Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 12
Plea for Help in Evil Times
To the leader: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1 Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.(A)
2 They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a deceitful heart they speak.(B)
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,(C)
4 those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?”
12 There is a way that seems right to a person,
but its end is the way to death.[a](A)
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad,
and the end of joy is grief.(B)
14 The perverse get what their ways deserve,
and the good, what their deeds deserve.[b](C)
15 The simple believe everything,
but the clever consider their steps.
16 The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.(D)
17 One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
and the schemer is hated.(E)
18 The simple are adorned with[c] folly,
but the clever are crowned with knowledge.(F)
19 The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.(G)
20 The poor are disliked even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.(H)
21 Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
but happy are those who are kind to the poor.(I)
22 Do not those who plan evil err?
Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but folly is the garland[d] of fools.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who utters lies is a betrayer.(J)
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and one’s children will have a refuge.(K)
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
so that one may avoid the snares of death.(L)
28 The glory of a king is a multitude of people;
without people a prince is ruined.
29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.(M)
30 A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,
but jealousy makes the bones rot.(N)
31 Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
but those who are kind to the needy honor him.(O)
Peter and John before the Council
4 While Peter and John[a] were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them,(A) 2 much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead.(B) 3 So they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.(C) 4 But many of those who heard the word believed, and they numbered about five thousand.(D)
5 The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,(E) 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John,[b] and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.(F) 7 When they had made the prisoners[c] stand in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,(G) 9 if we are being questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are being asked how this man has been healed,[d] 10 let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,[e] whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.(H) 11 This Jesus[f] is
12 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”(J)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.