◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary) / Psalm 85:1-2 8-13 (Righteousness and peace); Hosea 6:1-6 (Return to the God of life and love); 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 (Paul thanks God for the Thessalonians) (New English Translation)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with thematically matched Old and New Testament readings.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 85:1-2

Psalm 85^[a]

For the music director, written by the Korahites, a psalm.

85 O Lord, you showed favor to your land;
you restored the well-being of Jacob.^[b]
²You pardoned^[c] the wrongdoing of your people;
you forgave^[d] all their sin. (Selah)

Psalm 85:8-13

⁸I will listen to what God the Lord says.^[a]
For he will make^[b] peace with his people, his faithful followers.^[c]
Yet they must not^[d] return to their foolish ways.
⁹Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance;^[e]
then his splendor will again appear in our land.^[f]
¹⁰Loyal love and faithfulness meet;^[g]
deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss.^[h]
¹¹Faithfulness grows from the ground,
and deliverance looks down from the sky.^[i]
¹²Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings,^[j]
and our land will yield^[k] its crops.
¹³Deliverance goes^[l] before him,
and prepares^[m] a pathway for him.^[n]

Footnotes

Psalm 85:8 sn I will listen. Having asked for the Lord’s favor, the psalmist (who here represents the nation) anticipates a divine word of assurance.
Psalm 85:8 tn Heb “speak.” The idiom “speak peace” refers to establishing or maintaining peaceful relations with someone (see Gen 37:4; Zech 9:10; cf. Ps 122:8).
Psalm 85:8 tn Heb “to his people and to his faithful followers.” The translation assumes that “his people” and “his faithful followers” are viewed as identical here.
Psalm 85:8 tn Or “yet let them not.” After the negative particle אֵל (ʾel), the prefixed verbal form is jussive, indicating the speaker’s desire or wish.
Psalm 85:9 tn Heb “certainly his deliverance [is] near to those who fear him.”
Psalm 85:9 tn Heb “to dwell, glory, in our land.” “Glory” is the subject of the infinitive. The infinitive with ל (lamed), “to dwell,” probably indicates result here (“then”). When God delivers his people and renews his relationship with them, he will once more reveal his royal splendor in the land.
Psalm 85:10 tn The psalmist probably uses the perfect verbal forms in v. 10 in a dramatic or rhetorical manner, describing what he anticipates as if it were already occurring or had already occurred.
Psalm 85:10 sn Deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss. The psalmist personifies these abstract qualities to emphasize that God’s loyal love and faithfulness will yield deliverance and peace for his people.
Psalm 85:11 sn The psalmist already sees undeniable signs of God’s faithfulness and expects deliverance to arrive soon.
Psalm 85:12 tn Heb “what is good.”
Psalm 85:12 tn Both “bestow” and “yield” translate the same Hebrew verb (נָתַן, natan). The repetition of the word emphasizes that agricultural prosperity is the direct result of divine blessing.
Psalm 85:13 tn Or “will go.”
Psalm 85:13 tn Or “will prepare.”
Psalm 85:13 tn Heb “and it prepares for a way his footsteps.” Some suggest emending וְיָשֵׂם (v^eyasem, “and prepares”) to וְשָׁלוֹם (v^eshalom, “and peace”) since “deliverance” and “peace” are closely related earlier in v. 13. This could be translated, “and peace [goes ahead, making] a pathway for his footsteps” (cf. NEB).

Hosea 6:1-6

Superficial Repentance Breeds False Assurance of God’s Forgiveness

6 Come on! Let’s return to the Lord.
He himself has torn us to pieces,
but he will heal us!
He has injured^[a] us,
but he will bandage our wounds!
²He will restore^[b] us in a very short time;^[c]
he will heal us in a little while,^[d]
so that we may live in his presence.
³So let us search for him!^[e]
Let us seek^[f] to know the Lord!
He will come to our rescue as certainly as the appearance of the dawn,
as certainly as the winter rain comes,
as certainly as the spring rain that waters the land.

