Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
4 The mixed group of people among them had strong desires. The people of Israel cried again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember all the fish we could eat free in Egypt, and all the fruit and vegetables and spices. 6 But now our strength is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this bread from heaven.”
10 Moses heard all the people crying in every family, each man at the door of his tent. The Lord became very angry with them and Moses was not pleased. 11 So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant? Why have I not found favor in Your eyes, that You have laid the troubles of all these people on me? 12 Did I give birth to all these people? Did I bring them out, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them close to your heart as a nurse carries a nursing baby, to the land You promised their fathers’? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? They cry in front of me, saying, ‘Give us meat so we may eat!’ 14 I am not able to carry all these people alone. The load is too heavy for me. 15 So if You are going to act this way toward me, I beg You to kill me now, if I have found favor in Your eyes. Do not let me see how bad off I am.”
The Seventy Leaders
16 The Lord said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the leaders of Israel, whom you know to be the leaders of the people, the men who rule over them. Bring them to the meeting tent and let them stand there with you.
24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men from the leaders of the people, and had them stand around the meeting tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him. He took of the Spirit Who was upon him and put Him upon the seventy leaders. When the Spirit rested upon them, they spoke the word of the Lord. But they did not do it again.
26 But two men had stayed among the tents. Their names were Eldad and Medad, and the Spirit rested upon them. They were among those who had been chosen, but had not gone out to the meeting tent. So they spoke the word of the Lord among the tents. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are speaking the word of the Lord among the tents.” 28 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the helper of Moses since he was young, said, “Moses, my lord, do not let them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my good? If only all the Lord’s people would speak for God, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”
7 The Law of the Lord is perfect, giving new strength to the soul. The Law He has made known is sure, making the child-like wise. 8 The Laws of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The Word of the Lord is pure, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The Lord is always true and right in how He judges. 10 The Word of the Lord is worth more than gold, even more than much fine gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey straight from the comb. 11 And by them Your servant is told to be careful. In obeying them there is great reward.
12 Who can see his own mistakes? Forgive my sins that I do not see. 13 And keep Your servant from sinning by going my own way. Do not let these sins rule over me. Then I will be without blame. And I will not be found guilty of big sins. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in Your eyes, O Lord, my Rock and the One Who saves me.
The Power of Prayer in Healing
13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone happy? He should sing songs of thanks to God. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should send for the church leaders and they should pray for him. They should pour oil on him in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer given in faith will heal the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Tell your sins to each other. And pray for each other so you may be healed. The prayer from the heart of a man right with God has much power. 17 Elijah was a man as we are. He prayed that it might not rain. It did not rain on the earth for three and one-half years. 18 Then he prayed again that it would rain. It rained much and the fields of the earth gave fruit.
Bring Back Those Who Are Lost in Sin
19 My Christian brothers, if any of you should be led away from the truth, let someone turn him back again. 20 That person should know that if he turns a sinner from the wrong way, he will save the sinner’s soul from death and many sins will be forgiven.
Jesus Speaks Sharp Words against the Followers
38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone putting out demons in Your name. We told him to stop because he was not following us.” 39 Jesus said, “Do not stop him. No one who does a powerful work in My name can say anything bad about Me soon after. 40 The person who is not against us is for us. 41 For sure, I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name because you belong to Christ will not lose his reward from God. 42 Whoever is the reason for one of these little ones who believes in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large stone put around his neck and to be thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand is the reason you fall into sin, cut it off. It is better to go into life without a hand, than to have two hands and go into the fire of hell that cannot be put out. 44 *There is where their worm never dies and the fire cannot be put out. 45 If your foot is the reason you fall into sin, cut it off. It is better to go into life with only one foot, than to have two feet and go into the fire of hell that cannot be put out. 46 *There is where their worm never dies and the fire cannot be put out. 47 If your eye is the reason you fall into sin, take it out. It is better to go into the holy nation of God with only one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. 48 There is where their worm never dies and the fire is never put out.
49 “Everyone will be made cleaner and stronger with fire. 50 Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can it be made to taste like salt again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other.”
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