Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God’s Lawsuit against Judah
6 Now listen to what the Lord is saying:
Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.
2 Listen to the Lord’s lawsuit,(A)
you mountains and enduring foundations of the earth,(B)
because the Lord has a case against His people,(C)
and He will argue it against Israel.
3 My people,(D) what have I done to you,(E)
or how have I wearied you?(F)
Testify against Me!
4 Indeed, I brought you up(G) from the land of Egypt
and redeemed you(H) from that place of slavery.(I)
I sent Moses,(J) Aaron, and Miriam(K) ahead of you.
5 My people,
remember what Balak king of Moab(L) proposed,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,(M)
and what happened from the Acacia Grove[a](N) to Gilgal(O)
so that you may acknowledge
the Lord’s righteous acts.(P)
6 What should I bring before the Lord(Q)
when I come to bow before God on high?
Should I come before Him with burnt offerings,(R)
with year-old calves?
7 Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams(S)
or with ten thousand streams of oil?
Should I give my firstborn for my transgression,(T)
the child of my body for my own sin?
Psalm 15
A Description of the Godly
A Davidic psalm.
2 The one who lives honestly, practices righteousness,
and acknowledges the truth in his heart(C)—
3 who does not slander with his tongue,(D)
who does not harm his friend
or discredit his neighbor,(E)
4 who despises the one rejected by the Lord[a]
but honors those who fear the Lord,(F)
who keeps his word whatever the cost,(G)
5 who does not lend his money at interest(H)
or take a bribe against the innocent(I)—
the one who does these things will never be moved.(J)
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved.(A) 19 For it is written:
20 Where is the philosopher?[b] Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age?(C) Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signs(D) and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified,(E) a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.[c] 24 Yet to those who are called,(F) both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, 25 because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
Boasting Only in the Lord
26 Brothers, consider your calling: Not many are wise from a human perspective,[d] not many powerful,(G) not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen(H) what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world(I)—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one[e] can boast in His presence.(J) 30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness,(K) sanctification,(L) and redemption,(M) 31 in order that, as it is written:(N) The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.(O)[f]
The Sermon on the Mount
5 When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain,(A) and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 Then[a] He began to teach them, saying:(B)
The Beatitudes
3 “The poor in spirit are blessed,(C)
for the kingdom of heaven(D) is theirs.
4 Those who mourn are blessed,(E)
for they will be comforted.
5 The gentle are blessed,(F)
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed,(G)
for they will be filled.
7 The merciful are blessed,
for they will be shown mercy.(H)
8 The pure in heart are blessed,
for they will see God.(I)
9 The peacemakers are blessed,
for they will be called sons of God.(J)
10 Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed,
for the kingdom of heaven(K) is theirs.
11 “You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted(L) the prophets who were before you.(M)
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