Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 43

²⁷ Now a man of God came to Eli and said, “This is what the Lord says: I revealed myself very clearly to your father’s household when they were slaves^[a] in Egypt to the house of Pharaoh. ²⁸ I chose your father from all of Israel’s tribes to be my priest, to go up onto my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest^[b] in my presence. I also gave all of the Israelites’ food offerings to your father’s household. ²⁹ Why then do you kick my sacrifices and my offerings—the very ones I commanded for my dwelling place? Why do you respect your sons more than me, getting fat off the best parts of every offering from my people Israel? ³⁰ Because of all that, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: I had promised that your household and your father’s household would serve me forever. But now—this is what the Lord declares: I’ll do no such thing! No. I honor those who honor me, and whoever despises me will be cursed. ³¹ The days are coming soon when I will eliminate both your children^[c] and the children of your father’s household. There won’t be an old person left in your family tree. ³² You’ll see trouble in my dwelling place, though all will go well for Israel.^[d] But there will never be an old person in your family tree. ³³ One of your descendants whom I don’t eliminate from serving at my altar will cry his^[e] eyes out and be full of grief. Any descendants in your household will die by the sword.^{[f] 34} And what happens to your two sons Hophni and Phinehas will be a sign for you: they will both die on the same day. ³⁵ Then I will establish for myself a trustworthy priest who will act in accordance with my thoughts and desires. I will build a trustworthy household for him, and he will serve before my anointed one forever. ³⁶ Anyone left from your household will come and beg him for a bit of silver or a loaf of bread, saying: ‘Please appoint me to some priestly duty so I can have a scrap of bread to eat.’”

Jews will be judged as well

²³ If you brag about the Law, do you shame God by breaking the Law? ²⁴ As it is written: The name of God is discredited by the Gentiles because of you.^[a]

²⁵ Circumcision is an advantage if you do what the Law says. But if you are a person who breaks the Law, your status of being circumcised has changed into not being circumcised. ²⁶ So if the person who isn’t circumcised keeps the Law, won’t his status of not being circumcised be counted as if he were circumcised? ²⁷ The one who isn’t physically circumcised but keeps the Law will judge you. You became a lawbreaker after you had the written Law and circumcision. ²⁸ It isn’t the Jew who maintains outward appearances who will receive praise from God, and it isn’t people who are outwardly circumcised on their bodies. ²⁹ Instead, it is the person who is a Jew inside, who is circumcised in spirit, not literally. That person’s praise doesn’t come from people but from God.