Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

17 Hear what is right, O LORD. Consider my cry. Hear my prayer of unfeigned lips.

² Let my sentence come forth from Your presence. And let Your eyes behold equity.

³ You have tested and visited my heart in the night. You have tried me and found nothing. For I have purposed that my mouth should not offend.

⁴ Concerning the works of men, by the words of Your lips I kept myself from the paths of the cruel man.

⁵ Keep my steps in Your paths, so that my feet do not slide.

⁶ I have called upon You. Surely You will hear me, O God. Incline Your ear to me and hear my words.

⁷ Show Your marvelous mercies, You Who are the Savior of those who trust in You from such as resist Your right hand.

⁸ Keep me as the apple of Your eye. Hide me under the shadow of Your wings

⁹ from the wicked who oppress me, from my enemies who surround me for my soul.

¹³ Then Moses said to God, “Behold, when I shall come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you’, if they say to me, ‘What is his Name?’ what shall I say to them?”

¹⁴ And God answered Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” Also, He said, “Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

¹⁵ And God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you’. This is My Name, forever. And this is My memorial to all ages.

¹⁶ “Go and gather the elders of Israel together; and you shall say to them, ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob appeared to me, and said, “I have surely remembered you and that which is done to you in Egypt.

¹⁷ “Therefore I said, ‘I will bring you out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land that flows with milk and honey.’”

¹⁸ “Then they shall obey My voice. And you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us. We ask you now, therefore, please let us go three days’ journey in the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’

¹⁹ “But, I know that the king of Egypt will only let you go by a strong hand.

²⁰ “Therefore, I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in the midst thereof. And after that, he shall let you go.

20 And it happened that on one of those days, as He taught the people in the Temple, and preached the Gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon Him, with the elders,

² and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us by what authority You do these things? Or, who is he who has given You this authority?”

³ And He answered, and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing. Therefore, tell me.

⁴ “The baptism of John, was it from Heaven, or of man?

⁵ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we shall say, ‘From Heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

⁶ “But if we shall say, ‘Of man,’ all the people will stone us. For they are persuaded that John was a Prophet.”

⁷ Therefore they answered that they could not tell from where it was.

⁸ Then Jesus said to them, “Nor shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”