Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 16[a]
A prayer[b] of David.
16 Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you.[c]
2 I say to the Lord, “You are the Lord,
my only source of well-being.”[d]
3 As for God’s chosen people who are in the land,
and the leading officials I admired so much[e]—
4 their troubles multiply;
they desire other gods.[f]
I will not pour out drink offerings of blood to their gods,[g]
nor will I make vows in the name of their gods.[h]
5 Lord, you give me stability and prosperity;[i]
you make my future secure.[j]
6 It is as if I have been given fertile fields
or received a beautiful tract of land.[k]
7 I will praise[l] the Lord who[m] guides[n] me;
yes, during the night I reflect and learn.[o]
8 I constantly trust in the Lord;[p]
because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 So my heart rejoices
and I am happy;[q]
my life is safe.[r]
10 You will not abandon me[s] to Sheol;[t]
you will not allow your faithful follower[u] to see[v] the Pit.[w]
11 You lead me in[x] the path of life.[y]
I experience absolute joy in your presence;[z]
you always give me sheer delight.[aa]
Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
19 Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time;[a] his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir,[b] if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! 20 The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and that could be seen[c] in all the land, 21 whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals[d] used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest— 22 it is you,[e] O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth. 23 As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’— 24 this is the interpretation, O king. It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. 25 You will be driven[f] from human society,[g] and you will live[h] with the wild animals. You will be fed[i] grass like oxen,[j] and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before[k] you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. 26 They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven[l] rules. 27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.”[m]
Warnings Against the Adoption of False Philosophies
6 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,[a] continue to live your lives[b] in him, 7 rooted[c] and built up in him and firm[d] in your[e] faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you[f] through an empty, deceitful philosophy[g] that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits[h] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives[i] in bodily form, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 In him you also were circumcised—not, however,[j] with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removal[k] of the fleshly body,[l] that is,[m] through the circumcision done by Christ. 12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your[n] faith in the power[o] of God who raised him from the dead. 13 And even though you were dead in your[p] transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless[q] made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. 14 He has destroyed[r] what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness[s] expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 Disarming[t] the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[u]
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