Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
12 Teach us to use wisely
all the time we have.
13 Help us, Lord! Don't wait!
Pity your servants.
14 When morning comes,
let your love satisfy
all our needs.
Then we can celebrate
and be glad for what time
we have left.
15 Make us happy for as long
as you caused us trouble
and sorrow.
16 Do wonderful things for us,
your servants,
and show your mighty power
to our children.
17 Our Lord and our God,
treat us with kindness
and let all go well for us.
Please let all go well!
The Altars at Bethel
13 The Lord God All-Powerful
told me to speak this message
against Jacob's descendants:
14 (A) When I, the Lord, punish Israel
for their sins,
I will destroy the altars
at Bethel.
Even the corners of the altar[a]
will be left in the dirt.
15 I will tear down winter homes
and summer homes.
Houses decorated with ivory
and all other mansions
will be gone forever.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
The Women of Samaria
The Lord said:
4 You women of Samaria
are fat cows![b]
You mistreat and abuse
the poor and needy,
then you say to your husbands,
“Bring us more drinks!”
2 I, the Lord God, have sworn
by my own name
that your time is coming.
Not one of you will be left—
you will be taken away
by sharp hooks.[c]
3 You will be dragged through holes
in your city walls,
and you will be thrown
toward Harmon.[d]
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Israel Refuses To Obey
The Lord said:
The Teaching of the Ancestors
(Mark 7.1-13)
15 About this time some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses came from Jerusalem. They asked Jesus, 2 “Why don't your disciples obey what our ancestors taught us to do? They don't even wash their hands[a] before they eat.”
3 Jesus answered:
Why do you disobey God and follow your own teaching? 4 (A) Didn't God command you to respect your father and mother? Didn't he tell you to put to death all who curse their parents? 5 But you let people get by without helping their parents when they should. You let them say that what they have has been offered to God.[b] 6 Is this any way to show respect to your parents? You ignore God's commands in order to follow your own teaching. 7 And you are nothing but show-offs! Isaiah the prophet was right when he wrote that God had said,
8 (B) “All of you praise me
with your words,
but you never really
think about me.
9 It is useless for you
to worship me,
when you teach rules
made up by humans.”
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