ Their mouths speak bad things against God. They say bad things about other people. ^{(C) 15} They are quick to hurt and kill people. ¹⁶ Wherever they go, they destroy and make people suffer. ¹⁷ They know nothing about peace. ^{(D) 18} They do not honor God with love and fear.” ^(E)

¹⁹ Now we know that the Law speaks to those who live under the Law. No one can say that he does not know what sin is. Yes, every person in the world stands guilty before God. ²⁰ No person will be made right with God by doing what the Law says. The Law shows us how sinful we are.