Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

II

III

I. First Address

Chapter 1

Introduction. ^1 [a]These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah, opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. ² It is a journey of eleven days from Horeb^[b] to Kadesh-barnea by way of the highlands of Seir.

³ In the fortieth year,^[c] on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the Israelites according to all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to them, ⁴ after he had defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon,^(A) and Og, king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei. ⁵ Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to explain this law:

Departure from Horeb. ^6 [d](B)The Lord, our God, said to us at Horeb:^[e] You have stayed long enough at this mountain. ⁷ Leave here and go to the hill country of the Amorites^[f] and to all the surrounding regions, the Arabah, the mountains, the Shephelah, the Negeb and the seacoast—the land of the Canaanites and the Lebanon as far as the Great River, the Euphrates. ⁸ See, I have given that land over to you.^(C) Go now and possess the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them and to their descendants after them.

Appointment of Elders. ^9 (D)At that time I said to you, “I am unable to carry you by myself.^{(E) 10} The Lord, your God, has made you numerous, and now you are as numerous as the stars of the heavens.^{(F) 11} May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times over, and bless you as he promised! ¹² But how can I, by myself, bear the weight, the contentiousness of you? ¹³ Provide wise, discerning, and reputable persons for each of your tribes, that I may appoint them as your leaders.” ¹⁴ You answered me, “What you have proposed is good.” ¹⁵ So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and reputable, and set them as leaders over you, commanders over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties and over tens, and other tribal officers. ^16 (G)I charged your judges at that time, “Listen to complaints among your relatives, and administer true justice to both parties even if one of them is a resident alien. ¹⁷ In rendering judgment, do not consider who a person is; give ear to the lowly and to the great alike, fearing no one, for the judgment is God’s. Any case that is too difficult for you bring to me and I will hear it.” ¹⁸ Thus I charged you, at that time, with all the things you were to do.

Herod’s Death. ^20 [a]He had long been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, who now came to him in a body. After winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they sued for peace because their country was supplied with food from the king’s territory. ²¹ On an appointed day, Herod, attired in royal robes, [and] seated on the rostrum, addressed them publicly. ²² The assembled crowd cried out, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” ²³ At once the angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not ascribe the honor to God, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. ²⁴ But the word of God continued to spread and grow.^(A)

Mission of Barnabas and Saul. ²⁵ After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission, they returned to Jerusalem,^[b] taking with them John, who is called Mark.^(B)