Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Ways of the Righteous and the Wicked
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked;
nor does he stand in the way of sinners;
nor does he sit in the assembly of mockers.
2 Instead, in the law of Yahweh is his delight,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 And so, he is like a tree planted by streams of water
that gives its fruit in its season;
its leaf also does not wither.
Therefore all that he does prospers.
4 Not so the wicked.
Instead, they are like the chaff that the wind scatters.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for Yahweh knows the way of the righteous,[a]
but the way of the wicked will perish.
12 “And then[a] because you listen to these regulations and you diligently keep and you do them, then Yahweh your God will maintain his[b] covenant and his[c] loyal love that he swore to your ancestors.[d] 13 And he will love you, and he will bless you, and he will multiply you, and he will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your soil, your grain, your wine, and your olive oil, and newborn calves of your cattle, and the newborn lambs[e] of your flocks in the land that he swore to your ancestors[f] to give you. 14 You shall be blessed more than all of the peoples; among you there shall not be sterility and bareness, even[g] among domestic animals.[h] 15 And Yahweh will turn away from you all the illness and all the harmful diseases of Egypt that you experienced; he will not lay them on you, but he will lay them on all of those who hate you. 16 And you shall devour all of the peoples that Yahweh your God is giving to you; you shall not pity them,[i] and you shall not serve their gods, which will be a snare for you.
17 “If you think in your heart, ‘These nations are more numerous than I, so how can I dispossess them?’ 18 then remember you must not be afraid of them; you must well remember what Yahweh your God did to Pharaoh and to all of Egypt: 19 the great trials that your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the workings of the strong hand and the outstretched arm by which Yahweh your God brought you out; so Yahweh your God will do to all of the peoples because of whom[j] you are in fear before them.[k] 20 And, moreover, Yahweh your God will send the hornets[l] among them until both the survivors and the fugitives are destroyed[m] before you.[n] 21 You must not be in dread from the presence of them, because Yahweh your God, who is in your midst, is a great and awesome God. 22 And Yahweh your God will clear away these nations from before you[o] little by little; you will not be able to finish them off quickly, lest[p] the wild animals[q] multiply[r] against you.[s] 23 But Yahweh your God will give them to you,[t] and he will throw them into great panic until they are destroyed.[u] 24 And he will give their kings into your hand, and you shall blot out their names[v] from under the heaven; anyone will not be able to stand against you[w] until you destroy them.[x] 25 You shall burn the images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, and so you take it for yourself, so that you are not ensnared by it, for it is a detestable thing to Yahweh your God. 26 And you must not bring a detestable thing into your house, or you will become a thing devoted to destruction like it; you must utterly detest it, and you must utterly abhor it, for it is an object devoted to destruction.
Exhortations Regarding Fellow Workers
7 Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you all my circumstances[a], 8 whom I have sent to you for this very reason, in order that you may know our circumstances[b] and he may encourage your hearts, 9 together with Onesimus, my faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all the circumstances[c] here.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions—if he should come to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only ones who are fellow workers for the kingdom of God from the circumcision, who have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, greets you, a slave of Christ[d] always struggling on behalf of you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured[e] in all the will of God. 13 For I testify to him that he is working hard[f] on behalf of you and those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the physician, our dear friend, greets you, as does Demas. 15 Greet the brothers in Laodicea, and Nympha and the church in her[g] house. 16 And whenever this letter is read among you, see to it[h] that it is read also among the Laodicean church, and that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And tell Archippus, “Direct your attention to the ministry that you received in the Lord, in order that you may complete it.”
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