Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
7 Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord stood upon a wall with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand.(A)
8 And the Lord said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A plumb line. Then said the Lord, Behold, I am setting a plumb line as a standard in the midst of My people Israel. I will not pass by and spare them any more [the door of mercy is shut].
9 And the [idolatrous] high places of Isaac (Israel) shall be desolate and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise with the sword against the house of King Jeroboam [who set up the golden calf shrines].
10 Then Amaziah the priest of [the golden calf shrine at] Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.(B)
11 For thus Amos has said, Jeroboam shall die by the sword and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.
12 Also Amaziah said to Amos, O you seer, go! Flee back to the land of Judah [your own country], and eat your bread and live out your profession as a prophet there [as I perform my duties here].
13 But do not prophesy any more at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary and a seat of his kingdom.(C)
14 Then Amos said to Amaziah, I was no prophet [by profession]! Neither was I a prophet’s son; [but I had my occupation] I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees and a gatherer of sycamore figs.
15 And the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said to me, Go, prophesy to My people Israel.
8 I will listen [with expectancy] to what God the Lord will say, for He will speak peace to His people, to His saints (those who are in right standing with Him)—but let them not turn again to [self-confident] folly.
9 Surely His salvation is near to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, [and is ready to be appropriated] that [the manifest presence of God, His] glory may tabernacle and abide in our land.
10 Mercy and loving-kindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before Him and shall make His footsteps a way in which to walk.
3 May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!
4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.
5 For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [[a]because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]—
6 [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor,
8 Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence),
9 Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in [b]Him,
10 [He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth.
11 In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will,
12 So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined and appointed to] live for the praise of His glory!
13 In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit.
14 That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it—to the praise of His glory.
14 King Herod heard of it, for [Jesus’] name had become well known. [a]He and they [of his court] said, John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why these mighty powers [[b]of performing miracles] are at work in Him.
15 [But] others kept saying, It is Elijah! And others said, It is a prophet, like one of the prophets [of old].
16 But when Herod heard [of it], he said, [[c]This very] John, whom I beheaded, has been raised [from the dead].
17 For [this] Herod himself had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he [Herod] had married her.
18 For John had told Herod, It is not lawful and you have no right to have your brother’s wife.
19 And Herodias was angry (enraged) with him and held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him; but she could not,
20 For Herod had [[d]a reverential] fear of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and [continually] kept him safe [[e]under guard]. When he heard [John speak], he was much perplexed; and [yet] he heard him gladly.
21 But an opportune time came [for Herodias] when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and the high military commanders and chief men of Galilee.
22 For when the daughter [f]of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased and [g]fascinated Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, Ask me for whatever you desire, and I will give it to you.
23 And he put himself under oath to her, Whatever you ask me, I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom.(A)
24 Then she left the room and said to her mother, What shall I ask for [myself]? And she replied, The head of John the Baptist!
25 And she rushed back instantly to the king and requested, saying, I wish you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
26 And the king was deeply pained and grieved and exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to slight her [by breaking faith with her].
27 And immediately the king sent off one [of the soldiers] of his bodyguard and gave him orders to bring [John’s] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison
28 And brought his head on a platter and handed it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
29 When his disciples learned of it, they came and took [John’s] body and laid it in a tomb.
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