Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Blessed Are the Forgiven
A Maskil[a] of David.
32 (A)Blessed is the one whose (B)transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord (C)counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit (D)there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my (E)bones wasted away
through my (F)groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your (G)hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up[b] as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 I (H)acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I (I)will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let everyone who is (J)godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you (K)may be found;
surely in the rush of (L)great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a (M)hiding place for me;
you preserve me from (N)trouble;
you surround me with (O)shouts of deliverance. Selah
Cain and Abel
4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten[a] a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of (A)the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of (B)the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord (C)had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but (D)for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 (E)If you do well, will you not be accepted?[b] And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. (F)Its desire is contrary to[c] you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother.[d] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and (G)killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, (H)“I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood (I)is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now (J)you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My (K)punishment is greater than I can bear.[e] 14 Behold, (L)you have driven me today away from the ground, and (M)from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, (N)and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him (O)sevenfold.” And the Lord (P)put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden.
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Since then we have (A)a great high priest (B)who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, (C)let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest (D)who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been (E)tempted as we are, (F)yet without sin. 16 (G)Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
5 For every high priest chosen from among men (H)is appointed to act on behalf of men (I)in relation to God, (J)to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 (K)He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself (L)is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins (M)just as he does for those of the people. 4 And (N)no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, (O)just as Aaron was.
5 So also Christ (P)did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,
(Q)“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
6 as he says also in another place,
(R)“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
7 In the days of his flesh, (S)Jesus[a] offered up prayers and supplications, (T)with loud cries and tears, to him (U)who was able to save him from death, and (V)he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although (W)he was a son, (X)he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And (Y)being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest (Z)after the order of Melchizedek.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.