Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for the Lord’s Help.
A Song of [a]Ascents.
123 Unto you I lift up my eyes,
O You who are enthroned in the heavens!
2
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
And as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He is gracious and favorable toward us.
3
Be gracious to us, O Lord, be gracious and favorable toward us,
For we are greatly filled with contempt.
4
Our soul is greatly filled
With the scoffing of those who are at ease,
And with the contempt of the proud [who disregard God’s law].
Job’s Dialogue Regarding the Wicked
21 Then Job answered and said,
17
“How often [then] is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out,
And that their disaster falls on them?
Does God distribute pain and destruction and sorrow [to them] in His anger?(A)
18
“Are they like straw before the wind,
And like chaff that the storm steals and carries away?
19
“You say, ‘God stores away [the punishment of] man’s wickedness for his children.’
Let God repay him so that he may know and experience it.
20
“Let his own eyes see his destruction,
And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21
“For what pleasure does he have in his house and family after he is dead,
When the number of his months [of life] is cut off?
22
“Can anyone teach God knowledge,
Seeing that He judges those on high?(B)
23
“One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and quiet and satisfied;
24
His pails are full of milk [his sides are filled out with fat],
And the marrow of his bones is moist,
25
Whereas another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even tasting pleasure or good fortune.
26
“Together they lie down in the dust,
And the worms cover them.
27
“Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the plots by which you would wrong me.
28
“For you say, ‘Where is the house of the noble man?
And where is the tent, the dwelling place of the wicked?’
29
“Have you not asked those who travel this way,
And do you not recognize their witness?
30
“That evil men are [now] reserved for the day of disaster and destruction,
They will be led away on the day of [God’s] wrath?
31
“But who will confront him with his actions and rebuke him face to face,
And who will repay him for what he has done?
32
“When he is carried to his grave,
A guard will keep watch over his tomb.
33
“The [dirt] clods of the valley are sweet to him [and gently cover him],
Moreover, all men will follow after him [to a grave],
While countless ones go before him.
34
“How then can you vainly comfort me with empty words,
Since your answers remain untrue?”
Walk According to His Commandments
1 The elder [of the church addresses this letter] to the elect (chosen) [a]lady and her children, whom I love in truth—and not only I, but also all who know and understand the truth— 2 because of the truth which lives in our hearts and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy, and peace (inner calm, a sense of spiritual well-being) will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
4 I was greatly delighted to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. 5 Now I ask you, lady, not as if I were writing to you a new commandment, but [simply reminding you of] the one which we have had from the beginning, that we [b]love and unselfishly seek the best for one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in accordance with His commandments and are guided continually by His precepts. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should [always] walk in love.
7 For many deceivers [heretics, posing as Christians] have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge and confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh (bodily form). This [person, the kind who does this] is the deceiver and the [c]antichrist [that is, the antagonist of Christ]. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have accomplished together, but that you may receive a full and perfect reward [when He grants rewards to faithful believers]. 9 Anyone who runs on ahead and does not remain in the doctrine of Christ [that is, one who is not content with what He taught], does not have God; but the one who continues to remain in the teaching [of Christ does have God], he has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching [but diminishes or adds to the doctrine of Christ], do not receive or welcome him into your house, and do not give him a greeting or any encouragement; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting [who encourages him or wishes him success, unwittingly] participates in his evil deeds. 12 I have many things to write to you, but I prefer not to do so with paper (papyrus) and black (ink); but I hope to come to you and speak with you [d]face to face, so that [e]your joy may be complete.(A)
13 The children of your elect (chosen) sister greet you.
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