Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
By David.
103 Praise the Lord, my soul!
Praise his holy name, all that is within me.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and never forget all the good he has done:
3 He is the one who forgives all your sins,
the one who heals all your diseases,
4 the one who rescues your life from the pit,
the one who crowns you with mercy and compassion,
5 the one who fills your life with blessings
so that you become young again like an eagle.
6 The Lord does what is right and fair
for all who are oppressed.
7 He let Moses know his ways.
He let the Israelites know the things he had done.
8 The Lord is compassionate, merciful, patient,
and always ready to forgive.
Nehemiah Ensures That No Work Is Done on the Day of Rest
15 In those days I saw people in Judah stomping grapes in the winepresses on the day of rest—a holy day. I saw them bringing in loads of wine, grapes, figs, and every other kind of load. They piled the loads on donkeys and brought them into Jerusalem on the day of rest. I warned them about selling food on that day. 16 People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of goods. They were selling them on the day of rest—a holy day, to the people of Judah, even in Jerusalem. 17 I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and asked them, “What is this evil thing you’re doing? How dare you treat the day of rest—a holy day, as unholy! 18 Isn’t this what your ancestors did, with the results that our God brought all these evils on us and on this city? Now you’re making him even more angry with Israel by treating the day of rest—a holy day, as unholy.”
19 Before the day of rest—a holy day, when the gates of Jerusalem were cleared of traffic, I ordered the doors to be shut and not to be reopened until after the day of rest. I stationed some of my men by the gates to make sure that no loads could be brought in on the day of rest. 20 Once or twice merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 I warned them. “Why are you spending the night in front of the wall?” I asked them. “If you do it again, I’ll arrest you.” After that, they no longer came on the day of rest—a holy day. 22 Then I told the Levites to cleanse themselves and guard the gates to keep the day of rest holy.
⌞Nehemiah prayed,⌟ “Remember me also for this, my God, and spare me, since you are very kind.”
Jesus Has Authority over the Day of Rest—a Holy Day(A)
6 Once, on a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus was walking through some grainfields. His disciples were picking the heads of grain, removing the husks, and eating the grain.
2 Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are your disciples doing something that is not right to do on the day of rest—a holy day?”
3 Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his men were hungry? 4 Haven’t you read how he went into the house of God, ate the bread of the presence, and gave some of it to the men who were with him? He had no right to eat those loaves. Only the priests have that right.”
5 Then he added, “The Son of Man has authority over the day of rest—a holy day.”
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