Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A maskil of David.
32 Blessed is the person whose lawless acts are forgiven.
Their sins have been taken away.
2 Blessed is the person whose sin the Lord never counts against them.
That person doesn’t want to cheat anyone.
3 When I kept silent about my sin,
my body became weak
because I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night
you punished me.
I became weaker and weaker
as I do in the heat of summer.
5 Then I admitted my sin to you.
I didn’t cover up the wrong I had done.
I said, “I will admit my lawless acts to the Lord.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
6 Let everyone who is faithful pray to you
while they can still look to you.
When troubles come like a flood,
they certainly won’t reach those who are faithful.
7 You are my hiding place.
You will keep me safe from trouble.
You will surround me with songs sung by those who praise you
because you save your people.
8 The Lord hates the sacrifice of sinful people.
But the prayers of honest people please him.
9 The Lord hates how sinners live.
But he loves those who run after what is right.
10 Hard training is in store for anyone who leaves the right path.
A person who hates to be corrected will die.
11 Death and the Grave lie open in front of the Lord.
So human hearts certainly lie open to him!
24 The path of life leads up for those who are wise.
It keeps them from going down to the place of the dead.
25 The Lord tears down the proud person’s house.
But he keeps the widow’s property safe.
26 The Lord hates the thoughts of sinful people.
But he considers kind words to be pure.
27 Those who always want more bring ruin to their households.
But a person who refuses to be paid to lie will live.
28 The hearts of those who do right think about how they will answer.
But the mouths of those who do wrong pour out evil.
29 The Lord is far away from those who do wrong.
But he hears the prayers of those who do right.
30 The cheerful look of a messenger brings joy to your heart.
And good news gives health to your body.
31 Whoever listens to a warning that gives life
will be at home among those who are wise.
32 Those who turn away from correction hate themselves.
But anyone who accepts correction gains understanding.
33 Wisdom teaches you to have respect for the Lord.
So don’t be proud if you want to be honored.
1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. Timothy our brother joins me in writing.
We are sending this letter to you, the members of God’s church in Corinth. It is also for all God’s holy people everywhere in Achaia.
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Praise to the God Who Gives Comfort
3 Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the Father who gives tender love. All comfort comes from him. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles. Now we can comfort others when they are in trouble. We ourselves receive comfort from God. 5 We share very much in the sufferings of Christ. So we also share very much in his comfort. 6 If we are having trouble, it is so that you will be comforted and renewed. If we are comforted, it is so that you will be comforted. Then you will be able to put up with the same suffering we have gone through. 7 Our hope for you remains firm. We know that you suffer just as we do. In the same way, God comforts you just as he comforts us.
8 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the hard times we had in Asia Minor. We were having a lot of trouble. It was far more than we could stand. We even thought we were going to die. 9 In fact, we felt as if we were under the sentence of death. But that happened so that we would not depend on ourselves but on God. He raises the dead to life. 10 God has saved us from deadly dangers. And he will continue to do it. We have put our hope in him. He will continue to save us. 11 You must help us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because of what will happen to us. They will thank God for his kindness to us in answer to the prayers of many.
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