Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments
23 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Even today my (A)complaint is bitter;
[a]My hand is listless because of my groaning.
3 (B)Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 I would present my case before Him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
6 (C)Would He contend with me in His great power?
No! But He would take note of me.
7 There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8 “Look,(D) I go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
9 When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
The Suffering, Praise, and Posterity of the Messiah
To the Chief Musician. Set to [a]“The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.
22 My (A)God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But You are holy,
Enthroned in the (B)praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered;
(C)They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
6 But I am (D)a worm, and no man;
(E)A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 (F)All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They [b]shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “He(G) [c]trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
(H)Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
9 (I)But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb
(J)You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me,
For trouble is near;
For there is none to help.
12 For the word of God is (A)living and powerful, and (B)sharper than any (C)two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is (D)a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 (E)And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are (F)naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Our Compassionate High Priest
14 Seeing then that we have a great (G)High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, (H)let us hold fast our confession. 15 For (I)we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but (J)was in all points tempted as we are, (K)yet without sin. 16 (L)Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler(A)
17 (B)Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I (C)do that I may inherit eternal life?”
18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, (D)God. 19 You know the commandments: (E)‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”
20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have (F)kept from my youth.”
21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, (G)sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have (H)treasure in heaven; and come, (I)take up the cross, and follow Me.”
22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
With God All Things Are Possible(J)
23 (K)Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is [a]for those (L)who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a (M)rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”
27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not (N)with God; for with God all things are possible.”
28 (O)Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother [b]or wife or children or [c]lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 (P)who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with (Q)persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 (R)But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.