Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 131[a]
A song of ascents,[b] by David.
131 O Lord, my heart is not proud,
nor do I have a haughty look.[c]
I do not have great aspirations,
or concern myself with things that are beyond me.[d]
2 Indeed,[e] I have calmed and quieted myself[f]
like a weaned child with its mother;[g]
I am content like a young child.[h]
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
now and forevermore!
Egypt Will Disappoint
31 Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead;[a]
those who rely on war horses,
and trust in Egypt’s many chariots[b]
and in their many, many horsemen.[c]
But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel[d]
and do not seek help from the Lord.
2 Yet he too is wise[e] and he will bring disaster;
he does not retract his decree.[f]
He will attack the wicked nation,[g]
and the nation that helps[h] those who commit sin.[i]
3 The Egyptians are mere humans, not God;
their horses are made of flesh, not spirit.
The Lord will strike with[j] his hand;
the one who helps will stumble
and the one being helped will fall.
Together they will perish.[k]
The Lord Will Defend Zion
4 Indeed, this is what the Lord has said to me:
“The Lord will be like a growling lion,
like a young lion growling over its prey.[l]
Though a whole group of shepherds gathers against it,
it is not afraid of their shouts
or intimidated by their yelling.[m]
In this same way the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will descend
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its hill.[n]
5 Just as birds hover over a nest,[o]
so the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will protect Jerusalem.
He will protect and deliver it;
as he passes over[p] he will rescue it.”
6 You Israelites! Return to the one you have so blatantly rebelled against![q] 7 For at that time[r] every one will get rid of[s] the silver and gold idols your hands sinfully made.[t]
8 “Assyria will fall by a sword, but not one human-made;[u]
a sword not made by humankind will destroy them.[v]
They will run away from this sword[w]
and their young men will be forced to do hard labor.
9 They will surrender their stronghold[x] because of fear;[y]
their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.”[z]
This is what the Lord says—
the one whose fire is in Zion,
whose firepot is in Jerusalem.[aa]
Jesus and Beelzebul
14 Now[a] he was casting out a demon that was mute.[b] When[c] the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak,[d] and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul,[e] the ruler[f] of demons, he casts out demons!” 16 Others, to test[g] him,[h] began asking for[i] a sign[j] from heaven. 17 But Jesus,[k] realizing their thoughts, said to them,[l] “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed,[m] and a divided household falls.[n] 18 So[o] if[p] Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because[q] you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons[r] cast them[s] out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons by the finger[t] of God, then the kingdom of God[u] has already overtaken[v] you. 21 When a strong man,[w] fully armed, guards his own palace,[x] his possessions are safe.[y] 22 But[z] when a stronger man[aa] attacks[ab] and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s[ac] armor on which the man relied[ad] and divides up[ae] his plunder.[af] 23 Whoever is not with me is against me,[ag] and whoever does not gather with me scatters.[ah]
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