Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Living in Harmony

A song of ascents. Of David.

⁹ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edge of your field or gather the gleanings^(A) of your harvest. ¹⁰ Do not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor^(B) and the resident foreigner;^(C) I am the Lord your God.

¹¹ ‘Do not steal.^(D) Do not act deceptively^(E) or lie^(F) to one another. ¹² Do not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God;^(G) I am the Lord.

¹³ ‘Do not oppress^(H) your neighbour or rob^(I) him. The wages due a hired worker^(J) must not remain with you until morning. ¹⁴ Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,^(K) but you are to fear your God;^(L) I am the Lord.^(M)

¹⁵ ‘Do not act unjustly^(N) when deciding a case. Do not be partial^(O) to the poor or give preference to the rich;^(P) judge your neighbour fairly. ¹⁶ Do not go about spreading slander^(Q) among your people; do not jeopardise^[a] your neighbour’s life; I am the Lord.

¹⁷ ‘Do not harbour hatred against your brother.^[b](R) Rebuke your neighbour directly, and you will not incur guilt because of him.^{(S) 18} Do not take revenge^(T) or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbour as yourself;^(U) I am the Lord.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ Then^(A) an expert in the law^(B) stood up to test^(C) him, saying, ‘Teacher,^(D) what must I do to inherit eternal life? ’^(E)

²⁶ ‘What is written in the law? ’ he asked him. ‘How do you read it? ’

²⁷ He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God^(F) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’^(G) and ‘your neighbour as yourself.’^[a](H)

²⁸ ‘You’ve answered correctly,’ he told him. ‘Do this and you will live.’^(I)