Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Third Vision: The Plummet
7 (A)This is what the Lord God showed me: He was standing, plummet in hand, by a wall built with a plummet.[a] 8 The Lord God asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I answered, “A plummet.” Then the Lord said:
See, I am laying the plummet
in the midst of my people Israel;
I will forgive them no longer.
9 The high places of Isaac shall be laid waste,
and the sanctuaries of Israel made desolate;
and I will attack the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
Biographical Interlude: Amos and Amaziah
10 Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos has conspired against you within the house of Israel; the country cannot endure all his words. 11 For this is what Amos says:
‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel shall surely be exiled from its land.’”
12 To Amos, Amaziah said: “Off with you, seer, flee to the land of Judah and there earn your bread by prophesying! 13 But never again prophesy in Bethel;(B) for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” 14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I am not a prophet,[b] nor do I belong to a company of prophets. I am a herdsman and a dresser of sycamores,(C) 15 but the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’(D)
8 Show us, Lord, your mercy;
grant us your salvation.
III
9 [a]I will listen for what God, the Lord, has to say;
surely he will speak of peace
To his people and to his faithful.
May they not turn to foolishness!
10 Near indeed is his salvation for those who fear him;
glory will dwell in our land.
11 [b]Love and truth will meet;
justice and peace will kiss.(A)
12 Truth will spring from the earth;
justice will look down from heaven.(B)
13 Yes, the Lord will grant his bounty;
our land will yield its produce.(C)
The Father’s Plan of Salvation. 3 [a]Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(A) who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,[b] 4 as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.(B) In love 5 he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will,(C) 6 for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.(D)
Fulfillment Through Christ. 7 In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace(E) 8 that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight,(F) 9 he has made known to us the mystery[c] of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him(G) 10 as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.(H)
Inheritance Through the Spirit. 11 In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,(I) 12 so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped[d] in Christ. 13 In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed[e] with the promised holy Spirit,(J) 14 which is the first installment[f] of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.(K)
II. Unity of the Church in Christ
The Church as Christ’s Body.[g]
14 King Herod[a] heard about it, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying,(A) “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”(B) 15 Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.”(C) 16 But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”
The Death of John the Baptist.[b] 17 Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.(D) 18 John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”(E) 19 Herodias[c] harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. 20 Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. 21 She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 Herodias’s own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” 23 He even swore [many things] to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.”(F) 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 26 The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. 27 (G)So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. 28 He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
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.