Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
111 Praise the Lord.
I will praise the Lord with all my heart.
I will praise him where honest people gather for worship.
2 The Lord has done great things.
All who take delight in those things think deeply about them.
3 What he does shows his glory and majesty.
He will always do what is right.
4 The Lord causes his wonders to be remembered.
He is kind and tender.
5 He provides food for those who have respect for him.
He remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people what his power can do.
He has given them the lands of other nations.
7 He is faithful and right in everything he does.
All his rules can be trusted.
8 They will stand firm for ever and ever.
They were given by the Lord.
He is faithful and honest.
9 He set his people free.
He made a covenant with them that will last forever.
His name is holy and wonderful.
10 If you really want to become wise,
you must begin by having respect for the Lord.
All those who follow his rules have good understanding.
People should praise him forever.
Miriam and Aaron Speak Against Moses
12 Miriam and Aaron began to say bad things about Moses. That’s because Moses had married a woman from Cush. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” The Lord heard what they said.
3 Moses was a very humble man. In fact, he was more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.
4 The Lord spoke to Moses, Aaron and Miriam. He said, “All three of you, come out to the tent of meeting.” So they did. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud. He stood at the entrance to the tent. And he told Aaron and Miriam to come to him. The two of them stepped forward. 6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to my words.
“Suppose there is a prophet among you.
I, the Lord, make myself known to them in visions.
I speak to them in dreams.
7 But this is not true of my servant Moses.
He is faithful in everything he does in my house.
8 With Moses I speak face to face.
I speak with him clearly. I do not speak in riddles.
I let him see something of what I look like.
So why were you not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?”
9 The Lord was very angry with them. And he left them.
10 When the cloud went up from above the tent, there stood Miriam. She had a disease that made her skin as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her. He saw that she had a skin disease. 11 So he said to Moses, “We have committed a very foolish sin. Please don’t hold it against us. 12 Don’t let Miriam be like a baby that was born dead. Don’t let her look like a dead baby whose body is half eaten away.”
13 So Moses cried out to the Lord. He said, “Please, God, heal her!”
14 The Lord answered Moses. He said, “Suppose her father had spit in her face. Then she would have been put to shame for seven days. So keep her outside the camp for seven days. After that, you can bring her back.” 15 So Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days. The people didn’t move on until she was brought back.
Jesus Heals a Man Who Had a Skin Disease
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along. He had a skin disease all over his body. When he saw Jesus, the man fell with his face to the ground. He begged him, “Lord, if you are willing to make me ‘clean,’ you can do it.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing to do it,” he said. “Be ‘clean’!” Right away the disease left him.
14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone. Go and show yourself to the priest. Offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded. It will be a witness to the priest and the people that you are ‘clean.’ ”
15 But the news about Jesus spread even more. So crowds of people came to hear him. They also came to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often went away to be by himself and pray.
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