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]
14 And one has said:[a]
‘Build up! Build up the road![b]
Prepare the highway!
Remove every obstacle from my people’s way.’
15 “For this is what the high and lofty One says,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“He lives[c] in the height and in holiness,[d]
and also with the one who is of a contrite and humble spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I won’t accuse forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for then the human spirit would grow faint before me—
even the souls that I have created.
17 Because of his wicked greed I was angry,
so I punished him;
and[e] I hid my face, and was angry—
but he kept turning back to his stubborn will.[f]
18 I’ve seen his ways,[g] yet I will heal him,[h]
and restore for him[i] comfort[j] to him
and for those who mourn for him[k]
19 when[l] I create the fruit of the lips:
Peace[m] to the one who is far away or near,” says the Lord,
“and I’ll heal him.
20 But the wicked are tossed like the sea;[n]
for it is not able to[o] keep still,
and its waters toss up mire and mud.
21 “Yet[p] there is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
The Parable about a Banquet(A)
15 Now one of those eating with him heard this and told him, “How blessed is the person who will eat[a] in the kingdom of God!”
16 Jesus[b] told him, “A man gave a large banquet and invited many people. 17 When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come! Everything is now ready.’ 18 Every single one of them began asking to be excused. The first told him, ‘I bought a field, and I need to go out and inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I bought five pairs of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I recently got married, so I can’t come.’
21 “So the servant went back and reported all this to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and told his servant, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring back the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 The servant said, ‘Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’ 23 Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the streets and the lanes and make the people come in, so that my house may be full. 24 Because I tell all of you, none of those men who were invited will taste anything at my banquet.’”
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