Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 5
For the choir director; for flutes; a psalm by David.
1 Open your ears to my words, O Yahweh.
Consider my innermost thoughts.
2 Pay attention to my cry for help, my Melek and my Elohim,
because I pray only to you.
3 In the morning, O Yahweh, hear my voice.
In the morning I lay my needs in front of you,
and I wait.
4 You are not an El who takes pleasure in wickedness.
Evil will never be your guest.
5 Those who brag cannot stand in your sight.
You hate all troublemakers.
6 You destroy those who tell lies.
Yahweh is disgusted with bloodthirsty and deceitful people.
7 But I will enter your house because of your great mercy.
Out of reverence for you, I will bow toward your holy temple.
8 O Yahweh, lead me in your righteousness because of those who spy on me.
Make your way in front of me smooth.
35 A disciple of the prophets spoke to a friend as the word of Yahweh had told him. The disciple said, “Punch me,” but the man refused to punch him. 36 The disciple said, “Since you didn’t obey Yahweh, a lion will kill you when you leave me.” When the friend left, a lion found him and killed him.
37 Then the disciple found another man. He said, “Punch me.” The man punched him hard and wounded him.
38 Then the prophet, disguised with a bandage over his eyes, waited for the king by the road. 39 When the king passed by, the disciple called to him. “I went to fight in the battle. A man turned around and brought a prisoner to me. He said, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he gets away, you will pay for his life with your own life or be fined 75 pounds of silver.’ 40 But while I was busy doing other things, he got away.”
The king of Israel told him, “That’s your own penalty. You have determined it yourself.”
41 Then he quickly took the bandage off his eyes. The king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
42 The prophet told him, “This is what Yahweh says: You let the man go. He was claimed by God and should have been killed. For that reason your life will be taken in place of his life and your people in place of his people.”
43 Resentful and upset, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.
Jesus Forgives Sins(A)
17 One day when Yeshua was teaching, some Pharisees and experts in Moses’ Teachings were present. They had come from every village in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. Yeshua had the power of the Lord to heal.
18 Some men brought a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They tried to take him into the house and put him in front of Yeshua. 19 But they could not find a way to get him into the house because of the crowd. So they went up on the roof. They made an opening in the tiles and let the man down on his stretcher among the people. (They lowered him in front of Yeshua.)
20 When Yeshua saw their faith, he said, “Sir, your sins are forgiven.” 21 The experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees thought, “Who is this man? He’s dishonoring God! Who besides God can forgive sins?”
22 Yeshua knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “What are you thinking? 23 Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
25 The man immediately stood up in front of them and picked up the stretcher he had been lying on. Praising God, he went home.
26 Everyone was amazed and praised God. They were filled with awe and said, “We’ve seen things today we can hardly believe!”
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.