Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
2 “Behold, (A)God is my salvation,
I will (B)trust and not be afraid;
For (C)the Lord God is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.”
3 Therefore you will joyously (D)draw water
From the (E)springs of salvation.
4 And in that day you will (F)say,
“(G)Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name.
(H)Make known His deeds among the peoples;
[a]Make them remember that His name is exalted.”
5 (I)Praise the Lord in song, for He has done [b]excellent things;
Let this be known throughout the earth.
6 (J)Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
For (K)great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
4 Hear this, you who [a](A)trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land, 5 saying,
“When will the (B)new moon [b]be over,
So that we may sell grain,
And the (C)sabbath, that we may open the wheat market,
To make the [c]bushel smaller and the shekel bigger,
And to (D)cheat with [d]dishonest scales,
6 So as to (E)buy the helpless for [e]money
And the needy for a pair of sandals,
And that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?”
7 The Lord has (F)sworn by the (G)pride of Jacob,
“Indeed, I will (H)never forget any of their deeds.
8 “Because of this will not the land (I)quake
And everyone who dwells in it (J)mourn?
Indeed, all of it will (K)rise up like the Nile,
And it will be tossed about
And subside like the Nile of Egypt.
9 “It will come about in that day,” declares the Lord God,
“That I will make the (L)sun go down at noon
And (M)make the earth dark in [f]broad daylight.
10 “Then I will (N)turn your festivals into mourning
And all your songs into [g]lamentation;
And I will bring (O)sackcloth on everyone’s loins
And baldness on every head.
And I will make it (P)like a time of mourning for an only son,
And the end of it will be like a bitter day.
11 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord God,
“When I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water,
But rather (Q)for hearing the words of the Lord.
12 “People will stagger from sea to sea
And from the north even to the east;
They will go to and fro to (R)seek the word of the Lord,
But they will not find it.
God Gives Most
9 For (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this (B)ministry to the [a]saints; 2 for I know your readiness, of which I (C)boast about you to the (D)Macedonians, namely, that (E)Achaia has been prepared since (F)last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I have sent the brethren, in order that our (G)boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, (H)as I was saying, you may be prepared; 4 otherwise if any (I)Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—will be put to shame by this confidence. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the (J)brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised [b](K)bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a [c](L)bountiful gift and not [d](M)affected by covetousness.
6 Now this I say, (N)he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [e]bountifully will also reap [f]bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not (O)grudgingly or under compulsion, for (P)God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And (Q)God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written,
10 Now He who supplies (S)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and (T)increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be (U)enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing (V)thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying (W)the needs of the [h]saints, but is also overflowing (X)through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proof given by this (Y)ministry, they will (Z)glorify God for your obedience to your (AA)confession of the (AB)gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your [i]contribution to them and to all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 (AC)Thanks be to God for His indescribable (AD)gift!
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