Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
ט Tet
65 Lord, You have treated Your servant well,
just as You promised.
66 Teach me good judgment and discernment,(A)
for I rely on Your commands.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,(B)
but now I keep Your word.
68 You are good,(C) and You do what is good;(D)
teach me Your statutes.
69 The arrogant have smeared me with lies,(E)
but I obey Your precepts with all my heart.(F)
70 Their hearts are hard and insensitive,(G)
but I delight in Your instruction.(H)
71 It was good for me to be afflicted(I)
so that I could learn Your statutes.
72 Instruction from Your lips(J) is better for me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Healing and Peace
14 He said,
“Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
remove every obstacle from My people’s way.”(A)
15 For the High and Exalted One
who lives forever, whose name is Holy(B) says this:
“I live in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit,(C)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the oppressed.(D)
16 For I will not accuse you forever,
and I will not always be angry;(E)
for then the spirit would grow weak before Me,
even the breath of man, which I have made.
17 Because of his sinful greed I was angry,(F)
so I struck him; I was angry and hid;[a]
but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort
to him and his mourners,(G)
19 creating words of praise.”[b](H)
The Lord says,
“Peace, peace to the one who is far or near,(I)
and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,(J)
for it cannot be still,
and its waters churn up mire and muck.
21 There is no peace for the wicked,”
says my God.(K)
The Parable of the Large Banquet
15 When(A) one of those who reclined at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “The one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God(B) is blessed!”
16 Then He told him: “A man was giving a large banquet and invited many. 17 At the time of the banquet, he sent his slave to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’
18 “But without exception[a] they all began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.’
19 “Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m going to try them out. I ask you to excuse me.’
20 “And another said, ‘I just got married,[b](C) and therefore I’m unable to come.’
21 “So the slave came back and reported these things to his master. Then in anger, the master of the house told his slave, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame!’(D)
22 “‘Master,’ the slave said, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there’s still room.’
23 “Then the master told the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will enjoy my banquet!’”
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