Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

² “Behold, God, my salvation! I will trust and will not fear! For the LORD God is my strength and song. He has also become my salvation!”

³ Therefore, with joy shall you draw waters out of the wells of salvation.

⁴ And you shall say on that day, “Praise the LORD! Call upon His Name! Declare His works among the people! Make mention of them, for His Name is exalted!

⁵ “Sing to the LORD! For He has done excellent things! This is known in all the world!

⁶ “Cry out, and shout, O inhabitant of Zion! For great is the Holy One of Israel, in the midst of you.”

6 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria; who were famous at the beginning of the nations. And the House of Israel came to them.

² Go to Calneh and see. And from there go to Hamath the Great. Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these kingdoms? Or is the border of their land greater than your border,

³ you who put far away the evil day, and approach the seat of iniquity?

⁴ They lie upon beds of ivory and stretch themselves upon their beds; and eat the lambs of the flock and the calves out of the stall.

⁵ They sing to the sound of the viol. They invent to themselves instruments of music, like David.

⁶ They drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the chief ointments but are not sorry for the affliction of Joseph.

⁷ Therefore, they shall now go captive with the first who go captive. And the sorrow of those who stretched themselves is at hand.

⁸ “The LORD God has sworn by Himself,” says the LORD God of Hosts, “I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces. Therefore, I will deliver up the city with all that is therein.

8 We also make known to you, brothers, the grace of God bestowed upon the Churches of Macedonia.

² Because, in great trial of affliction, their joy abounded, and their most extreme poverty abounded unto their rich generosity.

³ For to their power I bear record. Yea, and beyond their power they were willing.

⁴ And asked us with great instance to receive the grace and fellowship of the ministry which is toward the Saints.

⁵ And this they did, not as we expected; but gave themselves, first to the Lord, and afterwards to us, by the will of God;

⁶ that we should exhort Titus to accomplish the same grace among you which he had begun.

⁷ Therefore, as you abound in everything - in faith and Word and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love towards us - see that you also abound in this grace.

⁸ This I say not by Commandment, but because of the diligence of others. Therefore, I prove the sincerity of your love.

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: that He, being rich, became poor for your sakes. So that you, through his poverty, might be made rich.

¹⁰ And in this I give my counsel. For it is profitable for those of you who a year ago began not only to do, but also to will.

¹¹ Now therefore, complete the doing of it also. So that as there was a readiness of will, you may also complete it out of that which you have.

¹² For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted, according to what one has, and not according to what he has not.

¹³ Nor should others be eased, and you grieved. But out of equality, your abundance supplies their lack at this time.

¹⁴ And also their abundance may be for your lack, that there may be equality.

¹⁵ As it is written, “He who gathered much, did not abound, and he who gathered little, did not lack.