Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Third Vision: A Plumb Line
7 He showed me this: The Lord was standing there by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand. 8 The Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?”(A)
I replied, “A plumb line.”
Then the Lord said, “I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel;(B) I will no longer spare them:(C)
9 Isaac’s high places(D) will be deserted,
and Israel’s sanctuaries will be in ruins;(E)
I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam
with a sword.”
Amaziah’s Opposition
10 Amaziah the priest(F) of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you(G) right here in the house of Israel. The land cannot endure all his words, 11 for Amos has said this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go into exile from its homeland.’”(H)
12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away, you seer!(I) Flee to the land of Judah. Earn your living[a] and give your prophecies there, 13 but don’t ever prophesy(J) at Bethel again, for it is the king’s sanctuary(K) and a royal temple.”
14 So Amos answered Amaziah, “I was[b] not a prophet or the son of a prophet;[c](L) rather, I was[d] a herdsman,(M) and I took care of sycamore figs. 15 But the Lord took me from following the flock(N) and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’”(O)
8 I will listen to what God will say;
surely the Lord will declare peace
to His people, His godly ones,
and not let them go back to foolish ways.(A)
9 His salvation is very near those who fear Him,
so that glory may dwell in our land.(B)
10 Faithful love and truth will join together;
righteousness and peace will embrace.(C)
11 Truth will spring up from the earth,
and righteousness will look down from heaven.(D)
12 Also, the Lord will provide what is good,
and our land will yield its crops.(E)
13 Righteousness will go before Him
to prepare the way for His steps.(F)
God’s Rich Blessings
3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.(A) 4 For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.[a](B) In love[b] 5 He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace(C) that He favored us with in the Beloved.(D)
7 We have redemption in Him(E) through His blood, the forgiveness(F) of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will,(G) according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him(H) 10 for the administration[c] of the days of fulfillment[d]—to bring everything together in the Messiah,(I) both things in heaven and things on earth(J) in Him.(K)
11 We have also received an inheritance[e] in Him, predestined(L) according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope(M) in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.(N)
13 When you heard the message of truth,(O) the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.(P) 14 He is the down payment(Q) of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession,[f] to the praise of His glory.
John the Baptist Beheaded
14 King(A) Herod(B) heard of this, because Jesus’ name(C) had become well known. Some[a] said, “John the Baptist(D) has been raised from the dead,(E) and that’s why supernatural powers(F) are at work(G) in him.” 15 But others said, “He’s Elijah.”(H) Still others said, “He’s a prophet[b]—like one of the prophets.”(I)
16 When Herod(J) heard of it, he said, “John,(K) the one I beheaded, has been raised!”(L) 17 For(M) Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain(N) him in prison on account of Herodias,(O) his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married.(P) 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful(Q) for you to have your brother’s wife!”(R) 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill(S) him. But she could not, 20 because Herod was in awe(T) of[c] John and was protecting him, knowing he was a righteous(U) and holy(V) man. When Herod heard him he would be very disturbed,[d](W) yet would hear him gladly.(X)
21 Now an opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet(Y) for his nobles,(Z) military commanders,(AA) and the leading men of Galilee.(AB) 22 When Herodias’s own daughter[e] came in and danced,(AC) she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 So he swore(AD) oaths(AE) to her: “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”(AF)
24 Then she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”
“John the Baptist’s(AG) head!” she said.
25 Immediately she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s(AH) head on a platter(AI)—right now!”
26 Though the king was deeply distressed,(AJ) because of his oaths(AK) and the guests[f] he did not want to refuse(AL) her. 27 The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples[g](AM) heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.(AN)
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