Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Mem
23 (A)The footsteps of a man are established by Yahweh,
And He (B)delights in his way.
24 When (C)he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because (D)Yahweh is the One [a]who sustains his hand.
Nun
25 I was young and now I am old,
Yet (E)I have not seen the righteous forsaken
Or (F)his seed begging bread.
26 All day long (G)he is gracious and lends,
And (H)his seed is a blessing.
Samekh
Ayin
28 For Yahweh (K)loves [b]justice
And (L)will not forsake His holy ones;
They are (M)kept forever,
But the (N)seed of the wicked will be cut off.
29 The righteous will (O)inherit the land
And (P)dwell in it forever.
Pe
30 The mouth of the righteous (Q)utters wisdom,
And his tongue (R)speaks justice.
31 The (S)law of his God is in his heart;
His (T)steps do not slip.
Tsadhe
32 The (U)wicked spies upon the righteous
And (V)seeks to put him to death.
33 Yahweh will (W)not forsake him in his hand;
(X)He will not condemn him when he is judged.
Qoph
34 (Y)Hope for Yahweh and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the (Z)wicked are cut off, you will see it.
Resh
35 I have (AA)seen a wicked, ruthless man
Spreading himself like a (AB)luxuriant [c]tree in its native soil.
36 Then [d]he passed away, and behold, he (AC)was no more;
I sought for him, but he could not be found.
Shin
37 Observe the [e](AD)blameless man, and behold the (AE)upright;
For the man of peace will have [f]a (AF)posterity.
38 But transgressors will be altogether (AG)destroyed;
The [g]posterity of the wicked will be (AH)cut off.
Tav
Israel Tells Samuel to Appoint a King
8 And it happened when Samuel was old that (A)he appointed his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in (B)Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after greedy gain and (C)took bribes and caused justice to turn aside.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at (D)Ramah; 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now (E)appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing was (F)evil in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And (G)Samuel prayed to Yahweh. 7 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for (H)they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. 8 Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 So now, listen to their voice; (I)however, you shall solemnly [a]testify to them and tell them of (J)the [b]custom of the king who will reign over them.”
The People Refuse Samuel’s Words
10 So Samuel spoke all the words of Yahweh to (K)the people who had asked of him a king. 11 And he said, “(L)This will be the [c]custom of the king who will reign over you: (M)he will take your sons and appoint them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen, and (N)they will run before his chariots. 12 (O)And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to [d]do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 (P)He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his [e]servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will also take your male slaves and your female slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and [f]use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 Then (Q)you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but (R)Yahweh will not answer you in that day.”
Warning Against Falling Away
6 Therefore (A)leaving (B)the [a]elementary teaching about the [b]Christ, let us press on to [c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from (D)dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of (E)teaching about washings and (F)laying on of hands, and the (G)resurrection of the dead and (H)eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, (I)if God permits. 4 For in the case of those once having been (J)enlightened and having tasted of (K)the heavenly gift and having become (L)partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and having (M)tasted the good (N)word of God and the powers of (O)the age to come, 6 and having fallen away, it is (P)impossible to renew them again to repentance, [d](Q)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often [e]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those (R)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is unfit and (S)close [f]to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
The Inheritance of the Promises
9 But we are convinced about you, (T)beloved, of things that are better and that belong to salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For (U)God is not unrighteous so as to forget (V)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having (W)ministered and continuing to minister to the [g]saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence [h]so as to realize the (X)full assurance of (Y)hope until the end, 12 so that you may not become dull, but (Z)imitators of those who through (AA)faith and patience (AB)inherit the promises.
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