Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
7 This is what he showed me: Behold, my Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plummet, and a plummet was in his hand. 8 And Yahweh said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “A plummet.” And my Lord said, “Look, I am going to set a plummet in the midst of my people, Israel. I will not pass them by again. 9 The high places of Isaac shall become desolate and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. And I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
Amaziah’s Opposition
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam the king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to endure all of his words. 11 For this Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly go into exile away from his land.’” 12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee to the land of Judah and earn food there and prophesy there!” 13 But do not prophesy again at Bethel, because this is a sanctuary of a king and this is a temple of a kingdom.” 14 And Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet and I am not a son of a prophet, but I am a herdsman and I am one taking care of sycamore trees. 15 And Yahweh took me from following behind the sheep and goats and Yahweh said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel!
8 I will hear what God, Yahweh, will speak,
because he will speak peace
to his people, even his faithful ones,[a]
but let them not return to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near for those who fear him,
that glory may abide in our land.
10 Loyal love and faithfulness[b] will meet one another;
righteousness and peace will kiss.
11 Faithfulness[c] will sprout from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from heaven.
12 Yes, Yahweh will give what is good,
and our land will give its produce.
13 Righteousness will go before him,
and it will make his steps a pathway.
Praise to God for Spiritual Blessings
3 Blessed is[a] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love,[b] 5 having predestined us to adoption through Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace that he bestowed on us in the beloved, 7 in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, 8 that he caused to abound to us in all wisdom and insight, 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in him, 10 for the administration of the fullness of times, to bring together all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him 11 in whom also we were chosen, having been predestined according to the purpose of the One who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 that we who hoped beforehand in Christ should be for the praise of his glory, 13 in whom also you, when you heard[c] the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also when you believed you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.
Herod Kills John the Baptist
14 And King Herod heard it,[a] because his name had become known. And they were saying, “John, the one who baptizes, has been raised from the dead, and because of this these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and others were saying, “He is a prophet like one of the prophets.” 16 But when[b] Herod heard it,[c] he said, “John whom I beheaded—this one has been raised!” 17 For Herod himself had sent and[d] arrested John and bound him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not permitted for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and was wanting to kill him, and was not able to do so. 20 For Herod was afraid of John, because he[e] knew him to be a righteous and holy man and protected him. And when he[f] listened to him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he listened to him gladly. 21 And a suitable day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers and military tribunes and the most prominent men of Galilee. 22 And when[g] the daughter of Herodias herself[h] came in and danced and pleased[i] Herod and his dinner guests,[j] the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it[k] to you.” 23 And he swore to her,[l] “Anything whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom!” 24 And she went out and[m] said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and[n] asked, saying, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” 26 And although he[o] was deeply grieved, the king, because of his[p] oaths and dinner guests,[q] did not want to refuse her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner and[r] ordered him[s] to bring his head. And he went and[t] beheaded him in the prison. 28 And he brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 And when[u] his disciples heard this,[v] they came and took away his corpse and placed it in a tomb.
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