Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A call to worship Jehovah the Righteous Judge.
96 Oh sing unto Jehovah a new song:
Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth.
2 Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name;
Show forth his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
His marvellous works among all the peoples.
4 For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised:
He is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are [a]idols;
But Jehovah made the heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before him:
Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe unto Jehovah, ye kindreds of the peoples,
Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength.
8 Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto his name:
Bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9 Oh worship Jehovah [b]in holy array:
Tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth:
The world also is established that it cannot be moved:
He will judge the peoples with equity.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;
12 Let the field exult, and all that is therein;
Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy
13 Before Jehovah; for he cometh,
For he cometh to judge the earth:
He will judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples [c]with his truth.
20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 23 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, 24 Thus saith Jehovah, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they hearkened unto the word of Jehovah, and returned and went their way, according to the word of Jehovah.
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now will the kingdom return to the house of David: 27 if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said unto them, [a]It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before [b]the one, even unto Dan. 31 And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, that were not of the sons of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he [c]went up unto the altar; so did he in Beth-el, [d]sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places that he had made. 33 And he [e]went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised [f]of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and [g]went up unto the altar, to burn incense.
11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 12 We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart. 13 For whether we [a]are beside ourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you. 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. 16 Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [b]he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.
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