Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
7 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Go quickly, descend,[a] because your[b] people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly. 8 They have quickly turned aside[c] from the way that I commanded them—they have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.’”
9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people.[d] Look[e] what a stiff-necked people they are![f] 10 So now, leave me alone[g] so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them, and I will make from you a great nation.”
11 But Moses sought the favor[h] of the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your anger burn against your people, whom you have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why[i] should the Egyptians say,[j] ‘For evil[k] he led them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy[l] them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger, and relent[m] of this evil against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants, to whom you swore by yourself and told them, ‘I will multiply your descendants[n] like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken about[o] I will give to your descendants,[p] and they will inherit it forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people.
Psalm 51[a]
For the music director, a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.[b]
51 Have mercy on me, O God, because of[c] your loyal love.
Because of[d] your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts.[e]
2 Wash away my wrongdoing.[f]
Cleanse me of my sin.[g]
3 For I am aware of[h] my rebellious acts;
I am forever conscious of my sin.[i]
4 Against you—you above all[j]—I have sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
So[k] you are just when you confront me;[l]
you are right when you condemn me.[m]
5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth,
a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.[n]
6 Look,[o] you desire[p] integrity in the inner man;[q]
you want me to possess wisdom.[r]
7 Cleanse me[s] with hyssop[t] and I will be pure;[u]
wash me[v] and I will be whiter than snow.[w]
8 Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven.[x]
May the bones[y] you crushed rejoice.[z]
9 Hide your face[aa] from my sins.
Wipe away[ab] all my guilt.
10 Create for me a pure heart, O God.[ac]
Renew a resolute spirit within me.[ad]
12 I am grateful to the one who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful in putting me into ministry, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor, and an arrogant[a] man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and our Lord’s grace was abundant, bringing faith and love in Christ Jesus.[b] 15 This saying[c] is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them![d] 16 But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that[e] in me as the worst,[f] Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the eternal king,[g] immortal, invisible, the only[h] God, be honor and glory forever and ever![i] Amen.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep and Coin
15 Now all the tax collectors[a] and sinners were coming[b] to hear him. 2 But[c] the Pharisees[d] and the experts in the law[e] were complaining,[f] “This man welcomes[g] sinners and eats with them.”
3 So[h] Jesus[i] told them[j] this parable:[k] 4 “Which one[l] of you, if he has a hundred[m] sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture[n] and go look for[o] the one that is lost until he finds it?[p] 5 Then[q] when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 Returning[r] home, he calls together[s] his[t] friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner[u] who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people[v] who have no need to repent.[w]
8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins[x] and loses[y] one of them,[z] does not light a lamp, sweep[aa] the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it? 9 Then[ab] when she has found it, she calls together her[ac] friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice[ad] with me, for I have found the coin[ae] that I had lost.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels[af] over one sinner who repents.”
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