Transitory Faithfulness and Imminent Judgment

⁴What am I going to do with you, O Ephraim?
What am I going to do with you, O Judah?
For^[g] your faithfulness is as fleeting as the morning mist;^[h]
it disappears as quickly as dawn’s dew.^[i]
⁵Therefore, I will certainly cut^[j] you into pieces at the hands of the prophets;^[k]
I will certainly kill you^[l] in fulfillment of my oracles of judgment,^[m]
for^[n] my judgment^[o] will come forth like the light of the dawn.^[p]
⁶For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice;
I delight^[q] in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.^[r]

Footnotes

Hosea 6:1 tn “has struck”; cf. NRSV “struck down.”
Hosea 6:2 tn The Piel of חָיָה (khayah) may mean: (1) to keep/preserve persons alive from the threat of premature death (1 Kgs 20:31; Ezek 13:18; 18:27); (2) to restore the dead to physical life (Deut 32:39; 1 Sam 2:6; cf. NCV “will put new life in us”); or (3) to restore the dying back to life from the threat of death (Ps 71:20; BDB 311 s.v. חָיָה).
Hosea 6:2 tn Heb “after two days” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV). The expression “after two days” is an idiom meaning “after a short time” (see, e.g., Judg 11:4; BDB 399 s.v. יוֹם 5.a).
Hosea 6:2 tn Heb “on the third day” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV), which parallels “after two days” and means “in a little while.” The “2-3” sequence is an example of graded numerical parallelism (Prov 30:15-16, 18-19, 21-23, 24-28, 29-31). This expresses the unrepentant overconfidence of Israel that the Lord’s discipline of Israel would be relatively short and that he would restore them quickly.
Hosea 6:3 tn Lexical and syntactical questions create three possibilities for understanding this verb. The verb form וְנֵדְעָה (v^ened^eʿah) is a vav plus first plural cohortative either from יָדַע (yadaʿ, “to know”) or דָּעָה (daʿah, “to seek”). If from יָדַע (yadaʿ), it could be finishing v. 2: “so that we may live before him and know him.” The object (“him”) is understood from the previous clause, or perhaps the object may be added to the verb by emending it to וְנֵדָעֵהוּ (v^enedaʿehu). Most translations treat it as beginning v. 3 and from יָדַע (yadaʿ), either “Let us know” (e.g. NASB, ESV, NKJV, NRSV) or “Let us acknowledge” (e.g. NIV). Several dictionaries (HALOT 228, NIDOTTE 959, and Concise DCH 81) treat it as from דָּעָה (daʿah). The idea of seeking or requesting fits well with the following verb, רָדַף (radaf, “to pursue”).
Hosea 6:3 tn Heb “let us pursue in order to know.” The Hebrew term רָדַף (radaf, “to pursue”) is used figuratively: “to aim to secure” (BDB 923 s.v. רָדַף 2). It describes the pursuit of a moral goal: “Do not pervert justice…nor accept a bribe…pursue [רָדַף] justice” (Deut 16:20); “those who pursue [רָדַף] righteousness and who seek [בָּקַשׁ, baqash] the Lord” (Isa 51:1); “He who pursues [רָדַף] righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor” (Prov 21:20); “Seek [בָּקַשׁ] peace and pursue [רָדַף] it” (Ps 34:15); and “they slander me when I pursue [רָדַף] good” (Ps 38:21).
Hosea 6:4 tn The vav prefixed to וְחַסְדְּכֶם (v^ekhasd^ekhem, “your faithfulness”) functions in an explanatory sense (“For”).
Hosea 6:4 tn Heb “your faithfulness [so NCV; NASB “your loyalty”; cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT “your love”] is like a morning cloud” (וְחַסְדְּכֶם כַּעֲנַן־בֹּקֶר, v^ekhasd^ekhem kaʿanan boqer).sn The Hebrew poets and prophets frequently refer to the morning clouds as a simile for transitoriness (e.g., Job 7:9; Isa 44:22; Hos 6:4; 13:3; BDB 778 s.v. עָנָן 1.c). For discussion of this phenomena in Palestine, see Chaplin, PEQ (1883): 19.
Hosea 6:4 tn Heb “the dew departing early” (BDB 1014 s.v. שָׁכַם); cf. NRSV “the dew that goes away early.” The Hiphil participle מַשְׁכִּים (mashkim) means “to depart early” (Gen 19:27; Josh 8:14; Judg 19:9). The idiom means “early morning” (1 Sam 17:16).
