Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Lord Demands Justice
18 Woe[a] to those who wish for the day of the Lord!
Why do you want the Lord’s day of judgment to come?
It will bring darkness, not light.
19 Disaster will be inescapable,[b]
as if a man ran from a lion only to meet a bear,
then escaped into[c] a house,
leaned his hand against the wall,
and was bitten by a poisonous snake.
20 Don’t you realize the Lord’s day of judgment will bring[d] darkness, not light—
gloomy blackness, not bright light?
21 “I absolutely despise[e] your festivals!
I get no pleasure[f] from your religious assemblies.
22 Even if you offer me burnt and grain offerings,[g] I will not be satisfied;
I will not look with favor on your peace offerings of fattened calves.[h]
23 Take away from me your[i] noisy songs;
I don’t want to hear the music of your stringed instruments.[j]
24 Justice must flow like torrents of water,
righteous actions[k] like a stream that never dries up.
Psalm 70[a]
For the music director, by David; written to get God’s attention.[b]
70 O God, please be willing to rescue me.[c]
O Lord, hurry and help me.[d]
2 May those who are trying to take my life
be embarrassed and ashamed.[e]
May those who want to harm me
be turned back and ashamed.[f]
3 May those who say, “Aha! Aha!”
be driven back[g] and disgraced.[h]
4 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you.
May those who love to experience[i] your deliverance say continually,[j]
“May God[k] be praised!”[l]
5 I am oppressed and needy.[m]
O God, hurry to me.[n]
You are my helper and my deliverer.
O Lord,[o] do not delay.
The Lord Returns for Believers
13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed,[a] brothers and sisters,[b] about those who are asleep,[c] so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that[d] God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.[e] 15 For we tell you this by the word of the Lord,[f] that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel,[g] and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left,[h] will be suddenly caught up[i] together[j] with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five[a] of the virgins[b] were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When[c] the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra[d] olive oil[e] with them. 4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 5 When[f] the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The[g] foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 ‘No,’ they replied.[h] ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then[i] the door was shut. 11 Later,[j] the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’[k] 12 But he replied,[l] ‘I tell you the truth,[m] I do not know you!’ 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour.[n]
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