Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

24 Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants. ² It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest. ³ The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for Yahweh has spoken this word. ⁴ The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish. ⁵ The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant. ⁶ Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. ⁷ The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh. ⁸ The mirth of tambourines ceases. The sound of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases. ⁹ They will not drink wine with a song. Strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it. ¹⁰ The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in. ¹¹ There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone. ¹² The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction. ¹³ For it will be so within the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.

¹⁴ These shall lift up their voice. They will shout for the majesty of Yahweh. They cry aloud from the sea. ¹⁵ Therefore glorify Yahweh in the east, even the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea! ¹⁶ From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous!

But I said, “I pine away! I pine away! woe is me!” The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.

4 Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more. ² For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, ⁴ that each one of you know how to control his own body^[a] in sanctification and honor, ⁵ not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God, ⁶ that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. ⁷ For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. ⁸ Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.

⁹ But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, ¹⁰ for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more; ¹¹ and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you, ¹² that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.