Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for Yahweh’s Action in the Face of Scorn
A song of ascents.[a]
123 I lift up my eyes to you,
the one enthroned[b] in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,[c]
as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to Yahweh our God,
until he is gracious to us.
3 Be gracious to us, O Yahweh, be gracious to us,
for long enough we have had our fill of contempt.
4 For long enough our soul has had its fill of
the derision of the self-confident,
the contempt of the arrogant.
Job’s Seventh Speech: A Response to Zophar
21 Then[a] Job answered and said,
17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out,
and their disaster comes upon them?
He[a] distributes pains in his anger.
18 How often are they like straw before[b] the wind,
and like chaff that the storm carries away?
19 ‘God stores up his iniquity for his children’?[c]
Then let him repay it to him that[d] he may know.
20 Let his eyes see his decay,
and let him drink from the wrath of Shaddai,
21 for what does he care for[e] his house after him,
when the number of his months is[f] cut off?
22 Can anyone teach knowledge to God,
since[g] he himself[h] judges high ones?
23 This one dies in full prosperity,[i]
completely[j] at ease and secure.
24 His vats are full with milk
and the marrow of his bones is moist.
25 Yet[k] another dies with a bitter inner self[l]
and has not tasted prosperity.
26 They lie down together in the dust,
and maggots cover them.
27 “Look, I know your[m] thoughts
and the schemes you devise against me.
28 For you say, ‘Where is the nobleman’s house,
and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’[n]
29 Do you not ask those traveling the roads,
and do you not take notice of their accounts?
30 Indeed, the wicked is spared from the day of disaster;
he is delivered from the day of wrath.
31 Who denounces his way to his face?
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 When[o] he is brought to the grave,
then[p] someone stands guard over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley are sweet to him;
everyone will follow after him,
and before[q] him they are innumerable.[r]
34 So[s] how will you comfort me with emptiness,
when[t] fraud is left in your answers?”
Greeting
1 The elder, to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth—and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth— 2 because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us forever[a]. 3 Grace, mercy, peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love.
4 I was very glad[b] because I found some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us[c].
Watch Out for False Teachers
5 And now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but one that we have had from the beginning), that we should love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ[d] coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 8 Watch yourselves that you do not lose what we have worked for, but receive a full reward.
9 Everyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in the teaching—this person has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not speak a greeting to him, 11 because the one who speaks a greeting to him shares in his evil deeds.
Conclusion and Final Greeting
12 Although[e] I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so by means of paper and ink, but I hope to be with you and to speak face to face[f], so that your[g] joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you.
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