Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Thanksgiving to God
138 Lord,[a] I thank[b] you with all of my heart;
because you heard the words that I spoke,[c]
I will sing your praise before the heavenly beings.[d]
2 I will bow down in worship toward your holy Temple
and give thanks to your name for your gracious love and truth,
for you have done great things
to carry out your word
consistent with your name.
3 When[e] I called out, you answered me;
you strengthened me.
4 Lord, all the kings of the earth will give you thanks,
for they have heard what you have spoken.[f]
5 They will sing about the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord!
6 Though the Lord is highly exalted,
yet he pays attention to those who are lowly regarded,
but he is aware of the arrogant from afar.
7 Though I walk straight into trouble,
you preserve my life,
stretching out your hand
to fight the vehemence of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will complete what his purpose is for me.
Lord, your gracious love is eternal;
do not abandon your personal work in me.[g]
A Rebuke for Tyre’s King
11 Another message came to me from the Lord, and this is what it said: 12 “Son of Man, start singing this lamentation for the king of Tyre. Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord God says:
“You served as my[a] model,
my example of complete wisdom
and perfect beauty.
13 You used to be in Eden—
God’s paradise!
You wore precious stones for clothing:
ruby,[b] topaz, diamond,[c]
beryl,[d] onyx, jasper,
sapphire,[e] turquoise, and carbuncle.
Your settings were crafted in gold,
along with your engravings.
On the day of your creation
they had been prepared!
14 “You were the anointed cherub;
having been set in place
on the holy mountain of God,
you walked in the midst of fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your behavior[f]
from the day you were created
until wickedness was discovered in you.
16 Since your vast business planning[g]
filled you with violent intent[h]
from top to bottom,[i]
you sinned,
so I cast you away as defiled
from the mountain of God.
I destroyed you,
you guardian cherub,
from the midst of the fiery stones.
17 Your heart grew arrogant because of your beauty;
you annihilated your own wisdom
because of your splendor.
Then I threw you to the ground
in the presence of kings,
giving them a good look at you!
18 By all of your iniquity
and unrighteous business planning[j]
you defiled your sanctuaries,
so I’m going to bring out fire from within you
and burn you to ashes on the earth
before the whole watching world!
19 Everyone who knows you
throughout all the nations
will be appalled at your calamity
and you will no longer exist forever.”’”
Morality in Legal Matters
6 When one of you has a complaint against another, does he dare to take the matter before those who are unrighteous and not before the saints? 2 You know that the saints will rule the world, don’t you? And if the world is going to be ruled by you, can’t you handle insignificant cases? 3 You know that we will rule angels, not to mention things in this life, don’t you? 4 So if you have cases dealing with this life, why do you appoint as judges people who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to make you feel ashamed. Has it come to this, that there is not one person among you who is wise enough to settle disagreements between brothers?[a] 6 Instead, one brother goes to court against another brother, and before unbelieving judges,[b] at that! 7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves is already a defeat for you. Why not rather just accept the wrong? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves practice doing wrong and cheating others, and brothers at that!
9 You know that wicked people will not inherit the kingdom of God, don’t you? Stop deceiving yourselves! Sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, 10 thieves, greedy people, drunks, slanderers, and robbers will not inherit the kingdom of God. 11 That is what some of you were! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah[c] and by the Spirit of our God.
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