Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Mem
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and he delights in his way.
24 Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
Nun
25 I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful and lends, and his seed is a blessing.
Samech
27 Depart from evil, and do good, and thou shalt live for evermore.
28 For the LORD loves uprightness and does not forsake his merciful ones; they are preserved for ever, but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
Ain
29 The righteous shall inherit the earth and live upon it for ever.
Pe
30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue brings forth judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; therefore none of his steps shall slide.
Tzaddi
32 The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to slay him.
33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
Koph
34 ¶ Wait on the LORD and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the earth; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
Resh
35 I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, behold, he was not: I sought him, but he could not be found.
Schin
37 Mark the perfect, and behold the upright, for the end of each one of them is peace.
38 But the rebels were destroyed all together; the wicked were cut off in the end.
Tau
39 But the salvation of the righteous is the LORD; he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the LORD helped them and delivers them; he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they wait in him.
12 ¶ And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me and have made a king over you.
2 And now, behold, your king walks before you. I am old and grayheaded, and, behold, my sons are with you, and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
3 Behold, here I am; witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. If I have taken anyone’s ox or if I have taken anyone’s ass or if I have defrauded anyone or if I have oppressed anyone or if I have received a bribe {Heb. ransom} from anyone to blind my eyes, I will restore it you.
4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us nor oppressed us; neither hast thou taken anything of any man’s hand.
5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day that ye have not found anything in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
6 ¶ Then Samuel said unto the people, The LORD is he who advanced Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now, therefore, stand still that I may contend with you before the LORD of all the righteousnesses of the LORD which he did to you and to your fathers.
8 After Jacob had entered into Egypt and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place.
9 And when they forgot the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
10 And they cried unto the LORD and said, We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baalim and Ashtaroth, but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11 Then the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt safe.
12 And when ye saw that Nahash, the king of the sons of Ammon, came against you, ye said unto me, No, but a king shall reign over us when the LORD your God was your king.
13 Now, therefore, behold the king whom ye have chosen and whom ye have desired! Behold, the LORD has set a king over you.
14 If ye will fear the LORD and serve him and hear his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigns over you continue following the LORD your God.
15 But if ye will not hear the voice of the LORD but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD shall be against you as it was against your fathers.
16 ¶ Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.
17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great which ye have done in the sight of the LORD in asking for a king over you.
18 So Samuel called unto the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy slaves unto the LORD thy God that we not die, for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask for a king over us.
20 And Samuel said unto the people, Do not fear. Ye have done all this wickedness, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
21 do not turn aside after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.
22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake because it has pleased the LORD to make you his people.
23 Moreover as for me, in no wise should I sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you, but I will teach you the good and the right way.
24 Only fear the LORD and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done with you.
25 But if ye shall persevere in doing wickedly, both ye and your king shall perish.
13 ¶ Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God,
4 arose from the supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself.
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.
6 Then he came to Simon Peter, and Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou dost not understand now, but thou shalt understand afterwards.
8 Peter said unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me.
9 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus said to him, He that is washed needs only to wash his feet because he is completely clean, and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore, said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet and had taken his garments and had sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am.
14 If I then, the Lord and the Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The slave is not greater than his lord; neither is the apostle greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, ye shall be blessed if ye do them.
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