Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
18 Do not remember the former things
nor consider the things of old.
19 See, I will do a new thing,
now it shall spring forth; shall you not be aware of it?
I will even make a way in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field shall honor Me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I give waters in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert,
to give drink to My people, My chosen ones.
21 This people I have formed for Myself;
they shall declare My praise.
Pleading With Israel
22 But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob;
but you have been weary of Me, O Israel.
23 You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings,
nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
nor wearied you with incense.
24 You have bought Me no sweet cane with money,
nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
but you have made Me burdened with your sins;
you have wearied Me with your iniquities.
25 I, even I, am He who blots out
your transgressions for My own sake,
and will not remember your sins.
Psalm 41
For the Music Director. A Psalm of David.
1 Blessed are those who consider the poor;
the Lord will deliver them in the day of trouble.
2 The Lord will preserve them and keep them alive,
and they will be blessed on the earth,
and You will not deliver them to the will of their enemies.
3 The Lord will sustain them on the sickbed;
You will restore all his lying down in his illness.
4 I said, “Lord, be gracious to me;
heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
5 My enemies speak evil of me:
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And if people come to see me, they speak insincerely;
their heart gathers iniquity to itself,
when they go outside, they tell it.
7 All who hate me whisper together against me;
they devise harm against me.
8 “An evil disease clings to him.
And now that he lies down, he will not rise up again.”
9 Yes, my own close friend,
in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread,
has lifted up the heel against me.
10 But You, O Lord, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them.
11 By this I know that You favor me,
because my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
and set me before You forever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
from everlasting and to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.
18 But as God is true, we did not tell you “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by Silas, Timothy, and me, was not “Yes” and “No.” In Him it was “Yes.” 20 For all the promises of God in Him are “Yes,” and in Him “Amen,” to the glory of God through us. 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and established the guarantee with the Spirit in our hearts.
The Healing of a Paralytic(A)
2 Again, He entered Capernaum after some days. And it was reported that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no room to receive them, not even at the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 They came to Him bringing one sick with paralysis, who was carried by four men. 4 When they could not come near Him due to the crowding, they uncovered the roof where He was. When they had broken it open, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
6 But some of the scribes were sitting there, reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak such blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you contemplate these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier to say to the paralytic: ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, rise, and take up your bed, and go your way to your house.” 12 Immediately he rose, picked up the bed, and went out in front of them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.