Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 35[a]
By David.
35 O Lord, fight[b] those who fight with me.
Attack those who attack me.
2 Grab your small shield and large shield,[c]
and rise up to help me.
3 Use your spear and lance[d] against[e] those who chase me.
Assure me with these words:[f] “I am your deliverer.”
4 May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated.
May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed.[g]
5 May they be[h] like wind-driven chaff,
as the angel of the Lord[i] attacks them.[j]
6 May their path be[k] dark and slippery,
as the angel of the Lord chases them.
7 I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me
and dug a pit to trap me.[l]
8 Let destruction take them by surprise.[m]
Let the net they hid catch them.
Let them fall into destruction.[n]
9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord
and be happy because of his deliverance.[o]
10 With all my strength I will say,[p]
“O Lord, who can compare to you?
You rescue[q] the oppressed from those who try to overpower them,[r]
the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them.”[s]
Balaam Refuses to Curse Israel
22 [a] The Israelites traveled on[b] and camped in the rift valley plains[c] of Moab on the side of the Jordan River[d] across from Jericho. 2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.
4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people[e] will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time. 5 And he sent messengers to Balaam[f] son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River[g] in the land of Amaw,[h] to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face[i] of the earth, and they are settling next to me. 6 So[j] now, please come and curse this nation[k] for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them[l] and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed,[m] and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hands. They came to Balaam and reported[n] to him the words of Balak. 8 He replied to them, “Stay[o] here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying, 11 ‘Look, a nation has come out[p] of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them[q] and drive them out.’”[r] 12 But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people,[s] for they are blessed.”[t]
13 So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land,[u] for the Lord has refused to permit me to go[v] with you.” 14 So the princes of Moab departed[w] and went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
Balaam Accompanies the Moabite Princes
15 Balak again sent princes,[x] more numerous and more distinguished than the first.[y] 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming[z] to me. 17 For I will honor you greatly,[aa] and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”
18 Balaam replied[ab] to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment[ac] of the Lord my God[ad] to do less or more. 19 Now therefore, please stay[ae] the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.”[af] 20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them, but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.” 21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.[a] 18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there.[b] 19 When Paul[c] had greeted them, he began to explain[d] in detail[e] what God[f] had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 When they heard this, they praised[g] God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews[h] there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers[i] of the law.[j] 21 They have been informed about you—that you teach all the Jews now living[k] among the Gentiles to abandon[l] Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children[m] or live[n] according to our customs. 22 What then should we do? They will no doubt[o] hear that you have come. 23 So do what[p] we tell you: We have four men[q] who have taken[r] a vow;[s] 24 take them and purify[t] yourself along with them and pay their expenses,[u] so that they may have their heads shaved.[v] Then[w] everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told[x] about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with[y] the law.[z] 25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided[aa] that they should avoid[ab] meat that has been sacrificed to idols[ac] and blood and what has been strangled[ad] and sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men the next day,[ae] and after he had purified himself[af] along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice[ag] of the completion of the days of purification,[ah] when[ai] the sacrifice would be offered for each[aj] of them.
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