Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK ONE
Psalms 1–41
The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly
1 Blessed (A)is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the [a]ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
(B)Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But (C)his delight is in the law of the Lord,
(D)And in His law he [b]meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
(E)Planted by the [c]rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall (F)prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so,
But are (G)like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For (H)the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
10 For thus says the Lord: After (A)seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to (B)return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will (C)call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will (D)listen to you. 13 And (E)you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me (F)with all your heart. 14 (G)I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; (H)I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
15 Because you have said, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon”— 16 (I)therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, concerning all the people who dwell in this city, and concerning your brethren who have not gone out with you into captivity— 17 thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like (J)rotten figs that cannot be eaten, they are so bad. 18 And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence; and I (K)will deliver them to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth—to be (L)a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19 because they have not heeded My words, says the Lord, which (M)I sent to them by My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; neither would you heed, says the Lord.
Final Exhortations
13 (A)Watch, (B)stand fast in the faith, be brave, (C)be strong. 14 (D)Let all that you do be done with love.
15 I urge you, brethren—you know (E)the household of Stephanas, that it is (F)the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to (G)the ministry of the saints— 16 (H)that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and (I)labors with us.
17 I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, (J)for what was lacking on your part they supplied. 18 (K)For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore (L)acknowledge such men.
Greetings and a Solemn Farewell
19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, (M)with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brethren greet you.
(N)Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 (O)The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s.
22 If anyone (P)does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, (Q)let him be [a]accursed. (R)O[b] Lord, come!
23 (S)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.