Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
21 O Lord Almighty, deal with me out of the goodness of your name.
Rescue me because of your mercy.
22 I am oppressed and needy.
I can feel the pain in my heart.
23 I fade away like a lengthening shadow.
I have been shaken off like a grasshopper.
24 My knees give way because I have been fasting.
My body has become lean, without any fat.
25 I have become the victim of my enemies’ insults.
They look at me and shake their heads.
26 Help me, O Lord my God.
Save me because of your mercy.
27 Then they will know that this is your doing,
that you, O Lord, are the one who saved me.
28 They may curse, but you will bless.
Let those who attack me be ashamed,
but let me rejoice.
29 Let those who accuse me wear disgrace as though it were clothing.
Let them be wrapped in their shame as though it were a robe.
30 With my mouth I will give many thanks to the Lord.
I will praise him among many people,
31 because he stands beside needy people
to save them from those who would condemn them to death.
18 I said to their children in the desert, “Don’t live by the laws of your ancestors. Don’t obey their rules or dishonor yourselves with their disgusting idols. 19 I am the Lord your God. Live by my laws. Obey my rules and follow them. 20 Set apart certain holy days to worship me. This will be a sign between me and you so that you will know that I am the Lord your God.”
21 “ ‘But they rebelled against me. They didn’t live by my laws, and they didn’t obey my rules and follow them. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them and unleash my anger on them in the desert. 22 But I didn’t use my power so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations who had watched me bring the Israelites out ⌞of Egypt⌟. 23 I raised my hand and swore an oath to them in the desert. I promised to scatter them among the nations and force them into other countries. 24 They didn’t follow my rules, and they rejected my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, and they looked to their ancestors’ disgusting idols for help. 25 I also allowed them to follow laws that were no good and rules by which they could not live. 26 I let them dishonor themselves when they sacrificed all their firstborn sons as gifts ⌞to their false gods⌟. I terrified them so that they would know that I am the Lord.’
27 “Speak to the nation of Israel, son of man. Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: Your ancestors insulted me again because they were unfaithful to me. 28 I brought them to the land that I promised to give them. When they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, they made sacrifices and brought offerings there to make me angry. There they offered their sacrifices and poured out their wine offerings. 29 Then I asked them, “What is this worship site you’re going to?” ’ (So it is still called ‘worship site’ today.)
30 “Tell the nation of Israel, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: Will you dishonor yourselves the way your ancestors did? Will you chase their detestable idols like a prostitute? 31 You offer your children as sacrifices by burning them alive. You dishonor yourselves with all your disgusting idols to this day. Should you be allowed to ask me for help, nation of Israel?
“ ‘As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, you won’t be allowed to ask me for help. 32 What you have in mind will never happen. You think that you want to be like other nations, like the different people in other countries. You want to serve wood and stone.
A Letter to the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, write:
The one who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens ⌞a door⌟ that no one can shut, and who shuts ⌞a door⌟ that no one can open, says: 8 I know what you have done. See, I have opened a door in front of you that no one can shut. You only have a little strength, but you have paid attention to my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are in Satan’s synagogue come and bow at your feet and realize that I have loved you. They claim that they are Jewish, but they are lying. 10 Because you have obeyed my command to endure, I will keep you safe during the time of testing which is coming to the whole world to test those living on earth. 11 I am coming soon! Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown.
12 I will make everyone who wins the victory a pillar in the temple of my God. They will never leave it again. I will write on them the name of my God, the name of the city of my God (the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from my God), and my new name. 13 Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
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