Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
4 Now the (A)mixed multitude who were among them [a]yielded to (B)intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: (C)“Who will give us meat to eat? 5 (D)We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now (E)our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”
10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and (A)the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 11 (B)So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the [a]burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, (C)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a (D)guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You (E)swore[b] to their fathers? 13 (F)Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 (G)I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and (H)do not let me see my wretchedness!”
The Seventy Elders
16 So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me (I)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and (J)officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.
24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he (A)gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, (B)when the Spirit rested upon them, that (C)they prophesied, [a]although they never did so again.
26 But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who (D)had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28 So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, (E)forbid them!”
29 Then Moses said to him, “Are you [b]zealous for my sake? (F)Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”
7 (A)The law of the Lord is perfect, [a]converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making (B)wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than (C)gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the [b]honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
Meeting Specific Needs(A)
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him (B)pray. Is anyone cheerful? (C)Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, (D)anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. (E)And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 [a]Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (F)The effective, [b]fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man (G)with a nature like ours, and (H)he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed (I)again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Bring Back the Erring One
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone (J)turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way (K)will save [c]a soul from death and (L)cover a multitude of sins.
Jesus Forbids Sectarianism(A)
38 (B)Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”
39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, (C)for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For (D)he who is not against [a]us is on [b]our side. 41 (E)For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
Jesus Warns of Offenses(F)
42 (G)“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me [c]to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. 43 (H)If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life [d]maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to [e]hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— 44 [f]where
(I)‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into [g]hell, [h]into the fire that shall never be quenched— 46 where
(J)‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into [i]hell fire— 48 where
Tasteless Salt Is Worthless
49 “For everyone will be (M)seasoned with fire, (N)and[j] every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50 (O)Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? (P)Have salt in yourselves, and (Q)have peace with one another.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.