Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The God of Israel at Sinai

68 May God rise up. May those who hate Him be divided. And may they run away from Him. ² Drive them away like smoke in the wind. Let the sinful be destroyed before God like a candle melts by the fire. ³ But let those who are right and good be glad. Let them be happy before God. Yes, let them be full of joy. ⁴ Sing to God. Sing praises to His name. Make a road for Him Who goes through the deserts. The Lord is His name. Be full of joy before Him.

⁵ God in His holy house is a father to those who have no father. And He keeps the women safe whose husbands have died. ⁶ God makes a home for those who are alone. He leads men out of prison into happiness and well-being. But those who fight against Him live in an empty desert.

⁷ O God, when You went out before Your people, when You walked through the desert, ⁸ the earth shook. The heavens poured down rain before God. And Sinai shook before God, the God of Israel. ⁹ You sent a heavy rain, O God. You brought life back to Your promised land when it was dry. ¹⁰ Your people made it their home. O God, You gave the poor what they needed because You are good.

¹⁹ Honor and thanks be to the Lord, Who carries our heavy loads day by day. He is the God Who saves us. ²⁰ Our God is a God Who sets us free. The way out of death belongs to God the Lord.

¹⁴ Why are we sitting here? Gather together, and let us go into the strong cities and die there. For the Lord our God has given us up to die. He has given us poison in our water to drink, for we have sinned against Him. ¹⁵ We waited for peace, but no good came. We waited for a time of healing, but see, there is much trouble. ¹⁶ The noise of his horses is heard from Dan. The whole land shakes at the sound of his war horses. For they come and destroy the land and everything that is in it, the city and those who live in it. ¹⁷ “For see, I am sending the worst of snakes against you, poison snakes which cannot be stopped. And they will bite you,” says the Lord.

¹⁸ My sorrow is too much to heal. My heart is weak within me. ¹⁹ Listen! It is the cry of my people from a far away land: “Is the Lord not in Zion? Is her King not in her?” “Why have they made Me angry with their objects of worship, and with strange gods?” ²⁰ “Gathering time is past, summer is ended, and we are not saved.” ²¹ I am hurt because my people are hurt. I am filled with sorrow, and fear has taken hold of me. ²² Is there no healing oil in Gilead? Is there no doctor there? Why then have my people not been healed?

Two Were Healed through Faith ^(A)

⁴⁰ Many people were glad to see Jesus when He got back. They were waiting for Him. ⁴¹ A man named Jairus was a leader of the Jewish place of worship. As he came to Jesus, he got down at His feet. He asked Jesus if He would come to his house. ⁴² He had only one daughter and she was dying. This girl was about twelve years old. As Jesus went, the people pushed Him from every side.

⁴³ A woman had been sick for twelve years with a flow of blood. (*She had spent all the money she had on doctors.) But she could not be healed by anyone. ⁴⁴ She came behind Jesus and touched the bottom of His coat. At once the flow of blood stopped. ⁴⁵ Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” Everyone said that they had not touched Him. Peter said, “Teacher, so many people are pushing You from every side and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” ⁴⁶ Then Jesus said, “Someone touched Me because I know power has gone from Me.” ⁴⁷ When the woman saw she could not hide it, she came shaking. She got down before Jesus. Then she told Jesus in front of all the people why she had touched Him. She told how she was healed at once. ⁴⁸ Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

⁴⁹ While Jesus was yet talking, a man came from the house of the leader of the place of worship. This man said to Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Do not make the Teacher use anymore of His time.” ⁵⁰ Jesus heard it and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid, only believe. She will be made well.”

⁵¹ Jesus went into the house. He let only Peter and James and John and the father and mother of the girl go in with Him. ⁵² Everyone was crying and full of sorrow because of her. Jesus said, “Do not cry. She is not dead, but is sleeping.” ⁵³ Then they laughed at Jesus because they knew she was dead. ⁵⁴ Jesus sent them all out. He took the girl by the hand and said, “Child, get up!” ⁵⁵ Her spirit came back and she got up at once. Jesus told them to bring her food. ⁵⁶ Her parents were surprised and wondered about it. Then Jesus told them they should tell no one what had happened.