Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
ט (Tet)
65 You are good[a] to your servant,
O Lord, just as you promised.[b]
66 Teach me proper discernment[c] and understanding.
For I consider your commands to be reliable.[d]
67 Before I was afflicted I used to stray off,[e]
but now I keep your instructions.[f]
68 You are good and you do good.
Teach me your statutes.
69 Arrogant people smear my reputation with lies,[g]
but I observe your precepts with all my heart.
70 Their hearts are calloused,[h]
but I find delight in your law.
71 It was good for me to suffer,
so that I might learn your statutes.
72 The law you have revealed is more important to me
than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.[i]
14 He says,[a]
“Build it! Build it! Clear a way!
Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
15 For this is what the high and exalted one says,
the one who rules[b] forever, whose name is holy:
“I dwell in an exalted and holy place,
but also with the discouraged and humiliated,[c]
in order to cheer up the humiliated
and to encourage the discouraged.[d]
16 For I will not be hostile[e] forever
or perpetually angry,
for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me,[f]
the life-giving breath I created.
17 I was angry because of their sinful greed;
I attacked them and angrily rejected them,[g]
yet they remained disobedient and stubborn.[h]
18 I have seen their behavior,[i]
but I will heal them. I will lead[j] them,
and I will provide comfort[k] to them and those who mourn with them.[l]
19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate.[m]
Complete prosperity[n] is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,”
says the Lord, “and I will heal them.
20 But the wicked are like a surging sea
that is unable to be quiet;
its waves toss up mud and sand.
21 There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
The Parable of the Great Banquet
15 When[a] one of those at the meal with Jesus[b] heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone[c] who will feast[d] in the kingdom of God!”[e] 16 But Jesus[f] said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet[g] and invited[h] many guests.[i] 17 At[j] the time for the banquet[k] he sent his slave[l] to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ 18 But one after another they all[m] began to make excuses.[n] The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field,[o] and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’[p] 19 Another[q] said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen,[r] and I am going out[s] to examine them. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another[t] said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’[u] 21 So[v] the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious[w] and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly[x] to the streets and alleys of the city,[y] and bring in the poor,[z] the crippled,[aa] the blind, and the lame.’ 22 Then[ab] the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’[ac] 23 So[ad] the master said to his[ae] slave, ‘Go out to the highways[af] and country roads[ag] and urge[ah] people[ai] to come in, so that my house will be filled.[aj] 24 For I tell you, not one of those individuals[ak] who were invited[al] will taste my banquet!’”[am]
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