Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
130 Out (A)of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
3 (B)If You, Lord, should [a]mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could (C)stand?
4 But there is (D)forgiveness with You,
That (E)You may be feared.
9 “Whom(A) will he teach knowledge?
And whom will he make to understand the message?
Those just weaned from milk?
Those just drawn from the breasts?
10 (B)For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little.”
11 For with (C)stammering lips and another tongue
He will speak to this people,
12 To whom He said, “This is the (D)rest with which
You may cause the weary to rest,”
And, “This is the refreshing”;
Yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was to them,
“Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little,”
That they might go and fall backward, and be broken
And snared and caught.
Serving for God’s Glory
7 But (A)the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for (B)“love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 (C)Be hospitable to one another (D)without grumbling. 10 (E)As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, (F)as good stewards of (G)the manifold grace of God. 11 (H)If anyone speaks, let him speak as the [a]oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that (I)in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the [b]dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Suffering for God’s Glory
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice (J)to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that (K)when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are [c]reproached for the name of Christ, (L)blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. [d]On their part He is blasphemed, (M)but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a [e]busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this [f]matter.
17 For the time has come (N)for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, (O)what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now
(P)“If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God (Q)commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.