Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.
For the music director; with stringed instruments, [a]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.
6 Lord, (A)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor discipline me in Your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am (B)frail;
(C)Heal me, Lord, for (D)my bones are horrified.
3 And my (E)soul is greatly horrified;
But You, Lord—(F)how long?
4 Return, Lord, (G)rescue my [b]soul;
Save me because of Your mercy.
5 For (H)there is no [c]mention of You in death;
In [d]Sheol, who will praise You?
Four Men with Leprosy Report Arameans’ Flight
3 Now there were four (A)leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ then the famine is in the city and we will die there; but if we sit here, we will also die. Now then come, and let’s go over to (B)the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, then we will die.” 5 So they got up at twilight to go to the camp of the Arameans; when they came to the outskirts of the camp of the Arameans, behold, there was no one there. 6 For (C)the Lord had made the army of the Arameans hear a sound of chariots, a sound of horses, that is, the sound of a great army; and they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired (D)the kings of the Hittites and (E)the kings of the Egyptians against us, to [a]attack us!” 7 So they (F)got up and fled at twilight, and abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—indeed the camp itself, just as it was; and they fled for their lives. 8 When these men with leprosy came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and (G)carried from there silver, gold, and clothes, and they went and hid them; then they returned and entered another tent, and carried valuables from there also, and went and hid them.
9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing the right thing. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent about it; if we wait until the morning light, punishment will [b]overtake us. Now then come, let’s go and inform the king’s household.” 10 So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and told them, saying, “We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no one there, nor a human voice; only the horses tied and the donkeys tied, and the tents just as they were.”
14 Therefore, my (A)beloved, flee from (B)idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise people; you then, judge what I say. 16 Is the (C)cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the (D)bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Since there is one loaf, we (E)who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. 18 Look at [a]the people of (F)Israel; are those who (G)eat the sacrifices not partners in the altar? 19 What do I mean then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or (H)that an idol is [b]anything? 20 No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they (I)sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons. 21 (J)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and (K)the table of demons. 22 Or do we (L)provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not (M)stronger than He, are we?
23 (N)All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things [c](O)build people up. 24 No one is to (P)seek his own advantage, but rather that of his [d]neighbor. 25 (Q)Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions, for the sake of conscience; 26 (R)for the earth is the Lord’s, and [e]all it contains. 27 If (S)one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, (T)eat anything that is set before you without asking questions, for the sake of conscience. 28 But (U)if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you and for the sake of conscience; 29 Now by “conscience” I do not mean your own, but the other person’s; for (V)why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, (W)why am I slandered about that for which I (X)give thanks?
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or (Y)whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. 32 (Z)Do not offend Jews or Greeks, or (AA)the church of God; 33 just as I also (AB)please everyone in all things, (AC)not seeking my own benefit but the benefit of the many, (AD)so that they may be saved.
Christian Order
11 (AE)Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
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