Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A psalm of David.
141 I call out to you, Lord. Come quickly to help me.
Listen to me when I call out to you.
2 May my prayer come to you like the sweet smell of incense.
When I lift up my hands in prayer, may it be like the evening sacrifice.
3 Lord, guard my mouth.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Don’t let my heart be drawn to what is evil.
Don’t let me join with people who do evil.
Don’t let me eat their fancy food.
5 If a godly person hit me, it would be an act of kindness.
If they would correct me, it would be like pouring olive oil on my head.
I wouldn’t say no to it.
I will always pray against the things that sinful people do.
6 When their rulers are thrown down from the rocky cliffs,
those evil people will realize that my words were true.
7 They will say, “As clumps of dirt are left from plowing up the ground,
so our bones will be scattered near an open grave.”
8 But Lord and King, I keep looking to you for help.
I go to you for safety. Don’t let me die.
9 Keep me from the traps of those who do evil.
Save me from the traps they have set for me.
10 Let evil people fall into their own nets.
But let me go safely on my way.
21 “ ‘I will show all the nations my glory. They will see how I punish them when I use my power against them. 22 From that time on, the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. 23 The nations will know that the people of Israel were taken away as prisoners because they sinned against me. They were not faithful to me. So I turned my face away from them. I handed them over to their enemies. All of them were killed by swords. 24 I punished them because they were “unclean.” They did many things that were wrong. So I turned my face away from them.’ ”
25 The Lord and King says, “I will now cause the people of Jacob to recover from my judgment. I will show my tender love for all the people of Israel. I will make sure that my name is kept holy. 26 My people will forget the shameful things they have done. They will not remember all the ways they were unfaithful to me. They used to live in safety in their land. At that time no one made them afraid. 27 So I will bring them back from the nations. I will gather them from the countries of their enemies. And I will use them to prove to many nations how holy I am. 28 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God. I let the nations take my people away as prisoners. But now I will bring them back to their own land. I will not leave anyone behind. 29 I will no longer turn my face away from the people of Israel. I will pour out my Spirit on them,” announces the Lord and King.
The New Temple Area
40 It was the 14th year after Jerusalem had been captured. We had been brought to Babylon as prisoners. It was the tenth day of a month near the beginning of the 25th year after that. On that day the power of the Lord came on me. He took me back to my land. 2 In visions God gave me, he brought me to the land of Israel. He set me on a very high mountain. Some buildings were on the south side of it. They looked like a city. 3 He took me there. I saw a man who appeared to be made out of bronze. He was standing at the gate of the outer courtyard. He was holding a linen measuring tape and a measuring rod. 4 The man said to me, “Son of man, look carefully and listen closely. Pay attention to everything I show you. That is why the Lord brought you here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see.”
The Believer’s Freedom
23 You say, “I have the right to do anything.” But not everything is helpful. Again you say, “I have the right to do anything.” But not everything builds us up. 24 No one should look out for their own interests. Instead, they should look out for the interests of others.
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market. Don’t ask if it’s right or wrong. 26 Scripture says, “The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1)
27 Suppose an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go. Then eat anything that is put in front of you. Don’t ask if it’s right or wrong. 28 But suppose someone says to you, “This food has been sacrificed to a statue of a god.” Then don’t eat it. Keep in mind the good of the person who told you. And don’t eat because of a sense of what is right and wrong. 29 I’m talking about the other person’s sense of what is right and wrong, not yours. Why is my freedom being judged by what someone else thinks? 30 Suppose I give thanks when I eat. Then why should I be blamed for eating food I thank God for?
31 So eat and drink and do everything else for the glory of God. 32 Don’t do anything that causes another person to trip and fall. It doesn’t matter if that person is a Jew or a Greek or a member of God’s church. 33 Follow my example. I try to please everyone in every way. I’m not looking out for what is good for me. I’m looking out for the interests of others. I do it so that they might be saved. 11 1 Follow my example, just as I follow the example of Christ.
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