Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God's Glory in Creation[a]
19 How clearly the sky reveals God's glory!
How plainly it shows what he has done!
2 Each day announces it to the following day;
each night repeats it to the next.
3 No speech or words are used,
no sound is heard;
4 (A)yet their message[b] goes out to all the world
and is heard to the ends of the earth.
God made a home in the sky for the sun;
5 it comes out in the morning like a happy bridegroom,
like an athlete eager to run a race.
6 It starts at one end of the sky
and goes across to the other.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
The Law of the Lord
7 The law of the Lord is perfect;
it gives new strength.
The commands of the Lord are trustworthy,
giving wisdom to those who lack it.
8 The laws of the Lord are right,
and those who obey them are happy.
The commands of the Lord are just
and give understanding to the mind.
9 Reverence for the Lord is good;
it will continue forever.
The judgments of the Lord are just;
they are always fair.
10 They are more desirable than the finest gold;
they are sweeter than the purest honey.
11 They give knowledge to me, your servant;
I am rewarded for obeying them.
12 None of us can see our own errors;
deliver me, Lord, from hidden faults!
13 Keep me safe, also, from willful sins;
don't let them rule over me.
Then I shall be perfect
and free from the evil of sin.
14 May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer!
15 A gentle answer quiets anger, but a harsh one stirs it up.
2 When wise people speak, they make knowledge attractive, but stupid people spout nonsense.
3 The Lord sees what happens everywhere; he is watching us, whether we do good or evil.
4 Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.
5 It is foolish to ignore what your parents taught you; it is wise to accept their correction.
6 Righteous people keep their wealth, but the wicked lose theirs when hard times come.
7 Knowledge is spread by people who are wise, not by fools.
8 The Lord is pleased when good people pray, but hates the sacrifices that the wicked bring him.
9 The Lord hates the ways of evil people, but loves those who do what is right.
10 If you do what is wrong, you will be severely punished; you will die if you do not let yourself be corrected.
11 Not even the world of the dead can keep the Lord from knowing what is there; how then can we hide our thoughts from God?
12 Conceited people do not like to be corrected; they never ask for advice from those who are wiser.
13 When people are happy, they smile, but when they are sad, they look depressed.
14 Intelligent people want to learn, but stupid people are satisfied with ignorance.
15 The life of the poor is a constant struggle, but happy people always enjoy life.
16 Better to be poor and fear the Lord than to be rich and in trouble.
17 Better to eat vegetables with people you love than to eat the finest meat where there is hate.
17 (A)It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. 18 (B)God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I promised.” 19 Abraham reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death—and, so to speak, Abraham did receive Isaac back from death.
20 (C)It was faith that made Isaac promise blessings for the future to Jacob and Esau.
21 (D)It was faith that made Jacob bless each of the sons of Joseph just before he died. He leaned on the top of his walking stick and worshiped God.
22 (E)It was faith that made Joseph, when he was about to die, speak of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and leave instructions about what should be done with his body.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.