Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
7 “As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman[a] for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you must certainly die,’[b] and you do not warn[c] the wicked about his behavior,[d] the wicked man will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death.[e] 9 But if you warn the wicked man to change his behavior,[f] and he refuses to change,[g] he will die for his iniquity, but you have saved your own life.
10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you have said: “Our rebellious acts and our sins have caught up with us,[h] and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior[i] and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds![j] Why should you die, O house of Israel?’
ה (He)
33 Teach me, O Lord, the lifestyle prescribed by your statutes,[a]
so that I might observe it continually.[b]
34 Give me understanding so that I might observe your law,
and keep it with all my heart.[c]
35 Guide me[d] in the path of your commands,
for I delight to walk in it.[e]
36 Give me a desire for your rules,[f]
rather than for wealth gained unjustly.[g]
37 Turn my eyes away from what is worthless.[h]
Revive me with your word.[i]
38 Confirm to your servant your promise,[j]
which you made to the one who honors you.[k]
39 Take away the insults that I dread.[l]
Indeed,[m] your regulations are good.
40 Look, I long for your precepts.
Revive me with your deliverance.[n]
Exhortation to Love Neighbors
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments,[a] “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,”[b] (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[c] 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Motivation to Godly Conduct
11 And do this[d] because we know[e] the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers. 12 The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. 13 Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires.[f]
Restoring Christian Relationships
15 “If[a] your brother[b] sins,[c] go and show him his fault[d] when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established.[e] 17 If[f] he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If[g] he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like[h] a Gentile[i] or a tax collector.[j]
18 “I tell you the truth,[k] whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19 Again, I tell you the truth,[l] if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.[m] 20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”
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