Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Lord Will Distinguish Between Sinners and the Godly
65 “I made myself available to those who did not ask for me;[a]
I appeared to those who did not look for me.[b]
I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’
to a nation that did not invoke[c] my name.
2 I spread out my hands all day long
to my rebellious people,
who lived in a way that is morally unacceptable,
and who did what they desired.[d]
3 These people continually and blatantly offend me[e]
as they sacrifice in their sacred orchards[f]
and burn incense on brick altars.[g]
4 They sit among the tombs[h]
and keep watch all night long.[i]
They eat pork,[j]
and broth[k] from unclean sacrificial meat is in their pans.
5 They say, ‘Keep to yourself!
Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’
These people are like smoke in my nostrils,
like a fire that keeps burning all day long.
6 Look, I have decreed:[l]
I will not keep silent, but will pay them back;
I will pay them back exactly what they deserve,[m]
7 for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,”[n] says the Lord.
“Because they burned incense on the mountains
and offended[o] me on the hills,
I will punish them in full measure.”[p]
8 This is what the Lord says:
“When[q] juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes,
someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’[r]
So I will do for the sake of my servants—
I will not destroy everyone.[s]
9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains.
My chosen ones will take possession of the land;[t]
my servants will live there.
19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away.
You are my source of strength.[a] Hurry and help me![b]
20 Deliver me[c] from the sword.
Save[d] my life[e] from the claws[f] of the wild dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion,[g]
and from the horns of the wild oxen.[h]
You have answered me.[i]
22 I will declare your name to my countrymen.[j]
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you.
23 You loyal followers of the Lord,[k] praise him.
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him.
All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him.[l]
24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering[m] of the oppressed.[n]
He did not ignore him;[o]
when he cried out to him, he responded.[p]
25 You are the reason I offer praise[q] in the great assembly;
I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers.[r]
26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled.[s]
Let those who seek his help praise the Lord.
May you[t] live forever!
27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him.[u]
Let all the nations[v] worship you.[w]
28 For the Lord is king[x]
and rules over the nations.
Sons of God Are Heirs of Promise
23 Now before faith[a] came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners[b] until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 Thus the law had become our guardian[c] until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous[d] by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.[e] 26 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.[f] 27 For all of you who[g] were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave[h] nor free, there is neither male nor female[i]—for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants,[j] heirs according to the promise.
Healing of a Demoniac
26 So[a] they sailed over to the region of the Gerasenes,[b] which is opposite[c] Galilee. 27 As[d] Jesus[e] stepped ashore,[f] a certain man from the town[g] met him who was possessed by demons.[h] For a long time this man[i] had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among[j] the tombs. 28 When he saw[k] Jesus, he cried out, fell[l] down before him, and shouted with a loud voice, “Leave me alone,[m] Jesus, Son of the Most High[n] God! I beg you, do not torment[o] me!” 29 For Jesus[p] had started commanding[q] the evil[r] spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, so[s] he would be bound with chains and shackles[t] and kept under guard. But[u] he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted[v] places.)[w] 30 Jesus then[x] asked him, “What is your name?” He[y] said, “Legion,”[z] because many demons had entered him. 31 And they began to beg[aa] him not to order[ab] them to depart into the abyss.[ac] 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,[ad] and the demonic spirits[ae] begged Jesus[af] to let them go into them. He gave them permission.[ag] 33 So[ah] the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of pigs[ai] rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned. 34 When[aj] the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran off and spread the news[ak] in the town[al] and countryside. 35 So[am] the people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus. They[an] found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 Those[ao] who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed.[ap] 37 Then[aq] all the people of the Gerasenes[ar] and the surrounding region[as] asked Jesus[at] to leave them alone,[au] for they were seized with great fear.[av] So[aw] he got into the boat and left.[ax] 38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go[ay] with him, but Jesus[az] sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home,[ba] and declare[bb] what God has done for you.”[bc] So[bd] he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole town[be] what Jesus[bf] had done for him.
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