Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 130

Awaiting Redemption

A song of ascents.

¹³ A very large assembly of people was gathered in Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. ¹⁴ They proceeded to take away the altars that were in Jerusalem,^(A) and they took away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.^{(B) 15} They slaughtered the Passover lamb^(C) on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the Lord’s temple. ¹⁶ They stood at their prescribed posts,^(D) according to the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests splattered the blood received from the Levites, ¹⁷ for there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, and so the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to the Lord.^{(E) 18} A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—were ritually unclean, yet they had eaten the Passover^(F) contrary to what was written.^(G) But Hezekiah had interceded for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement on behalf of ¹⁹ whoever sets his whole heart on seeking God,^(H) the Lord, the God of his ancestors, even though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” ²⁰ So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.^{(I) 21} The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy,^(J) and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day after day with loud instruments. ²² Then Hezekiah encouraged^[a](K) all the Levites who performed skillfully before the Lord. They ate at the appointed festival for seven days, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.^(L)

²³ The whole congregation decided to observe^(M) seven more days, so they observed seven days with joy, ²⁴ for King Hezekiah of Judah contributed one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the congregation. Also, the officials contributed one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep for the congregation,^(N) and many priests consecrated themselves.^{(O) 25} Then the whole assembly of Judah with the priests and Levites, the whole assembly that came from Israel, the resident aliens who came from the land of Israel, and those who were living in Judah, rejoiced. ²⁶ There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this was known since the days of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.^(P)

²⁷ Then the priests and the Levites^(Q) stood to bless the people,^(R) and God heard them, and their prayer came into his holy dwelling place^(S) in heaven.

The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

2 When^(A) he entered Capernaum^(B) again after some days, it was reported that he was at home. ² So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and he was speaking the word^(C) to them. ³ They came to him bringing a paralytic,^(D) carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they were not able to bring him to^[a] Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after digging through it, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. ⁵ Seeing their faith,^(E) Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins^(F) are forgiven.”^(G)

⁶ But some of the scribes^(H) were sitting there, questioning^(I) in their hearts: ⁷ “Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming!^(J) Who can forgive^(K) sins^(L) but God alone?” ^(M)

⁸ Right away^(N) Jesus perceived in his spirit^(O) that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier:^(P) to say to the paralytic,^(Q) ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’?^{(R) 10} But so that you may know that the Son of Man^(S) has authority^(T) on earth to forgive sins”^(U)—he told the paralytic— ¹¹ “I tell you: get up,^(V) take your mat, and go home.”

¹² Immediately he got up, took the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded^(W) and gave glory^(X) to God,^(Y) saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” ^(Z)