Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 69[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.
13 But I pray to you, Lord,
in the time of your favor;(A)
in your great love,(B) O God,
answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
from the deep waters.(C)
15 Do not let the floodwaters(D) engulf me
or the depths swallow me up(E)
or the pit close its mouth over me.(F)
16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;(G)
in your great mercy turn to me.
30 I will praise God’s name in song(A)
and glorify him(B) with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hooves.(C)
32 The poor will see and be glad(D)—
you who seek God, may your hearts live!(E)
33 The Lord hears the needy(F)
and does not despise his captive people.
Cain and Abel
4 Adam[a] made love to his wife(A) Eve,(B) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.[b](C) She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth[c] a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.(D)
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.(E) 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering(F) to the Lord.(G) 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions(H) from some of the firstborn of his flock.(I) The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,(J) 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?(K) Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;(L) it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.(M)”
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[d] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.(N)
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”(O)
“I don’t know,(P)” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.(Q) 11 Now you are under a curse(R) and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.(S) You will be a restless wanderer(T) on the earth.(U)”
13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence;(V) I will be a restless wanderer on the earth,(W) and whoever finds me will kill me.”(X)
15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so[e]; anyone who kills Cain(Y) will suffer vengeance(Z) seven times over.(AA)” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence(AB) and lived in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden.(AC)
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 You, therefore, have no excuse,(A) you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.(B) 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches(C) of his kindness,(D) forbearance(E) and patience,(F) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?(G)
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath(H), when his righteous judgment(I) will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a](J) 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor(K) and immortality,(L) he will give eternal life.(M) 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil,(N) there will be wrath and anger.(O) 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil:(P) first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;(Q) 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.(R) 11 For God does not show favoritism.(S)
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