Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
God is my Hope during Times of Trouble
43 [a]You be my judge,[b] God,
and plead my case against an unholy nation;
rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man.
2 Since you are the God who strengthens me,
why have you forsaken me?
Why do I go around mourning under the enemy’s oppression?”
3 Send forth your light and your truth
so they may guide me.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain and to your dwelling places.[c]
4 Then I will approach the altar of God,
even to God in whom my joy finds its source.[d]
Then I will praise you with the lyre,
God, my God,
5 Why are you in despair, my soul?
Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God,
because I will praise him once again,
since his presence saves me
and he is my God.
27 A man of God came to Eli, saying to him,[a] “This is what the Lord says: ‘When they were in Egypt and slaves[b] to the house of Pharaoh, did I not reveal[c] to the family of your ancestor Aaron[d] 28 that I had chosen him[e] out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer up burnt offerings on my altar, burn incense, and carry[f] the ephod in my presence? And did I not give to your ancestors’ family all the Israeli fire-offerings? 29 Why, then, do all of you show contempt for[g] my sacrifice and offering that I’ve commanded for my[h] dwelling? And you honor your sons more than me in order to fatten yourselves[i] from the best of all the offerings of my people Israel.’[j]
30 “Therefore, the Lord God of Israel has declared, ‘I did, in fact, say[k] that your family and your ancestor’s family would walk before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from me! The one who honors me I’ll honor, and the one who despises me is to be treated with contempt. 31 The time is coming when I’ll cut away[l] at your family[m] and your ancestor’s family[n] until there are no old men left in your family. 32 Distress will settle down to live in your household, and despite all the good that I do for Israel,[o] there will never be an old man in your family forever, and you will never again have an old man in my house.[p] 33 Any of you whom I don’t eliminate from serving at my altar will grow tired from weeping,[q] and their[r] souls will grieve. All the increase of your family will die by violence.[s] 34 Here’s a sign for you—your two sons Hophni and Phineas will both die on the same day! 35 And I’ll raise up for myself a faithful[t] priest who will do according to what is in my heart and according to my desire. I’ll build for him an enduring[u] house and he will walk before my anointed one forever. 36 Anyone who remains in your family will come and prostrate themselves before him for a small wage[v] or a loaf of bread and will say,[w] “Please put me in one of the priest’s offices so I can eat a piece of bread.”’”
Who is a Jew?
17 Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the Law, and boast about God, 18 and know his will, and approve of what is best because you have been instructed in the Law; 19 and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20 an instructor of ignorant people, and a teacher of infants because you have the full content of knowledge and truth in the Law— 21 as you teach others, do you fail to teach yourself? As you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 As you forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? As you abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 As you boast about the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law? 24 As it is written, “God’s name is being blasphemed among the gentiles because of you.”[a]
25 For circumcision is valuable if you observe the Law, but if you break the Law, your having been circumcised has no more value than if you were uncircumcised. 26 So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the Law, his uncircumcision will be regarded as circumcision, won’t it? 27 The man who is uncircumcised physically but who keeps the Law will condemn you who break the Law, even though you have the written Law[b] and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew because of his appearance, nor is circumcision something just external and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, brought about by the Spirit, not by a written law.[c] That person’s praise will come from God, not from people.
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