Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
JOD
73 Your Hands have made me and fashioned me. Give me understanding, therefore, that I may learn Your Commandments.
74 So those who fear You, seeing me, shall rejoice, because I have trusted in Your Word.
75 I know, O LORD, that Your Judgments are right, and that You have afflicted me justly.
76 I pray that Your mercy may comfort me, according to Your Promise to Your servant.
77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live. For Your Law is my delight.
78 Let the proud be ashamed, for they have dealt wickedly and falsely with me. But I meditate on Your Precepts.
79 Let those who fear You turn to me, and those who know Your Testimonies.
80 Let my heart be upright in Your Statutes, that I be not ashamed.
4 “You shall also say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Shall they fall, and not arise? Shall he turn away and not turn again?
5 “Why has this people of Jerusalem backslid in a perpetual apostasy? They gave themselves to deceit and would not return.
6 “I listened and heard. No one spoke aright. No man repented of his wickedness, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turned to their running, as the horse rushes into the battle.
7 “Even the stork in the air knows her appointed times, and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD.
8 “How do you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us?’ Lo, certainly in vain it is made, the pen of the scribes.
9 “The wise men are ashamed. They are afraid and taken. Lo, they have rejected the Word of the LORD. And what wisdom is in them?
10 “Therefore, I will give their wives to others, their fields to those who shall possess them. For everyone, from the least to the greatest, is given to covetousness. From the Prophet to the Priest, everyone deals falsely.
11 “For they have healed the hurt of the Daughter of My people with sweet words, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.
12 “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not ashamed. Nor could they have any shame. Therefore, they shall fall among the slain when I shall visit them. They shall be cast down,” says the LORD.’
13 “I will surely consume them,” says the LORD.’ “There shall be no grapes on the vine or figs on the fig tree. And the leaf shall fade. And the things that I have given them shall depart from them.”’”
28 Now when they heard it, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
29 And the whole city was full of confusion. And having caught Gaius and Aristarchus (men of Macedonia, and Paul’s companions on his journey), they rushed into the theatre with one mind.
30 And when Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples did not allow him.
31 Then, some of the rulers of Asia who were his friends sent word to him, begging him not to show himself in the theatre.
32 Therefore some cried one thing, and some another. For the assembly was out of order, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
33 And they brought Alexander out, the Jews thrusting him forward. Alexander then beckoned with his hand, wanting to make a defense to the people.
34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, they all began chanting for almost two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
35 Then the town clerk, after he had silenced the people, said, “Men of Ephesus, what man does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which came down from heaven?
36 “Seeing, then, that these things are indisputable, you should calm down, and do nothing rashly.
37 “For you have brought these men here who have committed neither sacrilege nor blasphemy of your goddess.
38 “Therefore, if indeed Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, the law is open. And there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.
39 “But, if you inquire about other matters, that shall be settled in a lawful assembly.
40 “For we are also in danger of being accused of sedition today, because there is no reason we may give for this riotous multitude.”
41 And after he had said this, he let the assembly depart.
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