Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁹ Show me loving-kindness, O Lord, for I am in trouble. My eyes, my soul and my body are becoming weak from being sad. ¹⁰ For my life gets weaker with sorrow, and my years with crying inside myself. My strength has left me because of my sin. And my bones waste away. ¹¹ Because of all those who hate me, I have become a shame to my neighbors. Even my friends do not want to be with me. Those who see me on the street run from me. ¹² I am forgotten like a dead man and they do not think about me. I am like a broken pot. ¹³ For I have heard many say things to hurt me. Fear is on every side. They planned together against me. They thought of ways to take away my life.

¹⁴ But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord. I say, “You are my God.” ¹⁵ My times are in Your hands. Free me from the hands of those who hate me, and from those who try to hurt me. ¹⁶ Make Your face shine upon Your servant. Save me in Your loving-kindness.

¹³ “Be quiet so that I may speak. Then let come on me what will. ¹⁴ Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hands? ¹⁵ Even though He would kill me, yet I will trust in Him. I will argue my ways to His face. ¹⁶ This will save me, for a sinful man may not come to Him. ¹⁷ Be careful to listen to my words. Let what I say fill your ears. ¹⁸ See, I am ready to tell everything, and all will know I am right. ¹⁹ Who will talk against me? For then I would be quiet and die.

²¹ To me, living means having Christ. To die means that I would have more of Him. ²² If I keep on living here in this body, it means that I can lead more people to Christ. I do not know which is better. ²³ There is a strong pull from both sides. I have a desire to leave this world to be with Christ, which is much better. ²⁴ But it is more important for you that I stay. ²⁵ I am sure I will live to help you grow and be happy in your faith. ²⁶ This will give you reason to give more thanks to Christ Jesus when I come to visit you again.

Fight for the Faith

²⁷ Live your lives as the Good News of Christ says you should. If I come to you or not, I want to hear that you are standing true as one. I want to hear that you are working together as one, preaching the Good News. ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who hate you. Their hate for you proves they will be destroyed. It proves you have life from God that lasts forever. ²⁹ You are not only to put your trust in Him, but you are to suffer for Him also. ³⁰ You know what the fight is like. Now it is time for you to have a part in it as I have.