Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
40 I was patient while I waited for the Lord.
He turned to me and heard my cry for help.
2 I was sliding down into the pit of death, and he pulled me out.
He brought me up out of the mud and dirt.
He set my feet on a rock.
He gave me a firm place to stand on.
3 He gave me a new song to sing.
It is a hymn of praise to our God.
Many people will see and have respect for the Lord.
They will put their trust in him.
4 Blessed is the person
who trusts in the Lord.
They don’t trust in proud people.
Those proud people worship statues of gods.
5 Lord my God,
no one can compare with you.
You have done many wonderful things.
You have planned to do these things for us.
There are too many of them
for me to talk about.
6 You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings.
You didn’t require burnt offerings and sin offerings.
You opened my ears so that I could hear you and obey you.
7 Then I said, “Here I am.
It is written about me in the book.
8 My God, I have come to do what you want.
Your law is in my heart.”
25 “ ‘Suppose blood flows from a woman’s body for many days. And it happens at a time other than her monthly period. Or blood keeps flowing after her period is over. Then she will be “unclean” as long as the blood continues to flow. She will be “unclean,” just as she is during the days of her period. 26 Any bed she lies on while her blood continues to flow will be “unclean.” It is the same as it is when she is having her period. Anything she sits on will be “unclean.” 27 If anyone touches those things, they will be “unclean.” They must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening.
28 “ ‘Suppose the woman has been healed from her flow of blood. Then she must wait seven days. After that, she will be “clean.” 29 On the eighth day she must get two doves or two young pigeons. She must bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 30 The priest must sacrifice them. One is for a sin offering. The other is for a burnt offering. In that way he will pay for her sin in the sight of the Lord. He will do it because her flow of blood made her “unclean.”
31 “ ‘You must keep the Israelites away from things that make them “unclean.” Then they will not die for being “unclean.” And they will not die for making the place “unclean” where I, the Lord, live. It is in the middle of the camp.’ ”
22 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Here is what I want you to tell Aaron and his sons. Tell them to treat the sacred offerings with respect. They are the offerings the Israelites set apart to honor me. So Aaron and his sons must never treat my name as if it were not holy. I am the Lord.
3 “Say to them, ‘Suppose a man in your family line is “unclean.” And suppose he comes near the sacred offerings. They are the offerings the Israelites set apart to honor me. That man must not be allowed to serve me as a priest. That applies for all time to come. I am the Lord.
4 “ ‘Suppose a man in Aaron’s family line has a skin disease. Or suppose liquid waste is flowing out of his body. Then he can’t eat the sacred offerings until he is made pure and clean. Suppose he touches something made “unclean” by coming near a dead body. Or suppose he touches someone who has semen flowing from his body. Then he will be “unclean.” 5 Or suppose he touches any crawling thing that makes him “unclean.” Or suppose he touches any person who makes him “unclean.” It does not matter what “unclean” thing he touches. It will make him “unclean.” 6 The one who touches anything of that kind will be “unclean” until evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has taken a bath. 7 When the sun goes down, he will be “clean.” After that, he can eat the sacred offerings. They are his food. 8 He must not eat anything found dead or torn apart by wild animals. If he does, it will make him “unclean.” I am the Lord.
9 “ ‘The priests must do what I require. But suppose they make fun of what I require. Then they will become guilty and die. I am the Lord. I make them holy.
Paul Warns Against Worshiping False Gods
14 Do not be joined to unbelievers. What do right and wrong have in common? Can light and darkness be friends? 15 How can Christ and Satan agree? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 How can the temple of the true God and the statues of other gods agree? We are the temple of the living God. God has said,
“I will live with them.
I will walk among them.
I will be their God.
And they will be my people.” (Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27)
17 So,
“Come out from among them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Do not touch anything that is not pure and ‘clean.’
Then I will receive you.” (Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34,41)
18 And,
“I will be your Father.
You will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord who rules over all.” (2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8)
7 Dear friends, we have these promises from God. So let us make ourselves pure from everything that makes our bodies and spirits impure. Let us be completely holy. We want to honor God.
Paul Has Joy When the Church Turns Away From Sin
2 Make room for us in your hearts. We haven’t done anything wrong to anyone. We haven’t caused anyone to sin. We haven’t taken advantage of anyone.
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