Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
BOOK ONE
(Psalms 1–41)
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the person who does not
follow the advice of wicked people,
take the path of sinners,
or join the company of mockers.
2 Rather, he delights in the teachings of Yahweh
and reflects on his teachings day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted beside streams—
a tree that produces fruit in season
and whose leaves do not wither.
He succeeds in everything he does.[a]
4 Wicked people are not like that.
Instead, they are like husks that the wind blows away.
5 That is why wicked people will not be able to stand in the judgment
and sinners will not be able to stand where righteous people gather.
6 Yahweh knows the way of righteous people,
but the way of wicked people will end.
2 Moses summoned all the people of Israel and said to them:
You’ve seen with your own eyes everything that Yahweh did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to his whole country. 3 You also saw those terrible plagues, those miraculous signs, and those spectacular, amazing things. 4 But to this day Yahweh hasn’t given you a mind that understands, eyes that see, or ears that hear. 5 For 40 years I led you through the desert. During that time your clothes and shoes never wore out. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or liquor. I did this so that you would know that I am Yahweh your Elohim.
7 When you came to this place, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan came out to fight us, but we defeated them. 8 We took their land and gave it to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh as their property. 9 Faithfully obey the terms of this promise. Then you will be successful in everything you do.
10 All of you are standing here today in the presence of Yahweh your Elohim. The heads of your tribes,[a] your leaders, your officers, and all the men of Israel are here. 11 Your children, your wives, and the foreigners who cut wood and carry water in your camp are also here. 12 You are ready to accept the terms and conditions of the promise that Yahweh your Elohim is giving you today. 13 With this promise Yahweh your Elohim will confirm today that you are his people and that he is your Elohim. This is what he told you, and this is what he promised your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with an oath. 14 You aren’t the only people to receive this promise and its conditions. 15 It is for those of you who are standing here with us today in the presence of Yahweh our Elohim and also for those who are not here today.
16 You know how we lived in Egypt and how we passed through other countries on our way here. 17 You saw their disgusting gods and idols made of wood, stone, silver, and gold. 18 Make sure there is no man, woman, family, or tribe among you today who turns from Yahweh our Elohim to worship the gods of those nations. Make sure that no one among you is the source of this kind of bitter poison.
19 Someone may hear the conditions of this promise. He may think that he is so blessed that he can say, “I’ll be safe even if I go my own stubborn way. After all, the Lord would never sweep away well-watered ground along with dry[b] ground.” 20 Yahweh will never be willing to forgive that person, because Yahweh’s burning anger will smolder against him. All the curses described in this book will happen to him. Yahweh will erase every memory of that person’s name from the earth.
34 “Don’t think that I came to bring peace to earth. I didn’t come to bring peace but conflict. 35 I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A person’s enemies will be the members of his own family.
37 “The person who loves his father or mother more than me does not deserve to be my disciple. The person who loves a son or daughter more than me does not deserve to be my disciple. 38 Whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me doesn’t deserve to be my disciple. 39 The person who tries to preserve his life will lose it, but the person who loses his life for me will preserve it.
40 “The person who welcomes you welcomes me, and the person who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 The person who welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. The person who welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever gives any of my humble followers a cup of cold water because that person is my disciple will certainly never lose his reward.”
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.