Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Commands Justice
A psalm of Asaph.[a]
82 God stands in the divine assembly;[b]
he administers judgment in the midst of the gods.[c]
2 “How long will you judge unjustly
and show favoritism to the wicked?[d] Selah
3 Judge on behalf of the helpless and the orphan;
provide justice to the afflicted and the poor.
4 Rescue the helpless and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They do not know or consider.[e]
They go about in the darkness,
so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I have said,[f] “You are gods,
and sons of the Most High, all of you.
7 However, you will die like men,[g]
and you will fall like one of the princes.”
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
because you shall inherit[h] all the nations.
Introduction
1 The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds from Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah the king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Jehoash, two years before[a] the earthquake.
Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
2 And he said, “Yahweh roars from Zion and he utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds wither and the top of Carmel dries up.” 3 Thus says Yahweh, “For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[b] because they threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron! 4 So I will send fire against Hazael’s house and it will consume the citadel fortresses of Ben-Hadad. 5 I will break the gate bars of Damascus and I will cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven and the one who takes hold of the scepter of Beth Eden, and the people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,” says Yahweh.
6 Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[c] because they exiled a whole community, handing them over to Edom! 7 So I will send a fire against the wall of Gaza and it will devour its citadel fortresses. 8 And I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod and the one who takes hold of the scepter of Ashkelon. I will also turn my hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the Lord Yahweh.
9 Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Tyre and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[d] because they delivered up a whole community to Edom and they did not remember the covenant of brotherhood! 10 So I will send a fire against the wall of Tyre and it will devour its citadel fortresses.”
11 Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[e] because he pursued his brother with the sword! He stifled his compassion and his anger tore them apart continually,[f] and he kept his rage forever. 12 So I will send a fire against Teman and it will devour the citadel fortresses of Bozrah.”
13 Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Ammon and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[g] because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory! 14 So I will kindle a fire against the wall of Rabbah and it will devour its citadel fortresses with a war cry on the day of battle, with a storm on the day of the violent tempest. 15 And their king will go into exile, he and his commanders together,” says Yahweh.
2 Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[h] because he burned to lime the bones of the king of Edom. 2 So I will send a fire against Moab and it will devour the citadel fortresses of Kerioth, and Moab will die amid uproar, amid war cries and amid the sound of a horn. 3 And I will cut off the ruler from its midst and I will kill all of its officials with him,” says Yahweh.
Faith and Works
14 What is the benefit, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith but does not have works? That faith is not able to save him, is it?[a] 15 If a brother or a sister is poorly clothed and lacking food for the day, 16 and one of you should say to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well[b],” but does not give them what is necessary for the body, what is the benefit? 17 Thus also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”[c] Show me your faith apart from your[d] works, and I will show you my[e] faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe, and shudder! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he[f] offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works the faith was perfected. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,”[g] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And likewise was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she[h] welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software