Hosea 6:5 tn The two suffix-conjugation verbs חָצַבְתִּי (khatsavti, Qal perfect first person common singular from חָצַב, khatsav, “to cut into pieces”) and הֲרַגְתִּים (haragtim, Qal perfect first person common singular + third person masculine plural suffix from הָרַג, harag, “to kill”) are used in reference to future-time events. These are examples of the so-called “prophetic perfect,” which emphasizes the certainty of the future event (e.g., Num 24:17; Josh 10:19; Isa 8:23 HT [9:1 ET]; 9:1 HT [9:2 ET]). For this function of the perfect, see IBHS 480-81 §30.1d. Most English versions, however, render these as past tenses.
Hosea 6:5 tn Heb “by the prophets” (so KJV, NRSV). The prophets are pictured as the executioners of Israel and Judah because they announced their imminent destruction. The prophetic word was endowed with the power of fulfillment.
Hosea 6:5 tn Heb “them.” The shift from the second person masculine singular referents (“your” and “you”) in 6:4-5 to the third person masculine plural referent (“them”) is an example of enallage, a poetic device used for emphasis.
Hosea 6:5 tn Heb “with the words of my mouth” (so NIV); cf. TEV “with my message of judgment and destruction.”
Hosea 6:5 tn The disjunctive vav prefixed to the noun (וּמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, umishpatekha) has an explanatory function.
Hosea 6:5 tc The MT reads וּמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ אוֹר יֵצֵא (umishpatekha ʾor yetseʾ, “and your judgments [are] a light [that] goes forth”), which is enigmatic and syntactically awkward (cf. KJV, NASB). The LXX reads καὶ τὸ κρίμα μου ὡς φώς (kai to krima mou hōs phōs, “my judgment goes forth like light”), which reflects וּמִשְׁפָּטִי כָאוֹר יֵצֵא (umishpati khaʾor yetseʾ, “my judgment goes forth like the light”) and posits only a simple misdivision of words. This is reflected in the Syriac Peshitta and Aramaic Targum and is followed by the present translation (so also NCV, NRSV). See D. Barthélemy, ed., Preliminary and Interim Report on the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, 5:238.
Hosea 6:5 tn The noun אוֹר (ʾor, “light”) is used here in reference to the morning light or dawn (e.g., Judg 16:2; 19:26; 1 Sam 14:36; 25:34, 36; 2 Sam 17:22; 23:4; 2 Kgs 7:9; Neh 8:3; Job 24:14; Prov 4:18; Mic 2:1; cf. CEV, NLT) rather than lightning (cf. NIV). This continues the early morning imagery used throughout 6:2-5.sn In 6:3 unrepentant Israel uttered an overconfident boast that the Lord would rescue the nation from calamity as certainly as the “light of the dawn” (שַׁחַר, shakhar) “comes forth” (יֵצֵא, yetseʾ) every morning. Playing upon the early morning imagery, the Lord responded in 6:4 that Israel’s prerequisite repentance was as fleeting as the early morning dew. Now in 6:5, the Lord announces that he will indeed appear as certainly as the morning; however, it will not be to rescue but to punish Israel: punishment will “come forth” (יֵצֵא) like the “light of the dawn” (אוֹר).
Hosea 6:6 tn The phrase “I delight” does not appear in the Hebrew text a second time in this verse but is implied from the parallelism in the preceding line.
Hosea 6:6 sn Contrary to popular misunderstanding, Hosea does not reject animal sacrifice or cultic ritual to advocate instead for obedience only. Rather, God does not delight in ritual sacrifice without the accompanying prerequisite moral obedience (1 Sam 15:22; Pss 40:6-8; 51:16-17; Prov 21:3; Isa 1:11-17; Jer 7:21-23; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:6-8). However, if prerequisite moral obedience is present, he delights in sacrificial worship as an outward expression (Ps 51:19). Presented by a repentant obedient worshiper, whole burnt offerings were “an aroma pleasing” to the Lord (Lev 1:9, 13).

