Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Song to God’s Care
81 Sing for joy to God our strength! Call out for joy to the God of Jacob! 2 Sing a song, beat the timbrel. Play the sweet-sounding harps. 3 Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon on the day of our special supper. 4 For this is a Law for Israel, a Law of the God of Jacob. 5 He made it a Law for Joseph, when he went through the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know:
6 “I took the load off his shoulders. His hands were set free from the basket. 7 You called in your trouble, and I took you out of it. I answered you in the hiding place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. 8 Hear, O My people, and I will tell you what to do. O Israel, if you would listen to Me! 9 Let there be no strange god among you. Do not worship any false god. 10 I, the Lord, am your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
11 “But My people did not listen to My voice. And Israel did not obey Me. 12 So I let them follow the desires of their sinful hearts. They followed their own plans. 13 If only My people would listen to Me! If only Israel would follow My ways! 14 I would hurry to crush those who fight against them. I would turn My hand against those who hate them. 15 Those who hate the Lord would pretend to obey Him. And their punishment would last forever. 16 But I would feed you with the best of grain. And I would fill you with honey from the rock.”
The Sin of Israel’s Early Families
4 Hear the Word of the Lord, O family of Jacob, and all the families of the people of Israel. 5 The Lord says, “What wrong did your fathers find in Me, that they turned so far from Me and followed false gods? 6 They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord Who brought us up from the land of Egypt? Where is He Who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and deep holes, through a land without water and with much trouble, through a land that no one traveled and where no man lived?’ 7 And I brought you into a rich land to eat its fruit and its good things. But you came and made My land unclean. You made the land I gave you sinful and hated. 8 The religious leaders did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ And those who worked with the Law did not know Me. The rulers sinned against Me. And the men of God spoke by the false god of Baal, and went after things that did not help.
The Lord Speaks against His People
9 “So I will still fight with you,” says the Lord. “And I will fight your children’s children. 10 Go over to the land of Cyprus and see. Or send men to Kedar to watch with care. And see if there has been such a thing as this! 11 Has a nation changed its gods, even when they are not gods? But My people have changed their greatness for that which does not help them. 12 Be full of wonder at this, O heavens. Shake with fear and waste away,” says the Lord. 13 “For My people have done two sinful things: They have turned away from Me, the well of living waters. And they have cut out of the rock wells for water for themselves. They are broken wells that cannot hold water.
Jesus Tells Where His Teaching Is From
14 The religious gathering was half over when Jesus went to the house of God and taught. 15 The Jews were surprised and wondered, saying, “How can this Man know so much when He has never been to school?”
16 Jesus said to them, “What I teach is not Mine. It is from God Who sent Me. 17 If anyone will do what God wants, he will know if My teaching is from God, or if I am speaking of Myself. 18 The man who speaks of himself is looking for greatness for himself. But He Who is looking for the greatness of the One Who sent Him is true. There is nothing false in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet not one of you keeps the Law. Why do you try to kill me?”
20 The people said, “You have a demon in You. Who is trying to kill You?”
21 Jesus said to them, “I did one work and you are surprised. 22 Moses gave you the religious act of becoming a Jew. (Yet it was not from Moses but from the early fathers.) You do this religious act on a man on the Day of Rest. 23 Now if you can do that, why are you angry with Me for healing a man on the Day of Rest? 24 Do not say a person is guilty by what you see. Be sure you know when you say what is right or wrong.”
25 Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Is not this the Man the Jews want to kill? 26 But see! This Man is speaking out in the open. They are saying nothing to Him. Do the leaders know this is the true Christ? 27 We know where this Man came from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He comes from.”
28 Then Jesus spoke with a loud voice as He taught in the house of God. He said, “You know Me. You know where I came from. I have not come on My own. The One Who sent Me is true but you do not know Him. 29 I know Him because I am from Him and He sent Me.”
30 Then they wanted to take Jesus but no one put his hands on Him. His time had not yet come. 31 Many of the people believed in Him. They said, “When Christ comes, will He do more powerful works than this Man?”
Jesus Promises to Give the Holy Spirit
37 It was the last and great day of the religious gathering. Jesus stood up and spoke with a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 The Holy Writings say that rivers of living water will flow from the heart of the one who puts his trust in Me.” 39 Jesus said this about the Holy Spirit Who would come to those who put their trust in Him. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given. Jesus had not yet been raised to the place of honor.
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