Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 131
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 Lord, my heart is not haughty,
my eyes are not raised too high.
I have not striven for enormities,
for things too wonderful for me.
2 I composed and quieted my desire,
like a child given suck by his mother;
like a child who sucks is my desire within me.
3 Let Israel hope in the Lord
from now and forever.
Woe to Those Who Trust Egypt
31 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
and rely on horses,
and trust in chariots because they are many,
and in horsemen because they are very strong,
but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel
nor seek the Lord!
2 Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster
and will not call back His words,
but will arise against the house of the evildoers
and against the help of those who work iniquity.
3 Now the Egyptians are men and not God;
and their horses flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord shall stretch out His hand,
both he who helps shall fall
and he who is helped shall fall down,
and they all shall fail together.
4 For thus the Lord has spoken to me:
Like the lion, and the young lion,
roars over his prey,
against which a multitude of shepherds
is called out against him,
he will not be afraid of their voice,
nor disturbed at their noise,
so shall the Lord of Hosts come down
to fight for Mount Zion, and for its hill.
5 Like flying birds,
so the Lord of Hosts will defend Jerusalem.
He will defend and deliver it;
He will pass over and preserve it.
6 Turn to Him whom you have deeply betrayed, O sons of Israel. 7 For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold which your own hands have made for you as a sin.
8 “Then the Assyrian shall fall by the sword that is not of man,
and the sword not of man shall devour him.
So he shall not escape the sword,
and his young men shall become forced laborers.
9 He shall cross over to his stronghold for fear,
and his princes shall be afraid of the banner,”
says the Lord,
whose fire is in Zion,
and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
Jesus and Beelzebub(A)
14 He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the crowd marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons through Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, testing Him, asked Him for a sign from heaven.
17 But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is made desolate. And a house divided against itself falls. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons through Beelzebub. 19 Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, no doubt the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are peacefully kept. 22 But when a stronger man than he attacks and overpowers him, he seizes all the armor in which the man trusted and divides his spoils.
23 “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.