Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
49 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
4 I will incline mine ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity at my heels shall compass me about?
6 They that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches,
7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him
8 (for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever),
9 that they should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
10 For he seeth that wise men die; likewise the fool and the brutish person perish and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless man, though he be in honor, abideth not; he is like the beasts that perish.
24 Be thou not envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
2 for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;
4 and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 For by wise counsel thou shalt wage thy war, and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a wicked person.
9 The thinking of foolishness is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain—
12 if thou sayest, “Behold, we knew it not”—doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth He not know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart,
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ,
21 if so it be that ye have heard Him and have been taught by Him as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that ye put off, concerning your former manner of living, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that ye put on that new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.