Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Golden Calf
32 Now when the people saw that Moses (A)delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, (B)make us [a]a god who will go before us; as for (C)this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 Aaron said to them, “(D)Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a (E)molten calf; and they said, “[b]This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” 6 So the next day they rose early and (F)offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and (G)the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up (H)to play.
7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go [c]down at once, for your people, whom (I)you brought up from the land of Egypt, have (J)corrupted themselves. 8 They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. (K)They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and (L)have sacrificed to it and said, ‘[d](M)This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” 9 (N)The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are [e](O)an obstinate people. 10 Now then (P)let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and (Q)I will make of you a great nation.”
Moses’ Entreaty
11 Then (R)Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should (S)the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You (T)swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will (U)multiply your [f]descendants as the stars of the heavens, and (V)all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your [g]descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 (W)So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.
Israel’s Rebelliousness and the Lord’s Deliverances.
106 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
Oh (A)give thanks to the Lord, for He (B)is good;
For (C)His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2 Who can speak of the (D)mighty deeds of the Lord,
Or can show forth all His praise?
3 How blessed are those who keep [c]justice,
[d]Who (E)practice righteousness at all times!
19 They (A)made a calf in Horeb
And worshiped a molten image.
20 Thus they (B)exchanged their glory
For the image of an ox that eats grass.
21 They (C)forgot God their Savior,
Who had done (D)great things in Egypt,
22 [a](E)Wonders in the land of Ham
And awesome things by the [b]Red Sea.
23 Therefore (F)He said that He would destroy them,
Had not (G)Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him,
To turn away His wrath from destroying them.
Think of Excellence
4 Therefore, my beloved brethren [a]whom I (A)long to see, my joy and crown, in this way (B)stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to [b](C)live in harmony in the Lord. 3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my (D)fellow workers, whose (E)names are in the book of life.
4 (F)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. (G)The Lord is [c]near. 6 (H)Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by (I)prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And (J)the peace of God, which surpasses all [d]comprehension, will (K)guard your hearts and your (L)minds in (M)Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, (N)whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is [e]lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, [f]dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen (O)in me, practice these things, and (P)the God of peace will be with you.
Parable of the Marriage Feast
22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 “(A)The kingdom of heaven [a]may be compared to [b]a king who [c]gave a (B)wedding feast for his son. 3 And he (C)sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. 4 Again he (D)sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own [d]farm, another to his business, 6 and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. 7 But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. 8 Then he *said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to (E)the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with [e]dinner guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw (F)a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12 and he *said to him, ‘(G)Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into (H)the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are [f](I)called, but few are (J)chosen.”
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