1 Thessalonians 1:2-10

Thanksgiving for Response to the Gospel

²We thank God always for all of you as we mention you constantly^[a] in our prayers, ³because we recall^[b] in the presence of our God and Father^[c] your work of faith and labor of love and endurance of hope^[d] in our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴We know,^[e] brothers and sisters^[f] loved by God, that he has chosen you,^[g] ⁵in that^[h] our gospel did not come to you merely in words,^[i] but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction (surely you recall the character we displayed when we came among you to help you).^[j]

⁶And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received^[k] the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction. ⁷As a result you became an example^[l] to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. ⁸For from you the message of the Lord^[m] has echoed forth not just in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place reports of your faith in God have spread,^[n] so that we do not need to say anything. ⁹For people everywhere^[o] report how you welcomed us^[p] and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God ¹⁰and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.^[q]

Footnotes

1 Thessalonians 1:2 tn Or “mention you in our prayers, because we recall constantly…”
1 Thessalonians 1:3 tn Grk “making mention…recalling.” The participle ποιούμενοι (poioumenoi) in v. 2 has been translated as temporal, and μνημονεύοντες (mnēmoneuontes) in v. 3 has been translated as causal.
1 Thessalonians 1:3 tn Or the phrase may connect at the end of the verse: “hope…in the presence of our God and Father.”
1 Thessalonians 1:3 tn These phrases denote Christian virtues in action: the work produced by faith, labor motivated by love, and endurance that stems from hope in Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:4 tn Grk “knowing.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle εἰδότες (eidotes) has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence started here in the translation.
1 Thessalonians 1:4 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
1 Thessalonians 1:4 tn Grk “your election.”
1 Thessalonians 1:5 tn Or “because.”
1 Thessalonians 1:5 tn Or “speech,” or “an act of speaking.”
1 Thessalonians 1:5 tn Grk “just as you know what sort of people we were among you for your sakes.” Verse 5 reflects on the experience of Paul and his fellow preachers; v. 6 begins to describe the Thessalonians’ response.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 tn Or “after you received.”
1 Thessalonians 1:7 tc Most mss (א A C D² F G Ψ 0278 1175 1241 1505 2464 M al) have the plural τύπους (tupous, “examples”) here, while a few significant witnesses have the singular τύπον (tupon, “example”; B D*^,c 6 33 81 104 1739 1881 lat). With ὑμᾶς (humas, “you”) immediately preceding, the plural form looks motivated: Scribes would be expected to change the singular to the plural here. Although the external evidence for the singular reading is not overwhelming, the internal evidence for it is compelling.
1 Thessalonians 1:8 tn Or “the word of the Lord.”sn “The word of the Lord” is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rhēma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logos tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said. Here the phrase has been translated “the message of the Lord” because of the focus upon the spread of the gospel evident in the passage.
1 Thessalonians 1:8 tn Grk “your faith in God has gone out.”
1 Thessalonians 1:9 tn Grk “they themselves,” referring to people in the places just mentioned.
1 Thessalonians 1:9 tn Grk “what sort of entrance we had to you” (an idiom for how someone is received).
1 Thessalonians 1:10 sn The coming wrath. This wrath is an important theme in 1 Thess 5.

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 85[a]

For the music director, written by the Korahites, a psalm.

Footnotes

Footnotes

Superficial Repentance Breeds False Assurance of God’s Forgiveness

Transitory Faithfulness and Imminent Judgment

Footnotes

Thanksgiving for Response to the Gospel

Footnotes

Psalm 85^[a]