Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 all the people gathered together(A) at the square in front of the Water Gate.(B) They asked the scribe Ezra(C) to bring the book of the law of Moses(D) that the Lord had given Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month,(E) the priest Ezra(F) brought the law(G) before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate,(H) he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively[a] to the book of the law.(I)
5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted(A) all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” (B) Then they knelt low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.(C)
8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. 9 Nehemiah the governor,(A) Ezra the priest and scribe,(B) and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day(C) is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”(D) For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared,(E) since today(F) is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.”[a](G)
Psalm 19
The Witness of Creation and Scripture
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the expanse(A) proclaims the work of his hands.(B)
2 Day after day they pour out speech;
night after night they communicate knowledge.[a]
3 There is no speech; there are no words;
their voice is not heard.
4 Their message[b] has gone out to the whole earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.(C)
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun.(D)
5 It is like a bridegroom coming from his home;
it rejoices like an athlete running a course.
6 It rises from one end of the heavens
and circles to their other end;(E)
nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect,
renewing one’s life;(F)
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.(G)
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
making the heart glad;(H)
the command of the Lord is radiant,
making the eyes light up.(I)
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;(J)
the ordinances of the Lord are reliable
and altogether righteous.(K)
10 They are more desirable than gold—
than an abundance of pure gold;(L)
and sweeter than honey
dripping from a honeycomb.(M)
11 In addition, your servant is warned by them,
and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.(N)
12 Who perceives his unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from my hidden faults.(O)
13 Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins;(P)
do not let them rule me.(Q)
Then I will be blameless
and cleansed from blatant rebellion.(R)
14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,(S)
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.(T)
Unity Yet Diversity in the Body
12 For just as the body is one(A) and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.(B) 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.(C) 14 Indeed, the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted.(D) 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. 23 And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable,(E) we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, 24 which our respectable parts do not need.
Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division(F) in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ,(G) and individual members of it. 28 And God has appointed these in the church:(H) first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,(I) next miracles,(J) then gifts of healing,(K) helping, leading, various kinds of tongues.[b] 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?(L) 31 But desire(M) the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.
Ministry in Galilee
14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,(A) and news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity.(B) 15 He was teaching in their synagogues,(C) being praised[a] by everyone.
Rejection at Nazareth
16 He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.(D) As usual, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day(E) and stood up to read.(F) 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written:
18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me[b]
to proclaim release[c] to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.[d](G)
20 He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.(H) And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.”(I)
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