Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
15 The Lord’s eyes are on righteous people.
His ears hear their cry for help.
16 The Lord confronts those who do evil
in order to wipe out all memory of them from the earth.
17 ⌞Righteous people⌟ cry out.
The Lord hears and rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those whose hearts are humble.
He saves those whose spirits are crushed.
19 The righteous person has many troubles,
but the Lord rescues him from all of them.
20 The Lord guards all of his bones.
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil will kill wicked people,
and those who hate righteous people will be condemned.
22 The Lord protects the souls of his servants.
All who take refuge in him will never be condemned.
Joshua Blesses the Tribes That Live East of the Jordan River
22 Joshua summoned the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh. 2 He said to them, “You have done everything the Lord’s servant Moses commanded you. You have also obeyed me in everything I commanded you. 3 All this time, to this day, you have never deserted your relatives. You have carefully kept the commands of the Lord your God.
4 “Now the Lord your God has given your relatives peace, as he promised them. So return home, to the land that is your own possession. It is the land that the Lord’s servant Moses gave you east of the Jordan River. 5 Carefully follow the commands and teachings that the Lord’s servant Moses gave you. Love the Lord your God, follow his directions, and keep his commands. Be loyal to him, and serve him with all your heart and soul.” 6 Then Joshua blessed them. He sent them on their way, and they went to their homes.
7 Moses had given land in Bashan as an inheritance to half of Manasseh, and Joshua had given the other half of the tribe their land with their relatives west of the Jordan. When Joshua sent them home, he blessed them. 8 He also said to them, “Return to your homes with your vast wealth, large herds of livestock, silver, gold, bronze, iron, and loads of clothing. Divide the loot from your enemies with your relatives.”
An Altar for the Lord Is Built East of the Jordan River
9 So the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh left the rest of the Israelites at Shiloh in Canaan. They returned to Gilead. This was their own possession which they had captured as the Lord had instructed them through Moses.
Be Ready for the Day of the Lord
5 Brothers and sisters, you don’t need anyone to write to you about times and dates. 2 You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When people say, “Everything is safe and sound!” destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won’t be able to escape. 4 But, brothers and sisters, you don’t live in the dark. That day won’t take you by surprise as a thief would. 5 You belong to the day and the light not to the night and the dark. 6 Therefore, we must not fall asleep like other people, but we must stay awake and be sober. 7 People who sleep, sleep at night; people who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 Since we belong to the day, we must be sober. We must put on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 It was not God’s intention that we experience his anger but that we obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake in this life or asleep in death, we will live together with him. 11 Therefore, encourage each other and strengthen one another as you are doing.
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