Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 141

Protection from Sin and Sinners

A Davidic psalm.

Israel’s Restoration to God

²¹ “I will display My glory among the nations,^(A) and all the nations will see the judgment I have executed and the hand I have laid on them. ²² From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am Yahweh their God. ²³ And the nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile on account of their iniquity, because they dealt unfaithfully with Me.^(B) Therefore, I hid My face from them and handed them over to their enemies, so that they all fell by the sword. ²⁴ I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and transgressions, and I hid My face from them.

²⁵ “So this is what the Lord God says: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob^(C) and have compassion on the whole house of Israel,^(D) and I will be jealous for My holy name. ²⁶ They will feel remorse for^[a][b] their disgrace^(E) and all the unfaithfulness they committed against Me, when they live securely in their land with no one to frighten them. ²⁷ When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the countries of their enemies, I will demonstrate My holiness through them in the sight of many nations.^{(F) 28} They will know that I am Yahweh their God when I regather them to their own land after having exiled them among the nations. I will leave none of them behind.^{[c] 29} I will no longer hide My face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit on the house of Israel.”^(G) This is the declaration of the Lord God.

The New Temple

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been captured,^(H) on that very day the Lord’s hand was on me,^(I) and He brought me there. ² In visions of God^(J) He took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain.^(K) On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city. ³ He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze,^(L) with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.^(M) He was standing by the gate. ⁴ He spoke to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears,^(N) and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel.”^(O)

Christian Liberty

²³ “Everything is permissible,”^[a][b] but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible,”^[c] but not everything builds up. ²⁴ No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person.^(A)

²⁵ Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, ²⁶ for the earth is the Lord’s,^(B) and all that is in it.^{(C)[d] 27} If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it,^(D) out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake.^{[e] 29} I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged^(E) by another person’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thanks,^(F) why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for?

³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.^{(G) 32} Give no offense^(H) to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, ³³ just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many,^(I) so that they may be saved. 11 ¹ Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.^(J)