Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Of David. Instruction.

32 Blessed is he [whose] transgression is forgiven, [whose] sin is covered!

² Blessed is the man unto whom Jehovah reckoneth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile!

³ When I kept silence, my bones waxed old, through my groaning all the day long.

⁴ For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

⁵ I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity I covered not; I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah, and *thou* forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

⁶ For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee at a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they will not reach him.

⁷ Thou art a hiding-place for me; thou preservest me from trouble; thou dost encompass me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

⁸ I will instruct thee and teach thee the way in which thou shalt go; I will counsel [thee] with mine eye upon thee.

⁹ Be ye not as a horse, as a mule, which have no understanding: whose trappings must be bit and bridle, for restraint, or they will not come unto thee.

¹⁰ Many sorrows hath the wicked; but he that confideth in Jehovah, loving-kindness shall encompass him.

¹¹ Rejoice in Jehovah, and be glad, ye righteous; and shout for joy, all ye upright in heart.

4 And Man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have acquired a man with Jehovah.

² And she further bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a shepherd, but Cain was a husbandman.

³ And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah.

⁴ And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat. And Jehovah looked upon Abel, and on his offering;

⁵ and upon Cain, and on his offering, he did not look. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

⁶ And Jehovah said to Cain, Why art thou angry, and why is thy countenance fallen?

⁷ If thou doest well, will not [thy countenance] look up [with confidence]? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door; and unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

⁸ And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

⁹ And Jehovah said to Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?

¹⁰ And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.

¹¹ And now be thou cursed from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand.

¹² When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield thee its strength; a wanderer and fugitive shalt thou be on the earth.

¹³ And Cain said to Jehovah, My punishment is too great to be borne.

¹⁴ Behold, thou hast driven me this day from the face of the ground, and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a wanderer and fugitive on the earth; and it will come to pass, [that] every one who finds me will slay me.

¹⁵ And Jehovah said to him, Therefore, whoever slayeth Cain, it shall be revenged sevenfold. And Jehovah set a mark on Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.

¹⁶ And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in the land of Nod, toward the east of Eden.

¹⁴ Having therefore a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the confession.

¹⁵ For we have not a high priest not able to sympathise with our infirmities, but tempted in all things in like manner, sin apart.

¹⁶ Let us approach therefore with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace for seasonable help.

5 For every high priest taken from amongst men is established for men in things relating to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;

² being able to exercise forbearance towards the ignorant and erring, since he himself also is clothed with infirmity;

³ and, on account of this [infirmity], he ought, even as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

⁴ And no one takes the honour to himself but [as] called by God, even as Aaron also.

⁵ Thus the Christ also has not glorified himself to be made a high priest; but he who had said to him, *Thou* art my Son, *I* have to-day begotten thee.

⁶ Even as also in another [place] he says, *Thou* [art] a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedec.

⁷ Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up both supplications and entreaties to him who was able to save him out of death, with strong crying and tears; (and having been heard because of his piety;)

⁸ though he were Son, he learned obedience from the things which he suffered;

⁹ and having been perfected, became to all them that obey him, author of eternal salvation;

¹⁰ addressed by God [as] high priest according to the order of Melchisedec.