Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
33 Lord, teach me your demands,
and I will keep them until the end.
34 Help me understand, so I can keep your teachings,
obeying them with all my heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commands,
because that makes me happy.
36 Make me want to keep your rules
instead of wishing for riches.
37 Keep me from looking at worthless things.
Let me live by your word.
38 Keep your promise to me, your servant,
so you will be respected.
39 Take away the shame I fear,
because your laws are good.
40 How I want to follow your orders.
Give me life because of your goodness.
The Man Who Cursed God
10 Now there was a son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian father who was walking among the Israelites. A fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. 11 The son of the Israelite woman began cursing and speaking against the Lord, so the people took him to Moses. (The mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri from the family of Dan.) 12 The people held him as a prisoner while they waited for the Lord’s command to be made clear to them.
13 Then the Lord said to Moses, 14 “Take the one who spoke against me outside the camp. Then all the people who heard him must put their hands on his head, and all the people must throw stones at him and kill him. 15 Tell the people of Israel this: ‘If anyone curses his God, he is guilty of sin. 16 Anyone who speaks against the Lord must be put to death; all the people must kill him by throwing stones at him. Foreigners must be punished just like the people born in Israel; if they speak against the Lord, they must be put to death.
17 “‘Whoever kills another person must be put to death. 18 Whoever kills an animal that belongs to another person must give that person another animal to take its place. 19 And whoever causes an injury to a neighbor must receive the same kind of injury in return: 20 Broken bone for broken bone, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Anyone who injures another person must be injured in the same way in return. 21 Whoever kills another person’s animal must give that person another animal to take its place. But whoever kills another person must be put to death.
22 “‘The law will be the same for the foreigner as for those from your own country. I am the Lord your God.’”
23 Then Moses spoke to the people of Israel, and they took the person who had cursed outside the camp and killed him by throwing stones at him. So the people of Israel did as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Be Careful About Judging Others
7 “Don’t judge others, or you will be judged. 2 You will be judged in the same way that you judge others, and the amount you give to others will be given to you.
3 “Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye’? Look at yourself! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. 5 You hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend’s eye.
6 “Don’t give holy things to dogs, and don’t throw your pearls before pigs. Pigs will only trample on them, and dogs will turn to attack you.
Ask God for What You Need
7 “Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
9 “If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? 10 Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? 11 Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!
The Most Important Rule
12 “Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.