Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁸ Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness and not light;

¹⁹ It is as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned with his hand against the wall and a serpent bit him.

²⁰ Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light? Even very dark with no brightness in it?

²¹ I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will not smell a savor or take delight in your solemn assemblies.

²² Though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your cereal offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I look upon the peace or thank offerings of your fatted beasts.

²³ Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not listen to the melody of your harps.

²⁴ But let justice run down like waters and righteousness as a mighty and ever-flowing stream.

Psalm 70

To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David, to bring to remembrance or make memorial.

¹ Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord!

² Let them be put to shame and confounded that seek and demand my life; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion and dishonor who desire and delight in my hurt.

³ Let them be turned back and appalled because of their shame and disgrace who say, Aha, aha!

⁴ May all those who seek, inquire of and for You, and require You [as their vital need] rejoice and be glad in You; and may those who love Your salvation say continually, Let God be magnified!

⁵ But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my Help and my Deliverer; O Lord, do not tarry!

¹³ Now also we would not have you ignorant, brethren, about those who fall asleep [^[a]in death], that you may not grieve [for them] as the rest do who have no hope [beyond the grave].

¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him through Jesus those who have fallen asleep [^[b]in death].

¹⁵ For this we declare to you by the Lord’s [own] word, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede [into His presence] or have any advantage at all over those who have previously fallen asleep [in Him ^[c]in death].

¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first.

¹⁷ Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord!

¹⁸ Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words.

25 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

² Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent).

³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them;

⁴ But the wise took flasks of oil along with them [also] with their lamps.

⁵ While the bridegroom lingered and was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep.

⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!

⁷ Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order.

⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.

⁹ But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves.

¹⁰ But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.

¹¹ Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us!

¹² But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you].

¹³ Watch therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.