Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 1
The Two Ways
1 How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked
or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers!(A)
2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.(B)
3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams[a]
that bears its fruit in its season,(C)
and its leaf does not wither.(D)
Whatever he does prospers.(E)
The Persistent Sin of Judah
17 The sin of Judah is inscribed
with an iron stylus.(A)
With a diamond point
it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts(B)
and on the horns of their[a] altars,
2 while their children remember their altars
and their Asherah poles, by the green trees
on the high hills(C)—
3 my mountains in the countryside.
I will give up your wealth
and all your treasures as plunder(D)
because of the sin of your high places[b]
in all your borders.(E)
4 You will, on your own, relinquish your inheritance
that I gave you.
I will make you serve your enemies
in a land you do not know,(F)
for you have set my anger on fire;(G)
it will burn forever.
An Unclean Spirit’s Return
24 “When(A) an unclean spirit(B) comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest,(C) and not finding rest, it then[a] says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ 25 Returning, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits(D) more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first.”(E)
True Blessedness
27 As he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd(F) raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the one who nursed you!” (G)
28 He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God(H) and keep it.”(I)
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