Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Beth
9 How can the young keep his way without fault?
Only by observing your words.
10 With all my heart I seek you;
do not let me stray from your commandments.
11 In my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes.(A)
13 With my lips I recite
all the judgments you have spoken.
14 I find joy in the way of your testimonies
more than in all riches.
15 I will ponder your precepts
and consider your paths.
16 In your statutes I take delight;
I will never forget your word.
Chapter 2
Assurance of God’s Presence. 1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month,[a] the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet: 2 Speak to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak, and to the remnant of the people:
3 Who is left among you[b]
who saw this house in its former glory?
And how do you see it now?
Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes?(A)
4 Now be strong, Zerubbabel—oracle of the Lord—
be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, high priest,
Be strong, all you people of the land—oracle of the Lord—
and work! For I am with you—oracle of the Lord of hosts.
5 This is the commitment I made to you
when you came out of Egypt.
My spirit remains in your midst;
do not fear!
6 For thus says the Lord of hosts:[c]
In just a little while,
I will shake the heavens and the earth,(B)
the sea and the dry land.
7 I will shake all the nations,
so that the treasures of all the nations will come in.
And I will fill this house with glory—
says the Lord of hosts.(C)
8 Mine is the silver and mine the gold—oracle of the Lord of hosts.
9 Greater will be the glory of this house(D)
the latter more than the former—says the Lord of hosts;
And in this place I will give you peace—[d]
oracle of the Lord of hosts.
Priestly Ruling with Prophetic Interpretation.[e]
20 The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month:[a] 21 Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah:
I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22 I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms,
and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations.
I will overthrow the chariots and their riders,
and the riders with their horses
will fall by each other’s swords.(A)
23 On that day—oracle of the Lord of hosts—I will take you, my servant, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel—oracle of the Lord—and I will make you like a signet ring,[b] for I have chosen you—oracle of the Lord of hosts.(B)
34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever.[a] Then how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”(A) 35 Jesus said to them, “The light will be among you only a little while. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness may not overcome you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going.(B) 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light.”(C)
Unbelief and Belief Among the Jews. After he had said this, Jesus left and hid from them. 37 [b](D)Although he had performed so many signs in their presence they did not believe in him, 38 [c]in order that the word which Isaiah the prophet spoke might be fulfilled:
“Lord, who has believed our preaching,
to whom has the might of the Lord been revealed?”(E)
39 For this reason they could not believe, because again Isaiah said:
40 “He blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
so that they might not see with their eyes
and understand with their heart and be converted,
and I would heal them.”(F)
41 Isaiah said this because he saw his glory[d] and spoke about him.(G) 42 Nevertheless, many, even among the authorities, believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not acknowledge it openly in order not to be expelled from the synagogue.(H) 43 For they preferred human praise to the glory of God.(I)
Recapitulation. 44 Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me,(J) 45 and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.(K) 46 I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.(L) 47 And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.(M) 48 Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day,(N) 49 because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.(O) 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.