Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 130
A Song of Ascents.
1 From the depths I call on You, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice;
let Your ears be attentive
to the sound of my supplications.
3 If you, O Lord, should keep track of iniquities,
O Lord, who shall stand?
4 For there is forgiveness with You,
that You may be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, with bated breath I wait;
I long for His Word!
6 My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 Let Israel wait for the Lord!
For mercy is found with the Lord;
with Him is great redemption.
8 He shall redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
9 “To whom shall He teach knowledge,
and to whom shall He interpret the message?
Those just weaned from the milk
and drawn from the breasts?
10 For He says,
‘Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little.’ ”
11 For with stammering lips and foreign tongue
He will speak to this people,
12 He who said to them,
“This is the rest. Give rest to the weary,”
and, “This is repose,”
yet they would not listen.
13 So the word of the Lord will be to them,
“Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little,”
that they might go and fall backward,
be broken, snared, and taken captive.
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be solemn and sober so you can pray. 8 Above all things, have unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without complaining. 10 As everyone has received a gift, even so serve one another with it, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone serves, let him serve with the strength that God supplies, so that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Suffering as a Christian
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though some strange thing happened to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings, so that you may rejoice and be glad also in the revelation of His glory. 14 If you are reproached because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or even as a busybody. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God because of it. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God, and if it begins first with us, what shall the end be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”[a]
19 So then, let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.