Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
BOOK 1
The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.
1 Blessed is the person who (A)does not walk in the (B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the [a](C)path of sinners,
Nor (D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his (E)delight is (F)in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates (G)day and (H)night.
3 He will be like (I)a tree planted by [b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its [c]leaf does not wither;
And [d]in whatever he does, (J)he prospers.
23 These also are (A)sayings of the wise:
To [a](B)show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 One (C)who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
(D)Peoples will curse him, nations will scold him;
25 But (E)for those who rebuke the wicked there will be delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 One who gives [b]a right answer
Kisses the lips.
27 Prepare your work outside,
And (F)make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterward, then, build your house.
28 Do not be a (G)witness against your neighbor for no reason,
And (H)do not deceive with your lips.
29 (I)Do not say, “I shall do the same to him as he has done to me;
I will [c]repay the person according to his work.”
30 I passed by the field of [d]a lazy one,
And by the vineyard of a person (J)lacking [e]sense,
31 And behold, it was completely (K)overgrown with weeds;
Its surface was covered with (L)weeds,
And its stone (M)wall was broken down.
32 When I saw, I [f]reflected upon it;
I looked, and received instruction.
33 “(N)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
34 Then your poverty will come like [g]a drifter,
And your need like [h]an armed man.
Testimony of the Scripture
39 [a](A)You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is (B)those very Scriptures that testify about Me; 40 and yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41 (C)I do not receive glory from people; 42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not [b]receive Me; (D)if another comes in his own name, you will [c]receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you [d](E)accept [e]glory from one another and you do not seek (F)the [f]glory that is from (G)the one and only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is (H)Moses, in whom you have put your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for (I)he wrote about Me. 47 But (J)if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
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