Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A song of David for going up to the Temple.
131 Lord, I don’t feel proud.
I don’t see myself as better than others.
I am not thinking about doing great things
or reaching impossible goals.
2 No, right now I am calm and quiet,
like a child after nursing,
content in its mother’s arms.[a]
3 Israel, trust in the Lord.
Trust in him now and forever!
Israel Should Depend on God’s Power
31 Look at the people going down to Egypt for help. They think the horses they get will save them. They hope the many chariots and powerful soldiers will protect them. But the people don’t trust the Holy One of Israel. They didn’t ask the Lord for help. 2 But he is the wise one who is bringing the disaster. And they will not be able to stop what he commanded. The Lord will attack those who are evil and all who try to help them.
3 The Egyptians are only human, not God. The horses from Egypt are only animals, not spirit. The Lord will stretch out his arm, and the helper will be defeated. And those who wanted help will fall. They will all be destroyed together.
4 The Lord told me: “When a lion or its cub catches an animal to eat, the lion stands over the dead animal and roars, and nothing can frighten it away. If men come and yell at the lion, the lion will not be afraid. They might make a lot of noise, but the lion will not run away.”
In the same way, the Lord All-Powerful will come down to Mount Zion. He will fight on that hill. 5 Just as birds fly over their nest to protect it, so the Lord All-Powerful will defend[a] Jerusalem. He will save her. He will “pass over” and save Jerusalem.
6 People of Israel, you should come back to the God you turned away from. 7 That is because when those things happen, people will reject the gold and silver idols you made when you sinned against me.
8 It is true that Assyria will be defeated with a sword, but it will not be a human sword that defeats him. Assyria will be destroyed, but that destruction will not come from a man’s sword. Assyria will run away from God’s sword, but the young men will be caught and made slaves. 9 Their place of safety will be destroyed. Their leaders will be defeated, and they will abandon their flag.
The Lord, whose fireplace is on Zion and whose oven[b] is in Jerusalem, is the one who said this.
Jesus’ Power Is From God(A)
14 One time Jesus was sending a demon out of a man who could not talk. When the demon came out, the man was able to speak. The crowds were amazed. 15 But some of the people said, “He uses the power of Satan[a] to force demons out of people. Satan is the ruler of demons.”
16 Some others there wanted to test Jesus. They asked him to do a miracle as a sign from God. 17 But he knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “Every kingdom that fights against itself will be destroyed. And a family that fights against itself will break apart. 18 So if Satan is fighting against himself, how will his kingdom survive? You say that I use the power of Satan to force out demons. 19 But if I use Satan’s power to force out demons, then what power do your people use when they force out demons? So your own people will prove that you are wrong. 20 But I use the power of God to force out demons. This shows that God’s kingdom has now come to you.
21 “When a strong man with many weapons guards his own house, the things in his house are safe. 22 But suppose a stronger man comes and defeats him. The stronger man will take away the weapons that the first man trusted to keep his house safe. Then the stronger man will do what he wants with the other man’s things.
23 “Whoever is not with me is against me. And anyone who does not work with me is working against me.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International