Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Book One
The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked
1 Blessed is the man[a]
who (A)walks not in (B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in (C)the way of sinners,
nor (D)sits in (E)the seat of (F)scoffers;
2 but his (G)delight is in the law[b] of the Lord,
and on his (H)law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like (I)a tree
planted by (J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its (K)leaf does not wither.
(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like (M)chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked (N)will not stand in the judgement,
nor sinners in (O)the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord (P)knows (Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Confession and Restitution
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Speak to the people of Israel, (A)When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person realizes his guilt, 7 (B)he shall confess his sin that he has committed.[a] (C)And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong. 8 But if the man has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to (D)the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for him. 9 And (E)every contribution, all the holy donations of the people of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his. 10 Each one shall keep his holy donations: whatever anyone gives to the priest shall be his.”
Qualifications for Elders
5 (A)This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and (B)appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 (C)if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,[a] and his children are believers and not open to the charge of (D)debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer,[b] (E)as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not (F)be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent (G)or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, (H)and disciplined. 9 He must (I)hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in (J)sound[c] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10 For there are many who are insubordinate, (K)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of (L)the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since (M)they are upsetting whole families by teaching (N)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 (O)One of the Cretans,[d] a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”[e] 13 This testimony is true. Therefore (P)rebuke them (Q)sharply, that they (R)may be sound in the faith, 14 (S)not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and (T)the commands of people (U)who turn away from the truth. 15 (V)To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and (W)unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both (X)their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 (Y)They profess to know God, but they (Z)deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, (AA)unfit for any good work.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.