Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 111

¹ Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) I will praise and give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart in the council of the upright and in the congregation.

² The works of the Lord are great, sought out by all those who have delight in them.

³ His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever.

⁴ He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious, merciful, and full of loving compassion.

⁵ He has given food and provision to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever and imprint it [on His mind].^(A)

⁶ He has declared and shown to His people the power of His works in giving them the heritage of the nations [of Canaan].

⁷ The works of His hands are [absolute] truth and justice [faithful and right]; and all His decrees and precepts are sure (fixed, established, and trustworthy).

⁸ They stand fast and are established forever and ever and are done in [absolute] truth and uprightness.

⁹ He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant to be forever; holy is His name, inspiring awe, reverence, and godly fear.

¹⁰ The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of ^[a]Wisdom and skill [the preceding and the first essential, the prerequisite and the alphabet]; a good understanding, wisdom, and meaning have all those who do [the will of the Lord]. Their praise of Him endures forever.^(B)

³⁴ And Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and their fathers’ houses,

³⁵ From thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the Tent of Meeting;

³⁶ And those who were numbered of them by their families were 2,750.

³⁷ These were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who did service in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the command of the Lord through Moses.

³⁸ And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

³⁹ From thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service to do the work of the Tent of Meeting,

⁴⁰ Those who were enrolled of them, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, were 2,630.

⁴¹ These were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered as the Lord commanded.

⁴² And those numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

⁴³ From thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

⁴⁴ Even those who were numbered of them by their families, were 3,200.

⁴⁵ These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the command of the Lord by Moses.

⁴⁶ All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted by their families and by their fathers’ houses,

⁴⁷ From thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could enter to do the work of service and of burden bearing in the Tent of Meeting,

⁴⁸ Those that were numbered of them were 8,580.

⁴⁹ According to the command of the Lord through Moses, they were assigned each to his work of serving and carrying. Thus they were numbered by him, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

5 The Lord said to Moses,

² Command the Israelites that they put outside the camp every leper and everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is defiled by [coming in contact with] the dead.

³ Both male and female you shall put out; without the camp you shall put them, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.

⁴ The Israelites did so, and put them outside the camp; as the Lord said to Moses, so the Israelites did.

2 So you, my son, be strong (strengthened inwardly) in the grace (spiritual blessing) that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus.

² And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust [as a deposit] to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also.

³ Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.

⁴ No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him.

⁵ And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).

⁶ [It is] the hard-working farmer [who labors to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.

⁷ Think over these things I am saying [understand them and grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything.