Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

³³ Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep it to the end [steadfastly].

³⁴ Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law; yes, I will observe it with my whole heart.^(A)

³⁵ Make me go in the path of Your commandments, for in them do I delight.

³⁶ Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to covetousness (robbery, sensuality, unworthy riches).^(B)

³⁷ Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity (idols and idolatry); and restore me to vigorous life and health in Your ways.

³⁸ Establish Your word and confirm Your promise to Your servant, which is for those who reverently fear and devotedly worship You.^(C)

³⁹ Turn away my reproach which I fear and dread, for Your ordinances are good.

⁴⁰ Behold, I long for Your precepts; in Your righteousness give me renewed life.

²¹ You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

²² You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.

²³ If you afflict them in any way and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry;

²⁴ And My wrath shall burn; I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless.

²⁵ If you lend money to any of My people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor, neither shall you require interest from him.

²⁶ If you ever take your neighbor’s garment in pledge, you shall give it back to him before the sun goes down;

²⁷ For that is his only covering, his clothing for his body. In what shall he sleep? When he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious and merciful.

²³ All things are legitimate [permissible—and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].

²⁴ Let no one then seek his own good and advantage and profit, but [rather] each one of the other [let him seek the welfare of his neighbor].

²⁵ [As to meat offered to idols] eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question or investigating on the grounds of conscientious scruples,

²⁶ For the [whole] earth is the Lord’s and everything that is in it.^(A)

²⁷ In case one of the unbelievers invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is served to you without examining into its source because of conscientious scruples.

²⁸ But if someone tells you, This has been offered in sacrifice to an idol, do not eat it, out of consideration for the person who informed you, and for conscience’s sake—

²⁹ I mean for the sake of his conscience, not yours, [do not eat it]. For why should another man’s scruples apply to me and my liberty of action be determined by his conscience?

³⁰ If I partake [of my food] with thankfulness, why am I accused and spoken evil of because of that for which I give thanks?

³¹ So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God.

³² Do not let yourselves be [hindrances by giving] an offense to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God [^[a]do not lead others into sin by your mode of life];

³³ Just as I myself strive to please [to accommodate myself to the opinions, desires, and interests of others, adapting myself to] all men in everything I do, not aiming at or considering my own profit and advantage, but that of the many in order that they may be saved.

11 Pattern yourselves after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).