Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.
A Psalm of David.
26 [a](A)Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have (B)walked in my integrity,
And I have (C)trusted in the Lord [b](D)without wavering.
2 (E)Examine me, O Lord, and try me;
(F)Test my [c]mind and my heart.
3 For Your (G)lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have (H)walked in Your [d]truth.
4 I do not (I)sit with [e]deceitful men,
Nor will I go with [f](J)pretenders.
5 I (K)hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I shall (L)wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about (M)Your altar, O Lord,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of (N)thanksgiving
And declare all Your [g]wonders.
False Prophets
13 But, “Ah, Lord [a]God!” I said, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You (A)will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you [b]lasting (B)peace in this place.’” 14 Then the Lord said to me, “The (C)prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. (D)I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a (E)false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own [c]minds. 15 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them—yet they keep saying, ‘There will be no sword or famine in this land’—(F)by sword and famine those prophets shall [d]meet their end! 16 The people also to whom they are prophesying will be (G)thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and there will be no one to (H)bury them—neither them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters—for I will (I)pour out their own wickedness on them.
17 “You will say this word to them,
‘(J)Let my eyes flow down with tears night and day,
And let them not cease;
For the virgin (K)daughter of my people has been crushed with a mighty blow,
With a sorely (L)infected wound.
18 ‘If I (M)go out to the country,
Behold, those [e]slain with the sword!
Or if I enter the city,
Behold, diseases of famine!
For (N)both prophet and priest
Have [f]gone roving about in the land that they do not know.’”
Be Imitators of God
5 (A)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and (B)walk in love, just as Christ also (C)loved [a]you and (D)gave Himself up for us, an (E)offering and a sacrifice to God [b]as a (F)fragrant aroma.
3 But (G)immorality [c]or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among [d]saints; 4 and there must be no (H)filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which (I)are not fitting, but rather (J)giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that (K)no [e]immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom (L)of Christ and God.
6 (M)Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (N)the wrath of God comes upon (O)the sons of disobedience.
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