Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
88 Lord, you are the God who saves me.
Day and night I cry out to you.
2 Please hear my prayer.
Pay attention to my cry for help.
3 I have so many troubles
I’m about to die.
4 People think my life is over.
I’m like someone who doesn’t have any strength.
5 People treat me as if I were dead.
I’m like those who have been killed and are now in the grave.
You don’t even remember them anymore.
They are cut off from your care.
6 It’s as if you have put me deep down in the grave.
It’s as if you have put me in that deep, dark place.
7 Your great anger lies heavy on me.
All the waves of your anger have crashed over me.
8 You have taken my closest friends away from me.
You have made me sickening to them.
I feel trapped and can’t escape.
9 I’m crying so much I can’t see very well.
Lord, I call out to you every day.
I lift up my hands to you in prayer.
10 Do you do wonderful things for those who are dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
11 Do those who are dead speak about your love?
Do those who are in the grave tell how faithful you are?
12 Are your wonderful deeds known in that dark place?
Are your holy acts known in that land where the dead are forgotten?
13 Lord, I cry out to you for help.
In the morning I pray to you.
14 Lord, why do you say no to me?
Why do you turn your face away from me?
15 I’ve been in pain ever since I was young.
I’ve been close to death.
You have made me suffer terrible things.
I have lost all hope.
16 Your great anger has swept over me.
Your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood.
They have closed in all around me.
18 You have taken my friends and neighbors away from me.
Darkness is my closest friend.
19 “ ‘Suppose a woman is having her regular monthly period. Then for seven days she will be “unclean.” Anyone who touches her will be “unclean” until evening.
20 “ ‘Anything she lies on during her period will be “unclean.” Anything she sits on will be “unclean.” 21 Anyone who touches her bed must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening. 22 Anyone who touches anything she sits on must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening. 23 It does not matter whether it was her bed or anything she was sitting on. If anyone touches it, they will be “unclean” until evening.
24 “ ‘Suppose a man sleeps with that woman. And suppose blood from her monthly period touches him. Then he will be “unclean” for seven days. Any bed he lies on will be “unclean.”
25 “ ‘Suppose blood flows from a woman’s body for many days. And it happens at a time other than her monthly period. Or blood keeps flowing after her period is over. Then she will be “unclean” as long as the blood continues to flow. She will be “unclean,” just as she is during the days of her period. 26 Any bed she lies on while her blood continues to flow will be “unclean.” It is the same as it is when she is having her period. Anything she sits on will be “unclean.” 27 If anyone touches those things, they will be “unclean.” They must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening.
28 “ ‘Suppose the woman has been healed from her flow of blood. Then she must wait seven days. After that, she will be “clean.” 29 On the eighth day she must get two doves or two young pigeons. She must bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 30 The priest must sacrifice them. One is for a sin offering. The other is for a burnt offering. In that way he will pay for her sin in the sight of the Lord. He will do it because her flow of blood made her “unclean.”
31 “ ‘You must keep the Israelites away from things that make them “unclean.” Then they will not die for being “unclean.” And they will not die for making the place “unclean” where I, the Lord, live. It is in the middle of the camp.’ ”
9 I don’t need to write to you about giving to the Lord’s people. 2 I know how much you want to help. I have been bragging about it to the people in Macedonia. I have been telling them that since last year you who live in Achaia were ready to give. You are so excited that it has stirred up most of them to take action. 3 But I am sending the brothers. Then our bragging about you in this matter will have a good reason. You will be ready, just as I said you would be. 4 Suppose people from Macedonia come with me and find out that you are not prepared. Then we, as well as you, would be ashamed of being so certain. 5 So I thought I should try to get the brothers to visit you ahead of time. They will finish the plans for the large gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a gift freely given. It will not be given by force.
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