Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Teth
Praise for God’s Word
65 Lord, you have dealt well with your servant,
according to your word.
66 Teach me both knowledge and appropriate discretion,
because I believe in your commands.
67 Before I was humbled, I wandered away,
but now I observe your words.
68 Lord,[a] you are good[b], and do what is good;
teach me your statutes.
69 The arrogant have accused me falsely;
but I will observe your precepts wholeheartedly.
70 Their minds are clogged as with greasy fat,
but I find joy in your instruction.[c]
71 It was for my good that I was humbled;[d]
so that I would learn your statutes.
72 Instruction[e] that comes from you[f] is better for me
than thousands of gold and silver coins.[g]
12 “For the Lord of the Heavenly Armies has reserved[a] a time[b]
to oppose[c] all who are proud and haughty,
and the[d] self-exalting—
they will be humbled.
13 He will take his stand[e] against all the cedars[f] of Lebanon,
against the proud and self-exalting;
and against all the oaks of Bashan;
14 against all the high mountains,
and against all the lofty hills;
15 against every high tower,
and against every fortified wall;
16 against all the ships from Tarshish,
and against all their impressive watercraft.
17 “Humanity’s haughtiness will be humbled,
male arrogance will be brought low,
and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
Greetings
1 From:[a] Paul, a servant of God, and also an apostle of Jesus the Messiah,[b] to bring the faith to those chosen by God, along with full knowledge of the truth that leads to[c] godliness, 2 which is based on the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before the world[d] began. 3 At the right time he revealed his message through the proclamation that was entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.
4 To: Titus, a genuine child in the faith that we share.
May grace and peace[e] from God the Father and the Messiah,[f] Jesus our Savior, be yours!
Qualifications for Leaders in the Church
5 The reason I left you in Crete was to complete what still needed to be done and to appoint elders in every city, as I myself commanded you. 6 An elder must be[g] blameless. He must be the husband of one wife[h] and have children who are believers and who are not accused of having wild lifestyles or of being rebellious. 7 Because an overseer is God’s servant manager, he must be blameless. He must not be arrogant or irritable. He must not drink too much, be a violent person, or make money in shameful ways. 8 Instead, he must be hospitable to strangers, must appreciate what is good, and be sensible, honest, moral, and self-controlled. 9 He must be devoted to the trustworthy message that agrees with what we teach, so that he may be able to encourage others with healthy doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
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