Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 116[a]
116 I love the Lord
because he heard my plea for mercy,[b]
2 and listened to me.[c]
As long as I live, I will call to him when I need help.[d]
3 The ropes of death tightened around me,[e]
the snares[f] of Sheol confronted me.
I was confronted[g] with trouble and sorrow.
4 I called on the name of the Lord,
“Please, Lord, rescue my life!”
5 The Lord is merciful and fair;
our God is compassionate.
6 The Lord protects[h] the untrained;[i]
I was in serious trouble[j] and he delivered me.
7 Rest once more, my soul,[k]
for the Lord has vindicated you.[l]
8 Yes,[m] Lord,[n] you rescued my life from death,
kept my eyes from tears
and my feet from stumbling.
9 I will serve[o] the Lord
in the land[p] of the living.
22 Joshua told the two men who had spied on the land, “Enter the prostitute’s house[a] and bring out the woman and all who belong to her as you promised her.”[b] 23 So the young spies went and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and took them to a place outside[c] the Israelite camp. 24 But they burned[d] the city and all that was in it, except for the silver, gold, and bronze and iron items they put in the treasury of the Lord’s house.[e] 25 Yet Joshua spared[f] Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family,[g] and all who belonged to her. She lives in Israel[h] to this very day because she hid the messengers Joshua sent to spy on Jericho. 26 At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration:[i] “The man who attempts to rebuild[j] this city of Jericho[k] will stand condemned before the Lord.[l] He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!”[m] 27 The Lord was with Joshua and he became famous throughout the land.[n]
The Authority of Jesus
23 Now after Jesus[a] entered the temple courts,[b] the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority[c] are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus[d] answered them, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?”[e] They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.” 27 So[f] they answered Jesus,[g] “We don’t know.”[h] Then he said to them, “Neither will I tell you[i] by what authority[j] I am doing these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What[k] do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The boy answered,[l] ‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart[m] and went. 30 The father[n] went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered,[o] ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.”[p] Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth,[q] tax collectors[r] and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God! 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although[s] you saw this, you did not later change your minds[t] and believe him.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.