Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

123 I lift up my eyes to You Who dwell in the heavens.

² Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God until He has mercy on us.

³ Have mercy on us, O LORD! Have mercy on us; for we have suffered too much contempt.

⁴ Our soul is filled too full with the mocking of the wealthy and the contempt of the proud. A song of degrees, or Psalm, of David

21 But Job answered, and said,

¹⁷ “How often shall the candle of the wicked be put out and their destruction come upon them? He will divide their lives in His wrath.

¹⁸ “They shall be as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carries away.

¹⁹ “God will lay up sorrow for one’s children. When He rewards him, he shall know it.

²⁰ “His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

²¹ “For what pleasure does he have in his house after him when the number of his months is cut off?

²² “Shall any teach God knowledge, Who judges the highest things?

²³ “One dies in his full strength, being in all ease and prosperity.

²⁴ “His breasts are full of milk, and his bones run full of marrow.

²⁵ “And another dies in the bitterness of his soul, and never eats with pleasure.

²⁶ “They both shall sleep in the dust. And the worms shall cover them.

²⁷ “Behold, I know your thoughts, and the enterprises with which you do me wrong.

²⁸ “For you say, ‘Where is the prince’s house?’ and ‘Where is the tabernacle of the wicked’s dwelling?’

²⁹ “Have you not asked those who go by the way? And you cannot deny their signs.

³⁰ “But the wicked are kept to the Day of Destruction. They shall be brought forth to the Day of Wrath.

³¹ “Who shall declare his way to His face? And who shall reward him for what he has done?

³² “Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and remain in the heap.

³³ “The slimy valley shall be sweet to him, and every man shall follow him, as before him there were innumerable.

³⁴ “How, then, can you comfort me in vain, seeing in your answer there remains but lies?”

¹ The elder, To the elect Lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not only me but also all who have known the truth

² for the truth’s sake, which dwells in us and shall be with us forever:

³ Grace be with you, mercy and peace, from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, with truth and love.

⁴ I rejoiced greatly that I found some of your children walking in truth, as per the Commandment we have received from the Father.

⁵ And now I encourage you, Lady, (not as writing a new Commandment to you, but the same which we had from the beginning) that we love one another.

⁶ And this is the love that we should walk in: His Commandments. This is the Commandment. As you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

⁷ For many deceivers have entered into this world, who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Such a one is a deceiver and an Antichrist.

⁸ Watch yourselves, so that we do not lose the things which we have done. But that we may receive a full reward.

⁹ Whoever transgresses, and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ, does not have God. The one who continues in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, neither greet him nor receive him into your house.

¹¹ For the one who greets him shares in his evil deeds. Although I had many things to write to you, I would rather not write with paper and ink. But I trust to come to you and speak mouth to mouth, so that our joy may be full.

¹² The sons of your elect Sister greet you. Amen.