Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 101

A Vow of Integrity

A psalm of David.

The Royal Spokesman’s Speech

¹⁹ Then^(A) the royal spokesman said to them, “Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: ‘What are you relying on?^{[a](B) 20} You think mere words are strategy and strength for war. Who are you now relying on so that you have rebelled against me?^{(C) 21} Now look, you are relying on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff^(D) that will pierce the hand of anyone who grabs it and leans on it.^(E) This is what Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who rely on him. ²² Suppose you say to me, “We rely on the Lord our God.” Isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed,^(F) saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You must worship at this altar in Jerusalem”?’

²³ “So now, make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria. I’ll give you two thousand horses if you’re able to supply riders for them! ²⁴ How then can you drive back a single officer^(G) among the least of my master’s servants? How can you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? ²⁵ Now, have I attacked this place to destroy it without the Lord’s approval?^(H) The Lord said to me, ‘Attack this land and destroy it.’”

Hezekiah Seeks Isaiah’s Counsel

19 When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth,^(A) and went into the Lord’s temple.^{(B) 2} He sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the court secretary,^(C) and the leading priests, who were covered with sackcloth,^(D) to the prophet Isaiah^(E) son of Amoz. ³ They said to him, “This is what Hezekiah says: ‘Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace, for children have come to the point of birth,^(F) but there is no strength to deliver them. ⁴ Perhaps the Lord your God^(G) will hear^(H) all the words of the royal spokesman, whom his master the king of Assyria sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke^(I) him for the words that the Lord your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the surviving remnant.’”^(J)

⁵ So the servants of King Hezekiah went to Isaiah, ⁶ who said to them, “Tell your master, ‘The Lord says this: Don’t be afraid^(K) because of the words you have heard, with which the king of Assyria’s attendants^(L) have blasphemed^(M) me. ⁷ I am about to put a spirit in him, and he will hear a rumor and return to his own land,^(N) where I will cause him to fall by the sword.’”^(O)

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁸ A^(A) ruler^(B) asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ^(C)

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.”^[a](D)

²¹ “I have kept all these from my youth,” he said.

²² When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor,^(E) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(F) Then come, follow me.”^(G)

²³ After he heard this, he became extremely sad,^(H) because he was very rich.

Possessions and the Kingdom

²⁴ Seeing that he became sad,^[b] Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?” ^(I)

²⁷ He replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”^(J)

²⁸ Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed^(K) you.”

²⁹ So he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers or sisters, parents or children because of the kingdom of God, ³⁰ who will not receive many times more at this time,^(L) and eternal life in the age to come.”