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 King Jeroboam 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 faithful 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 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.(A) 4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.[a](B) 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace(C) that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.(D)
7 In him we have redemption(E) through his blood, the forgiveness(F) of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.[b] 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will,(G) according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ(H) 10 as a plan for the right time[c]—to bring everything together in Christ,(I) both things in heaven and things on earth(J) in him.(K)
11 In him we have also received an inheritance,[d] because we were predestined(L) according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope(M) in Christ might bring praise to his glory.(N)
13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit(O) when you heard the word of truth,(P) the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment(Q) of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.
John the Baptist Beheaded
14 King(A) Herod(B) heard about it, because Jesus’s name(C) had become well known. Some[a] said, “John the Baptist(D) has been raised from the dead,(E) and that’s why miraculous powers(F) are at work(G) in him.” 15 But others said, “He’s Elijah.”(H) Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets from long ago.”(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, because he had married her.(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 feared(T) John and protected him, knowing he was a righteous(U) and holy(V) man. When Herod heard him he would be very perplexed,[b](W) and yet he liked to listen to him.(X)
21 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[c] 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 He promised her with an(AD) oath:(AE) “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”(AF)
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”
“John the Baptist’s(AG) head,” she said.
25 At once she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s(AH) head on a platter(AI) immediately.” 26 Although the king was deeply distressed,(AJ) because of his oaths(AK) and the guests[d] 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 John’s disciples(AM) heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.(AN)
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