Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Complaints about Food
4 The riffraff[a] among them(A) had a strong craving(B) for other food. The Israelites wept again and said, “Who will feed us meat? 5 We remember the free fish we ate in Egypt,(C) along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. 6 But now our appetite is gone;[b] there’s nothing to look at but this manna!”
10 Moses heard the people, family after family, weeping at the entrance of their tents. The Lord was very angry;(A) Moses was also provoked.[a] 11 So Moses asked the Lord, “Why have you brought such trouble on your servant? Why are you angry with me,[b] and why do you burden me with all these people?(B) 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth so you should tell me, ‘Carry them at your breast, as a nursing mother carries a baby,’(C) to the land that you swore to give their ancestors?(D) 13 Where can I get meat to give all these people? For they are weeping to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry all these people by myself. They are too much for me. 15 If you are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now(E) if I have found favor with you, and(F) don’t let me see my misery[c] anymore.”
Seventy Elders Anointed
16 The Lord answered Moses, “Bring me seventy men from Israel known to you as elders and officers of the people. Take them to the tent of meeting and have them stand there with you.
24 Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. He brought seventy men from the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord descended in the cloud and spoke to him.(A) He took some of the Spirit who was on Moses and placed the Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied,(B) but they never did it again. 26 Two men had remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad; the Spirit rested on them—they were among those listed, but had not gone out to the tent—and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28 Joshua son of Nun, assistant to Moses since his youth,[a] responded, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”
29 But Moses asked him, “Are you jealous on my account?(C) If only all the Lord’s people were prophets and the Lord would place his Spirit on them!”
7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect,
renewing one’s life;(A)
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.(B)
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
making the heart glad;(C)
the command of the Lord is radiant,
making the eyes light up.(D)
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;(E)
the ordinances of the Lord are reliable
and altogether righteous.(F)
10 They are more desirable than gold—
than an abundance of pure gold;(G)
and sweeter than honey
dripping from a honeycomb.(H)
11 In addition, your servant is warned by them,
and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.(I)
12 Who perceives his unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from my hidden faults.(J)
13 Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins;(K)
do not let them rule me.(L)
Then I will be blameless
and cleansed from blatant rebellion.(M)
14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,(N)
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.(O)
Effective Prayer
13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.(A) 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.(B) 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.(C) 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.(D) 17 Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land.(E) 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.(F)
19 My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth,(G) and someone turns him back,(H) 20 let that person know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.(I)
In His Name
38 John(A) said to him, “Teacher,(B) we saw someone[a] driving out demons(C) in your name,(D) and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”(E)
39 “Don’t stop him,” said Jesus, “because there is no one who will perform a miracle(F) in my name who can soon afterward speak evil of me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us.(G) 41 And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink(H) in my name, because you belong to Christ(I) —truly I tell you,(J) he will never lose his reward.(K)
Warnings from Jesus
42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away(L) —it would be better for him if a heavy millstone(M) were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
43 “And if your hand causes you to fall away, cut it off.(N) It is better for you to enter life maimed(O) than to have two hands and go to hell, the unquenchable fire.[b](P) 45 And if your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame(Q) than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.[c] 47 And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God(R) with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown(S) into hell,(T) 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.[d] 49 For everyone will be salted with fire.[e][f](U) 50 Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you season it?(V) Have salt(W) among yourselves, and be at peace(X) with one another.”
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