Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
23 Am I a God from near,” declares[a] Yahweh,
“and not a God from far?
24 Or can a person hide himself in secret places
and I cannot see him?” declares[b] Yahweh.
“Do I not fill up the heaven and the earth?” declares[c] Yahweh.
25 “I have heard what the prophets who prophesy lies[d] have said in my name, saying,[e] ‘I have dreamed! I have dreamed!’ 26 How long[f] will this be in the hearts[g] of the prophets who prophesy lies,[h] even the prophets of the deceitfulness of their hearts,[i] 27 who plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell each one to his neighbor, just as their ancestors[j] forgot my name through Baal? 28 The prophet who has with him a dream, let him tell the dream. But the prophet[k] who has my word with him, let him speak my word faithfully. What is straw compared to wheat?”[l] declares[m] Yahweh. 29 “Is not my word like fire?” declares[n] Yahweh, “and like a blacksmith’s hammer that breaks a rock into pieces?
God Commands Justice
A psalm of Asaph.[a]
82 God stands in the divine assembly;[b]
he administers judgment in the midst of the gods.[c]
2 “How long will you judge unjustly
and show favoritism to the wicked?[d] Selah
3 Judge on behalf of the helpless and the orphan;
provide justice to the afflicted and the poor.
4 Rescue the helpless and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They do not know or consider.[e]
They go about in the darkness,
so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I have said,[f] “You are gods,
and sons of the Most High, all of you.
7 However, you will die like men,[g]
and you will fall like one of the princes.”
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
because you shall inherit[h] all the nations.
29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land; the Egyptians, when they made the attempt[a], were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they[b] had been marched around for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she[c] welcomed the spies in peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, accomplished justice, obtained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions, 34 extinguished the effectiveness of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong from weakness, became mighty in battle, put to flight enemy battle lines. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. But others were tortured, not accepting release, in order that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 And others experienced mocking and flogging[d], and in addition bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by murder with a sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, impoverished, afflicted, mistreated, 38 of whom the world was not worthy, wandering about on deserts and mountains and in caves and in holes in the ground. 39 And although they[e] all were approved[f] through their faith, they did not receive what was promised, 40 because[g] God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.
The Example of Jesus’ Suffering
12 Therefore, since[h] we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, putting aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us[i], let us run with patient endurance the race that has been set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the originator and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Not Peace, But a Sword of Divisiveness
49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish that it had been kindled already! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I am distressed until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to grant peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 For from now on there will be five in one household, divided three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
The Signs of the Times
54 And he also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud coming up in the west, you say at once, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be burning heat,’ and it happens. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to evaluate the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it you do not know how to evaluate this present time?
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