Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David to be played on stringed instruments.
6 Lord, don’t correct me when you are angry.
Don’t punish me when you are very angry.
2 Lord, have mercy on me. I’m so weak.
Lord, heal me. My body is full of pain.
3 My soul is very troubled.
Lord, how long will it be until you save me?
4 Lord, turn to me and help me.
Save me. Your love never fails.
5 Dead people can’t call out your name.
How can they praise you when they are in the grave?
6 My groaning has worn me out.
All night long my tears flood my bed.
My bed is wet because of my crying.
7 I’m so sad I can’t see very well.
My eyesight gets worse because of all my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you who do evil.
The Lord has heard my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my cry for his mercy.
The Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be covered with shame and trouble.
They will turn back in shame. It will happen suddenly.
The Attack on Samaria Ends
3 There were four men who had a skin disease. They were at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. They said to one another, “Why should we stay here until we die? 4 Suppose we say, ‘We’ll go into the city.’ There isn’t any food there, and we’ll die. But if we stay here, we’ll die anyway. So let’s go over to Aram’s army camp. Let’s give ourselves up. If they spare us, we’ll live. If they kill us, we’ll die.”
5 At sunset they got up and went to Aram’s army camp. They arrived at the edge of it. But no one was there. 6 The Lord had caused the soldiers of Aram to hear a noise. It sounded like chariots and horses and a huge army. So the soldiers said to one another, “Listen! The king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings. He has paid them to attack us!” 7 So the soldiers of Aram had run away at sunset. They had left their tents and horses and donkeys behind. They had left the camp just as it was. And they had run for their lives.
8 The men who had a skin disease arrived at the edge of the camp. They entered one of the tents. They ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes. They went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent. They took some things from it and hid them also.
9 But then they said to one another, “What we’re doing isn’t right. This is a day of good news. And we’re keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until sunrise, we’ll be punished. Let’s go at once. Let’s report this to the royal palace.”
10 So they went. They called out to the people who were guarding the city gates. They told them, “We went into Aram’s army camp. No one was there. We didn’t hear anyone. The horses and donkeys were still tied up. The tents were left just as they were.”
Sharing in the Lord’s Supper
14 My dear friends, run away from statues of gods. Don’t worship them. 15 I’m talking to people who are reasonable. Judge for yourselves what I say. 16 We give thanks for the cup at the Lord’s Supper. When we do, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? When we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Just as there is one loaf, so we who are many are one body. We all share the one loaf.
18 Think about the people of Israel. Don’t those who eat the offerings share in the altar? 19 Do I mean that food sacrificed to a statue of a god is anything? Do I mean that a statue of a god is anything? 20 No! But what is sacrificed by those who worship statues of gods is really sacrificed to demons. It is not sacrificed to God. I don’t want you to be sharing with demons. 21 You can’t drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too. You can’t have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?
The Believer’s Freedom
23 You say, “I have the right to do anything.” But not everything is helpful. Again you say, “I have the right to do anything.” But not everything builds us up. 24 No one should look out for their own interests. Instead, they should look out for the interests of others.
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market. Don’t ask if it’s right or wrong. 26 Scripture says, “The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1)
27 Suppose an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go. Then eat anything that is put in front of you. Don’t ask if it’s right or wrong. 28 But suppose someone says to you, “This food has been sacrificed to a statue of a god.” Then don’t eat it. Keep in mind the good of the person who told you. And don’t eat because of a sense of what is right and wrong. 29 I’m talking about the other person’s sense of what is right and wrong, not yours. Why is my freedom being judged by what someone else thinks? 30 Suppose I give thanks when I eat. Then why should I be blamed for eating food I thank God for?
31 So eat and drink and do everything else for the glory of God. 32 Don’t do anything that causes another person to trip and fall. It doesn’t matter if that person is a Jew or a Greek or a member of God’s church. 33 Follow my example. I try to please everyone in every way. I’m not looking out for what is good for me. I’m looking out for the interests of others. I do it so that they might be saved. 11 1 Follow my example, just as I follow the example of Christ.
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