Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Noah Obeys God
9 These are the family records[a] of Noah: Noah was a righteous man. Blameless during his times,[b] Noah communed[c] with God. 10 Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 By this time, the earth had become ruined in God’s opinion[d] and filled with violence. 12 God looked at the earth, observing how corrupt its population had become, because the entire human race[e] had corrupted itself.[f] 13 So God announced to Noah, “I’ve decided to destroy every living thing on earth,[g] because it has become filled with violence due to them. Look! I’m about to annihilate them, along with the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark out of cedar,[h] constructing compartments in it, and cover it inside and out with tar. 15 Make the ark like this: 300 cubits[i] long, 50 cubits[j] wide, and 30 cubits[k] high. 16 Make a roof[l] for the ark, and finish the walls[m] to within one cubit[n] from the top.[o] Place the entrance in the side of the ark, and build a lower, a middle, and an upper deck.
17 “For my part, I’m about to flood the earth with water and destroy every living thing[p] that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18 However, I will establish my own covenant with you, and you are to enter the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. 19 You are to bring two of every living thing[q] into the ark so they may remain alive with you. They are to be male and female. 20 From birds according to their species,[r] from domestic animals according to their species,[s] and from everything that crawls on the ground according to their species[t]—two of everything will come to you so they may remain alive. 21 For your part, take some of the edible food and store it away—these stores will be food for you and the animals.”[u]
22 Noah did all of this, precisely as[v] God had commanded.
24 The flood waters surged over the earth for 150 days.
14 By the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the ground was dry.
The Lord’s Covenant
15 God spoke to Noah, 16 “It’s time for you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives who are with you to leave the ark. 17 Bring out with you every living creature—including the flying creatures, animals, and everything that crawls on the ground—so they may disperse throughout the land, be fruitful, and multiply throughout the earth.” 18 So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives emerged. 19 Every animal, every crawling thing, every flying creature, and everything that moves on the earth emerged from the ark by groups.[a]
To the Director: A song by the Sons of Korah, to the tune of[a] “The Maidens”.
God is the Refuge of His People
46 God is our refuge and strength,
a great help in times of distress.
2 Therefore we will not be frightened
when the earth roars,
when the mountains shake in the depths of the seas,
3 when its waters roar and rage,
when the mountains tremble despite their pride.[b]
4 Look! There is a river
whose streams make the city of God rejoice,
even the Holy Place of the Most High.
5 Since God is in her midst,
she will not be shaken.
God will help her
at the break of dawn.
6 The nations roared;
the kingdoms were shaken.
His voice boomed;
the earth melts.
7 The Lord of the heavenly armies is with us;
our refuge is the God of Jacob.
8 Come, observe the mighty works of the Lord,
who causes desolation in the earth.
9 He causes wars to cease all over[c] the earth,
he causes the bow to break, the spear to snap,
the chariots to ignite and burn.
10 Be in awe and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations.
I will be exalted throughout the earth.
11 The Lord of the heavenly armies is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
22 God’s righteousness through the faithfulness of Jesus[a] the Messiah[b]— for all who believe. For there is no distinction among people,[c] 23 since all have sinned and continue to fall short of God’s glory. 24 By his grace they are justified freely through the redemption that is in the Messiah[d] Jesus, 25 whom God offered as a place where atonement by the Messiah’s[e] blood would occur through faith. He did this[f] to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past. 26 He wanted[g] to demonstrate at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies anyone who has the faithfulness of Jesus.[h]
27 What, then, is there to boast about? That has been eliminated. On what principle? On that of actions? No, but on the principle of faith. 28 For[i] we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the actions prescribed by the Law.
29 Is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the gentiles, too? Yes, of the gentiles, too, 30 since there is only one God who will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith and the uncircumcised by that same faith. 31 Do we, then, abolish the Law by this faith? Of course not! Instead, we uphold the Law.
I Never Knew You(A)
21 “Not everyone who keeps saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom from[a] heaven, but only the person who keeps doing the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, drove out demons in your name, and performed many miracles in your name, didn’t we?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who practice evil!’”[b]
The Two Foundations(B)
24 “Therefore, everyone who listens to these messages[c] of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock.
26 “Everyone who keeps on hearing these messages[d] of mine and never puts them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew and battered that house, and it collapsed—and its collapse was total.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying all these things,[e] the crowds were utterly amazed at his teaching, 29 because he was teaching them like a person who had authority, and not like their scribes.
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