Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 [a]I will hear what God the Lord will say;
For He will (A)speak peace to His people, [b]to His godly ones;
But let them not (B)turn back to [c]folly.
9 Surely (C)His salvation is near to those who [d]fear Him,
That (D)glory may dwell in our land.
10 (E)Lovingkindness and [e]truth have met together;
(F)Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 [f]Truth (G)springs from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 Indeed, (H)the Lord will give what is good,
And our (I)land will yield its produce.
13 (J)Righteousness will go before Him
And will make His footsteps into a way.
6 Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of (A)Israel and for four
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they (B)sell the righteous for money
And the needy for a pair of sandals.
7 “These who [a]pant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the (C)helpless
Also (D)turn aside the way of the humble;
And a (E)man and his father [b]resort to the same [c]girl
In order to profane My holy name.
8 “On garments (F)taken as pledges they stretch out beside (G)every altar,
And in the house of their God they (H)drink the wine of those who have been fined.
9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the (I)Amorite before them,
[d]Though his (J)height was like the height of cedars
And he was strong as the oaks;
I even destroyed his (K)fruit above and his root below.
10 “It was I who (L)brought you up from the land of Egypt,
And I led you in the wilderness (M)forty years
[e]That you might take possession of the land of the (N)Amorite.
11 “Then I (O)raised up some of your sons to be prophets
And some of your young men to be (P)Nazirites.
Is this not so, O sons of Israel?” declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
And you commanded the prophets saying, ‘You (Q)shall not prophesy!’
13 “Behold, I am [f](R)weighted down beneath you
As a wagon [g]is weighted down when filled with sheaves.
14 “[h](S)Flight will perish from the swift,
And the stalwart will not strengthen his power,
Nor the (T)mighty man save his [i]life.
15 “He who (U)grasps the bow will not stand his ground,
The swift of foot will not escape,
Nor will he who rides the (V)horse save his [j]life.
16 “Even the [k]bravest among the warriors will (W)flee naked in that day,” declares the Lord.
You Are Built Up in Christ
2 For I want you to know how great a (A)struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at (B)Laodicea, and for all those who have not [a]personally seen my face, 2 that their (C)hearts may be encouraged, having been (D)knit together in love, and attaining to all (E)the wealth [b]that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a (F)true knowledge of (G)God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all (H)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 (I)I say this so that no one will delude you with (J)persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am (K)absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing [c]to see [d]your (L)good discipline and the (M)stability of your faith in Christ.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.