Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for Help.
43 (A)Vindicate me, God, and (B)plead my case against an ungodly nation;
[a]Save me from (C)the deceitful and unjust person!
2 For You are the (D)God of my strength; why have You (E)rejected me?
Why do I go about (F)mourning [b]because of the oppression of the enemy?
Sin of the Priests
6 “‘A son (A)honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a (B)father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My [a]respect?’ says the Lord of armies to you, the (C)priests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ 7 You are presenting (D)defiled [b](E)food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The (F)table of the Lord is to be despised.’ 8 And when you present a (G)blind animal for sacrifice, is it not evil? Or when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not evil? So offer it to your (H)governor! Would he be pleased with you, or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of armies. 9 “But now, do indeed (I)plead for God’s favor, so that He will be gracious to us. [c]With such an offering on your part, will He (J)receive any of you kindly?” says the Lord of armies. 10 “If only there were one among you who would (K)shut the [d]gates, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar for nothing! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of armies, “(L)nor will I accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the (M)rising of the sun even to its setting, (N)My name shall be (O)great among the nations, and in every place (P)frankincense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name shall be (Q)great among the nations,” says the Lord of armies. 12 “But you are (R)profaning it by your saying, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ 13 You also say, ‘See, [e]how (S)tiresome it is!’ And you view it as trivial,” says the Lord of armies, “and you bring what was taken by (T)robbery and what is (U)lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I (V)accept it from your hand?” says the Lord. 14 “But cursed be the (W)swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a (X)blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great (Y)King,” says the Lord of armies, “and My name is [f](Z)feared among the [g]nations.”
Priests to Be Disciplined
2 “And now, this commandment is for you, the priests. 2 If you do (AA)not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of armies, “then I will send the (AB)curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have (AC)cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. 3 Behold, I am going to (AD)rebuke your [h]descendants, and I will (AE)spread [i]dung on your faces, the [j]dung of your (AF)feasts; and you will be taken away [k]with it. 4 Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, [l]so that My (AG)covenant may [m]continue with Levi,” says the Lord of armies. 5 “My covenant with him was one of life and (AH)peace, and I gave them to him as an object of [n]reverence; so he [o](AI)revered Me and was in awe of My name. 6 [p](AJ)True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked (AK)with Me in peace and justice, and he (AL)turned many back from wrongdoing. 7 For the lips of a priest should maintain (AM)knowledge, and people should (AN)seek [q]instruction from his mouth; for he is the (AO)messenger of the Lord of armies. 8 But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to (AP)stumble [r]by the instruction; you have (AQ)ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of armies. 9 “So (AR)I also have made you despised and of (AS)low reputation [s]in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing (AT)partiality in the [t]instruction.”
Eight Woes
13 “(A)But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, (B)because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.[a]
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one [b](C)proselyte; and when he becomes one, you [c]make him twice as much a son of [d](D)hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, (E)blind guides, who say, ‘(F)Whoever swears by the [e]temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the [f]temple is obligated.’ 17 You fools and blind men! (G)Which is [g]more important, the gold or the [h]temple that sanctified the gold? 18 And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the [i]offering that is on it is obligated.’ 19 You blind men, (H)which is [j]more important, the [k]offering or the altar that sanctifies the [l]offering? 20 Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by [m]the altar and by everything on it. 21 And the one who swears by the [n]temple, swears both by [o]the temple and by Him who (I)dwells in it. 22 And the one who swears by [p]heaven, (J)swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
23 “(K)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and [q]cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24 You (L)blind guides, who [r]strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (M)you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full [s]of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first (N)clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the [t]outside of it may also become clean.
27 “(O)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.