Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Cry against Injustice
For the choir director: ‘Do Not Destroy.’ A Miktam of David.
58 Do you really speak righteously, you mighty ones?[a]
Do you judge people fairly?(A)
2 No, you practise injustice in your hearts;
with your hands you weigh out violence in the land.(B)
3 The wicked go astray from the womb;
liars wander about from birth.(C)
4 They have venom like the venom of a snake,
like the deaf cobra that stops up its ears,(D)
5 that does not listen to the sound of the charmers
who skilfully weave spells.(E)
6 God, knock the teeth out of their mouths;
Lord, tear out the young lions’ fangs.(F)
7 May they vanish like water that flows by;
may they aim their blunted arrows.[b](G)
8 Like a slug that moves along in slime,
like a woman’s miscarried child,
may they not see the sun.(H)
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns –
whether green or burning –
he will sweep them away.[c](I)
10 The righteous one will rejoice
when he sees the retribution;(J)
he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.(K)
11 Then people will say,
‘Yes, there is a reward for the righteous!
There is a God who judges on earth! ’(L)
Wages of Apostasy
3 If[a] a man divorces his wife
and she leaves him to marry another,
can he ever return to her?(A)
Wouldn’t such a land[b] become totally defiled?
But you!
You have prostituted yourself with many partners(B) –
can you return to me?(C)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
2 Look to the barren heights(D) and see.
Where have you not been immoral?
You sat waiting for them beside the roads(E)
like a nomad in the desert.
You have defiled the land
with your prostitution and wickedness.(F)
3 This is why the showers haven’t come(G) –
why there has been no spring rain.
You have the brazen look(H) of a prostitute[c]
and refuse to be ashamed.(I)
4 Haven’t you recently called to me, ‘My Father!(J)
You were my friend in my youth.(K)
5 Will he bear a grudge for ever?(L)
Will he be endlessly infuriated? ’
This is what you have said,
but you have done the evil things
you are capable of.
Unfaithful Israel, Treacherous Judah
6 In the days of King Josiah the Lord asked me, ‘Have you seen what unfaithful Israel has done? She has ascended every high hill and gone under every green tree to prostitute herself there.(M) 7 I thought, “After she has done all these things, she will return to me.” (N) But she didn’t return, and her treacherous sister Judah(O) saw it. 8 I[d] observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce.(P) Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself.(Q) 9 Indifferent to[e] her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones(R) and trees.(S) 10 Yet in spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah didn’t return to me with all her heart(T) – only in pretence.’
This is the Lord’s declaration.
11 The Lord announced to me, ‘Unfaithful Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.(U) 12 Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say,
“Return, unfaithful Israel.(V)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
I will not look on you with anger,[f]
for I am unfailing in my love.(W)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
I will not be angry for ever.(X)
13 Only acknowledge your guilt(Y) –
you have rebelled against the Lord your God.(Z)
You have scattered your favours to strangers
under every green tree(AA)
and have not obeyed me.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
14 ‘ “Return, you faithless children(AB) – this is the Lord’s declaration – for I am your master,[g](AC) and I will take you,(AD) one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.
Greeting
1 Paul,(A) a servant of God(B) and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for[a] the faith of God’s elect(C) and their knowledge of the truth(D) that leads[b] to godliness,(E) 2 in the hope of eternal life(F) that God, who cannot lie,(G) promised before time began.(H) 3 In his own time he has revealed(I) his word(J) in the preaching with which I was entrusted(K) by the command(L) of God our Saviour:(M)
4 To Titus,(N) my true son(O) in our common faith.
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.(P)
Titus’s Ministry in Crete
5 The reason I left you in Crete(Q) was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders(R) in every town. 6 An elder(S) must be blameless,(T) the husband of one wife, with faithful[c] children who are not accused of wildness or rebellion. 7 As an overseer(U) of God’s household, he must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding to the faithful message as taught,(V) so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching(W) and to refute those who contradict it.
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