Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

He

The Man Who Cursed God

¹⁰ There was a son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian father. He was walking among the Israelites, and he started fighting in camp. ¹¹ The Israelite woman’s son began cursing, using the Lord’s name in a bad way, so the people brought him to Moses. (The name of the man’s mother was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, from the tribe of Dan.) ¹² The people held him as a prisoner and waited for the Lord’s command to be made clear to them.

¹³ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹⁴ “Bring the man who cursed to a place outside the camp. Then bring together everyone who heard him curse. They will put their hands on his head.^[a] And then all the people must throw stones at him and kill him. ¹⁵ You must tell the Israelites: Anyone who curses their God must be punished. ¹⁶ Anyone who speaks against the name of the Lord must be put to death. All the people must stone him. Any foreigner or anyone born in Israel who uses the Lord’s name in a bad way must be put to death.

¹⁷ “And whoever kills another person must be put to death. ¹⁸ Whoever kills an animal that belongs to another person must give another animal to take its place.^[b]

¹⁹ “And whoever causes an injury to their neighbor must be given the same kind of injury: ²⁰ a broken bone for a broken bone, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. The same kind of injury a person gives another person must be given that person. ²¹ Whoever kills an animal must pay for the animal. But whoever kills another person must be put to death.

²² “The law will be the same for foreigners and for people from your own country. This is because I am the Lord your God.”

²³ Then Moses spoke to the Israelites, and they took the man who cursed to a place outside the camp. Then they killed him with stones. So the Israelites did just what the Lord had commanded Moses.

Be Careful About Criticizing Others^(A)

7 “Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you. ² If you judge others, you will be judged the same way you judge them. God will treat you the same way you treat others.

³ “Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood that is in your own? ⁴ Why do you say to your friend, ‘Let me take that piece of dust out of your eye’? Look at yourself first! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. ⁵ You are a hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to get the dust out of your friend’s eye.

⁶ “Don’t give something that is holy to dogs. They will only turn and hurt you. And don’t throw your pearls to pigs. They will only step on them.

Ask God for What You Need^(B)

⁷ “Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. ⁸ Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them.

⁹ “Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a rock? ¹⁰ Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? Of course not! ¹¹ You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.

A Very Important Rule

¹² “Do for others what you would want them to do for you. This is the meaning of the Law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.