Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for Deliverance.
43 (A)Vindicate me, O God, and (B)plead my case against an ungodly nation;
[a]O deliver me from (C)the deceitful and unjust man!
2 For You are the (D)God of my strength; why have You (E)rejected me?
Why do I go (F)mourning [b]because of the oppression of the enemy?
Sin of the Priests
6 “‘A son (A)honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a (B)father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My [a]respect?’ says the Lord of hosts to you, O (C)priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ 7 You are presenting (D)defiled [b](E)food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The (F)table of the Lord is to be despised.’ 8 But when you present the (G)blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? [c]Why not offer it to your (H)governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts. 9 “But now [d]will you not (I)entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? [e]With such an offering on your part, will He (J)receive any of you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts. 10 “Oh that there were one among you who would (K)shut the [f]gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of hosts, “(L)nor will I accept an offering from [g]you. 11 For from the (M)rising of the sun even to its setting, (N)My name will be (O)great among the nations, and in every place (P)incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be (Q)great among the nations,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “But you are (R)profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ 13 You also say, ‘[h]My, how (S)tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the Lord of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by (T)robbery and what is (U)lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I (V)receive that from your hand?” says the Lord. 14 “But cursed be the (W)swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a (X)blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great (Y)King,” says the Lord of hosts, “and My name is [i](Z)feared among the [j]nations.”
Priests to Be Disciplined
2 “And now this commandment is for you, O priests. 2 If you do (AA)not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “then I will send the (AB)curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have (AC)cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. 3 Behold, I am going to (AD)rebuke your [k]offspring, and I will (AE)spread [l]refuse on your faces, the [m]refuse of your (AF)feasts; and you will be taken away [n]with it. 4 Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, [o]that My (AG)covenant may [p]continue with Levi,” says the Lord of hosts. 5 “My covenant with him was one of life and (AH)peace, and I gave them to him as an object of [q]reverence; so he [r](AI)revered Me and stood in awe of My name. 6 [s](AJ)True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked (AK)with Me in peace and uprightness, and he (AL)turned many back from iniquity. 7 For the lips of a priest should preserve (AM)knowledge, and [t]men should (AN)seek [u]instruction from his mouth; for he is the (AO)messenger of the Lord of hosts. 8 But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to (AP)stumble [v]by the instruction; you have [w](AQ)corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of hosts. 9 “So (AR)I also have made you despised and (AS)abased [x]before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing (AT)partiality in the [y]instruction.
Eight Woes
13 “(A)But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, (B)because you shut off the kingdom of heaven [a]from [b]people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 [[c]Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because (C)you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.]
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one [d](D)proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of [e](E)hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, (F)blind guides, who say, ‘(G)Whoever swears by the [f]temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the [g]temple is obligated.’ 17 You fools and blind men! (H)Which is [h]more important, the gold or the [i]temple that sanctified the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the [j]offering on it, he is obligated.’ 19 You blind men, (I)which is [k]more important, the [l]offering, or the altar that sanctifies the [m]offering? 20 Therefore, [n]whoever swears by the altar, swears both by [o]the altar and by everything on it. 21 And [p]whoever swears by the [q]temple, swears both by [r]the temple and by Him who (J)dwells within it. 22 And [s]whoever swears by heaven, (K)swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
23 “(L)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and [t]cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24 You (M)blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (N)you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full [u]of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first (O)clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
27 “(P)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
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