Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Praise the Lord’s Goodness
111 Praise the Lord!
I will ·thank [praise] the Lord with all my heart
in the ·meeting of his good people [council of the upright/virtuous, in the assembly].
2 The ·Lord does great things [L deeds of the Lord are great];
those who enjoy them ·seek [study] them.
3 ·What he does is [L His deeds are] ·glorious [beautiful] and ·splendid [majestic],
and his ·goodness [righteousness] ·continues [stands] forever.
4 His ·miracles [wonderful acts] are ·unforgettable [remembered; well-known].
The Lord is ·kind [gracious] and ·merciful [compassionate].
5 He gives ·food [L prey] to those who fear him [Prov. 1:7].
He remembers his ·agreement [covenant; treaty] forever.
6 He has ·shown [proclaimed to] his people ·his power [L the power/strength of his deeds]
when he gave them the ·lands [L inheritance] of other nations [C the conquest; Josh. 1–12].
7 ·Everything he does is [L The deeds of his hands are] ·good [faithful; true] and ·fair [just];
all his ·orders [precepts] ·can be trusted [are faithful/true/reliable].
8 They will ·continue [endure; be unshakeable] forever.
They were made ·true [faithful] and ·right [virtuous; with integrity].
9 He ·sets his people free [L sent redemption to his people].
He ·made his agreement everlasting [L commanded his covenant/treaty forever].
·He [L His name] is holy and ·wonderful [awesome].
10 ·Wisdom begins with respect for [L The beginning/foundation of wisdom is fear of] the Lord [Prov. 1:7];
those who ·obey [L do] ·his orders [L them] have good ·understanding [insight].
He ·should be praised [endures; L stands] forever.
Miriam and Aaron Speak Against Moses
12 Miriam [Ex. 15:20] and Aaron [C Moses’ sister and brother] began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite [C perhaps Zipporah (Hab. 3:7), but more likely an Ethiopian]). 2 They said, “Is Moses the only one the Lord speaks through? Doesn’t he also speak through us?” And the Lord heard this.
3 (Now Moses was very ·humble [or devout]. He was the ·least proud [L most humble; or most devout] person on earth.)
4 So the Lord suddenly spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “All three of you come to the Meeting Tent.” So they went. 5 The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud [C representing his presence; Ex. 13:21] and stood at the entrance to the Tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both came near. 6 He said, “Listen to my words:
When prophets are among you,
I, the Lord, ·will show myself [make myself known] to them in visions;
I will speak to them in dreams [C indirectly].
7 But this is not true with my servant Moses.
I trust him to lead all my ·people [L house].
8 I speak face to face with him—
clearly, not with hidden meanings [C directly].
He has even seen the form of the Lord [Heb. 3:1–6].
·You should be [L Why are you not…?] afraid
to speak against my servant Moses.”
9 The Lord was very angry with them, and he left.
10 When the cloud lifted from the Tent and Aaron turned toward Miriam, she was as white as snow; she had a skin disease [C rendering her ritually unclean; Num. 5:2; Lev. 13:2]. 11 Aaron said to Moses, “Please, my ·master [lord], ·forgive us for our foolish sin [do not punish us for our foolish sin; L do not lay sin on us that we foolishly committed]. 12 Don’t let her be like a baby who is ·born dead [stillborn]. (Sometimes a baby is born with half of its flesh eaten away.)”
13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “God, please heal her!”
14 The Lord answered Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, ·she would [L would she not…?] have been shamed for seven days, so ·put her [she was shut] outside the camp for seven days. After that, she may come back.” 15 So Miriam was ·put [shut] outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she came back.
Jesus Heals a Sick Man(A)
12 When Jesus was in one of the towns, there was a man covered with ·a skin disease [T leprosy; C the term does not refer to modern leprosy (Hansen’s disease), but to various skin disorders; see Lev. 14]. When he saw Jesus, he ·bowed [L fell on his face] before him and ·begged [implored] him, “Lord, you can ·heal me [L make me clean; C such skin disorders rendered the victim ceremonially unclean] if you ·will [choose; are willing].”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, “I ·will [do choose; am willing]. Be ·healed [L cleansed]!” Immediately the disease ·disappeared [left him]. 14 Then Jesus ·said [ordered; commanded], “Don’t tell anyone about this, but go and ·show yourself to [be examined by] the priest [C only a priest could declare a person clean] and ·offer a gift [make an offering; offer the sacrifices] for your ·healing [cleansing], as Moses commanded [Lev. 14:1–32]. This will ·show the people [be a public testimony to; be evidence for] what I have done.”
15 But the news about Jesus spread even more. ·Many people [Great crowds] came to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses, 16 but Jesus often ·slipped away [withdrew] to ·be alone [desolate/lonely/wilderness places] so he could pray.
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