Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Prayer for Help^[a]

The King of Moab Sends for Balaam

22 The Israelites moved on and set up camp in the plains of Moab east of the Jordan and opposite Jericho.

² When the king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor, heard what the Israelites had done to the Amorites and how many Israelites there were, ³ he and all his people became terrified. ⁴ The Moabites said to the leaders of the Midianites, “This horde will soon destroy everything around us, like a bull eating the grass in a pasture.” So King Balak ^5 (A)sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor near the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw. They brought him this message from Balak: “I want you to know that a whole nation has come from Egypt; its people are spreading out everywhere and threatening to take over our land. ⁶ They outnumber us, so please come and put a curse on them for me. Then perhaps we will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. I know that when you pronounce a blessing, people are blessed, and when you pronounce a curse, they are placed under a curse.”

⁷ So the Moabite and Midianite leaders took with them the payment for the curse, went to Balaam, and gave him Balak's message. ⁸ Balaam said to them, “Spend the night here, and tomorrow I will report to you whatever the Lord tells me.” So the Moabite leaders stayed with Balaam.

⁹ God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these people that are staying with you?”

¹⁰ He answered, “King Balak of Moab has sent them to tell me ¹¹ that a people who came from Egypt has spread out over the whole land. He wants me to curse them for him, so that he can fight them and drive them out.”

¹² God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not put a curse on the people of Israel, because they have my blessing.”

¹³ The next morning Balaam went to Balak's messengers and said, “Go back home; the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” ¹⁴ So they returned to Balak and told him that Balaam had refused to come with them.

¹⁵ Then Balak sent a larger number of leaders, who were more important than the first. ¹⁶ They went to Balaam and gave him this message from Balak: “Please don't let anything prevent you from coming to me! ¹⁷ I will reward you richly and do anything you say. Please come and curse these people for me.”

¹⁸ But Balaam answered, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not disobey the command of the Lord my God in even the smallest matter. ¹⁹ But please spend the night, as the others did, so that I may learn whether or not the Lord has something else to tell me.”

²⁰ That night God came to Balaam and said, “If these men have come to ask you to go with them, get ready and go, but do only what I tell you.” ²¹ So the next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite leaders.

Paul Visits James

¹⁷ When we arrived in Jerusalem, the believers welcomed us warmly. ¹⁸ The next day Paul went with us to see James; and all the church elders were present. ¹⁹ Paul greeted them and gave a complete report of everything that God had done among the Gentiles through his work. ²⁰ After hearing him, they all praised God. Then they said, “Brother Paul, you can see how many thousands of Jews have become believers, and how devoted they all are to the Law. ²¹ They have been told that you have been teaching all the Jews who live in Gentile countries to abandon the Law of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or follow the Jewish customs. ²² They are sure to hear that you have arrived. What should be done, then? ^23 (A)This is what we want you to do. There are four men here who have taken a vow. ²⁴ Go along with them and join them in the ceremony of purification and pay their expenses; then they will be able to shave their heads.^[a] In this way everyone will know that there is no truth in any of the things that they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in accordance with the Law of Moses. ^25 (B)But as for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have sent them a letter telling them we decided that they must not eat any food that has been offered to idols, or any blood, or any animal that has been strangled, and that they must keep themselves from sexual immorality.”

²⁶ So Paul took the men and the next day performed the ceremony of purification with them. Then he went into the Temple and gave notice of how many days it would be until the end of the period of purification, when a sacrifice would be offered for each one of them.