Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
My Strength
Of David.
28 Lord, I call to you;
my rock, do not be deaf to me.(A)
If you remain silent to me,
I will be like those going down to the Pit.(B)
2 Listen to the sound of my pleading
when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
towards your holy sanctuary.(C)
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with the evildoers,
who speak in friendly ways with their neighbours
while malice is in their hearts.(D)
4 Repay them according to what they have done –
according to the evil of their deeds.
Repay them according to the work of their hands;
give them back what they deserve.(E)
5 Because they do not consider
what the Lord has done
or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and not rebuild them.(F)
6 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has heard the sound of my pleading.(G)
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.(H)
Therefore my heart celebrates,
and I give thanks to him with my song.(I)
8 The Lord is the strength of his people;[a]
he is a stronghold of salvation for his anointed.(J)
9 Save your people, bless your possession,
shepherd them, and carry them for ever.(K)
Four Devastating Judgements
12 The word of the Lord came to me: 13 ‘Son of man, suppose a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its supply of bread,(A) to send famine through it, and to wipe out both people and animals from it. 14 Even if these three men(B) – Noah,(C) Daniel,(D) and Job(E) – were in it, they would rescue only themselves by their righteousness.’ This is the declaration of the Lord God.
15 ‘Suppose I allow dangerous animals(F) to pass through the land and depopulate it so that it becomes desolate, with no one passing through it for fear of the animals. 16 Even if these three men were in it, as I live’ – the declaration of the Lord God – ‘they could not rescue their sons or daughters. They alone would be rescued, but the land would be desolate.(G)
17 ‘Or suppose I bring a sword(H) against that land and say, “Let a sword pass through it,” so that I wipe out both people and animals from it.(I) 18 Even if these three men were in it, as I live’ – the declaration of the Lord God – ‘they could not rescue their sons or daughters, but they alone would be rescued.
19 ‘Or suppose I send a plague into that land(J) and pour out my wrath on it with bloodshed to wipe out both people and animals from it. 20 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live’ – the declaration of the Lord God – ‘they could not rescue their son or daughter. They would rescue only themselves by their righteousness.
21 ‘For this is what the Lord God says: How much worse will it be when I send my four(K) devastating judgements against Jerusalem – sword, famine, dangerous animals, and plague – in order to wipe out both people and animals from it! 22 Even so, there will be survivors left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. Indeed, they will come out to you, and you will observe their conduct and actions.(L) Then you will be consoled about the devastation I have brought on Jerusalem, about all I have brought on it. 23 They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done what I did to it.’(M) This is the declaration of the Lord God.
Two Blind Men Healed
29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.(A) 30 There were two blind men sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, ‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David! ’ 31 The crowd demanded that they keep quiet, but they cried out all the more, ‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David! ’(B)
32 Jesus stopped, called them, and said, ‘What do you want me to do for you? ’
33 ‘Lord,’ they said to him, ‘open our eyes.’ 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed him.
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.