Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Lord’s Complaint
6 Now hear what the Lord says:
“Get up; plead your case in front of the mountains.
Let the hills hear your story.
2 Mountains, listen to the Lord’s complaint.
Foundations of the earth, listen to the Lord.
The Lord has a complaint against his people.
He will prove that Israel is wrong.”
3 The Lord says, “My people, did I do something wrong to you?
How did I make you tired of me?
Tell me.
4 I brought you from the land of Egypt.
I freed you from slavery.
I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to you.
5 My people, remember
the evil plans of Balak king of Moab.
Remember what Balaam son of Beor told Balak.
Remember what happened from Acacia to Gilgal.
Then you will know the Lord does what is right!”
6 You say, “What can I bring with me
when I come before the Lord?
What can I bring
when I bow before God on high?
Should I come before the Lord with burnt offerings,
with year-old calves?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with 1,000 male sheep?
Will he be pleased with 10,000 rivers of oil?
Should I give my first child for the evil I have done?
Should I give my very own child for my sin?”
8 The Lord has told you what is good.
He has told you what he wants from you:
Do what is right to other people.
Love being kind to others.
And live humbly, trusting your God.
What God Demands
A song of David.
15 Lord, who may enter your Holy Tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 Only a person who is innocent
and who does what is right.
He must speak the truth from his heart.
3 He must not tell lies about others.
He must do no wrong to his neighbors.
He must not gossip.
4 He must not respect hateful people.
He must honor those who honor the Lord.
He must keep his promises to his neighbor,
even when it hurts.
5 He must not charge interest on money he lends.
And he must not take money to hurt innocent people.
Whoever does all these things will never be destroyed.
Christ Is God’s Power and Wisdom
18 The teaching about the cross seems foolish to those who are lost. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 It is written in the Scriptures:
“I will cause the wise men to lose their wisdom.
I will make the wise men unable to understand.” Isaiah 29:14
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where is the philosopher[a] of our times? God has made the wisdom of the world foolish. 21 The world did not know God through its own wisdom. So God chose to use the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe it. 22 The Jews ask for miracles as proofs. The Greeks want wisdom. 23 But we preach Christ on the cross. This is a big problem to the Jews. And it seems foolish to the non-Jews. 24 But Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God to those people God has called—Jews and Greeks. 25 Even the foolishness of God is wiser than men. Even the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 Brothers, look at what you were when God called you. Not many of you were wise in the way the world judges wisdom. Not many of you had great influence. Not many of you came from important families. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 And he chose what the world thinks is not important. He chose what the world hates and thinks is nothing. He chose these to destroy what the world thinks is important. 29 God did this so that no man can brag before him. 30 It is God who has made you part of Christ Jesus. Christ has become wisdom for us from God. Christ is the reason we are right with God and have freedom from sin; Christ is the reason we are holy. 31 So, as the Scripture says, “If a person brags, he should brag only about the Lord.”[b]
Jesus Teaches the People
5 Jesus saw the crowds who were there. He went up on a hill and sat down. His followers came to him. 2 Jesus taught the people and said:
3 “Those people who know they have great spiritual needs are happy.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4 Those who are sad now are happy.
God will comfort them.
5 Those who are humble are happy.
The earth will belong to them.
6 Those who want to do right more than anything else are happy.
God will fully satisfy them.
7 Those who give mercy to others are happy.
Mercy will be given to them.
8 Those who are pure in their thinking are happy.
They will be with God.
9 Those who work to bring peace are happy.
God will call them his sons.
10 Those who are treated badly for doing good are happy.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
11 “People will say bad things about you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do these things to you, you are happy. 12 Rejoice and be glad. You have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did the same evil things to the prophets who lived before you.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.