Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

6 Hear ye now what Jehovah saith: Arise, contend before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

² Hear, ye mountains, Jehovah's controversy, and ye, unchanging foundations of the earth; for Jehovah hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

³ O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

⁴ For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

⁵ My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of Jehovah.

⁶ Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old?

⁷ Will Jehovah take pleasure in thousands of rams, in ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

⁸ He hath shewn thee, O man, what is good: and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with thy God?

A Psalm of David.

15 Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tent? who shall dwell in the hill of thy holiness?

² He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth from his heart.

³ [He that] slandereth not with his tongue, doeth not evil to his companion, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour;

⁴ In whose eyes the depraved person is contemned, and who honoureth them that fear Jehovah; who, if he have sworn to his own hurt, changeth it not;

⁵ [He that] putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these [things] shall never be moved.

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us that are saved it is God's power.

¹⁹ For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and set aside the understanding of the understanding ones.

²⁰ Where [is the] wise? where scribe? where disputer of this world? has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom has not known God, God has been pleased by the foolishness of the preaching to save those that believe.

²² Since Jews indeed ask for signs, and Greeks seek wisdom;

²³ but *we* preach Christ crucified, to Jews an offence, and to nations foolishness;

²⁴ but to those that [are] called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ God's power and God's wisdom.

²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For consider your calling, brethren, that [there are] not many wise according to flesh, not many powerful, not many high-born.

²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world, that he may put to shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world, that he may put to shame the strong things;

²⁸ and the ignoble things of the world, and the despised, has God chosen, [and] things that are not, that he may annul the things that are;

²⁹ so that no flesh should boast before God.

³⁰ But of him are *ye* in Christ Jesus, who has been made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and holiness, and redemption;

³¹ that according as it is written, He that boasts, let him boast in [the] Lord.

5 But seeing the crowds, he went up into the mountain, and having sat down, his disciples came to him;

² and, having opened his mouth, he taught them, saying,

³ Blessed [are] the poor in spirit, for *theirs* is the kingdom of the heavens.

⁴ Blessed they that mourn, for *they* shall be comforted.

⁵ Blessed the meek, for *they* shall inherit the earth.

⁶ Blessed they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for *they* shall be filled.

⁷ Blessed the merciful, for *they* shall find mercy.

⁸ Blessed the pure in heart, for *they* shall see God.

⁹ Blessed the peace-makers, for *they* shall be called sons of God.

¹⁰ Blessed they who are persecuted on account of righteousness, for *theirs* is the kingdom of the heavens.

¹¹ Blessed are ye when they may reproach and persecute you, and say every wicked thing against you, lying, for my sake.

¹² Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for thus have they persecuted the prophets who were before you.