Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
35 Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Lay hand upon the shield and buckler; and stand up for my help.
3 Also, bring out the spear, and stop the way against those who persecute me. Say to my soul, “I am Your salvation.”
4 Let those who seek after my soul be confounded and put to shame. Let those who imagine my hurt be turned back and brought to confusion.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind; and let the Angel of the LORD scatter them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery; and let the Angel of the LORD persecute them.
7 For without cause, they have hidden the pit and their net for me. Without cause, they have dug a pit for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly; and let his net that he has laid secretly, take him. Let him fall into the same destruction.
9 Then my soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in His salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, “LORD, who is like You, Who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; indeed, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him!?”
22 Afterward, the children of Israel departed and pitched on the plain of Moab, on the other side of Jordan from Jericho.
2 Now Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 And the Moabites were very afraid of the people, because they were many. And Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4 Therefore, Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now shall this multitude lick up all who are around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak, the son of Zippor, was King of the Moabites at that time.
5 Therefore, he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, to Pethor (which is by the river of the land of the children of his folk), to call him, saying, “Behold, a people have come out of Egypt, which covers the face of the Earth and lies next to me.
6 “Please come now, therefore, and curse this people for me (for they are stronger than me) so it may be that I shall be able to strike them and to drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom You bless is blessed; and he whom You curse shall be cursed.”
7 And the elders of Moab, and the elders of Midian departed, having the rewards of the soothsaying in their hand. And they came to Balaam and told him the words of Balak,
8 who answered them, “Stay here tonight, and I will give you an answer as the LORD shall say to me.” So, the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 Then God came to Balaam, and said, “What men are these with you?”
10 And Baalam said to God, “Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent word to me, saying,
11 “‘Behold, a people comes out of Egypt and covers the face of the Earth. Come now, curse them for my sake, so it may be that I shall be able to overcome them in battle and to drive them out.’”
12 And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them or curse the people, for they are blessed.”
13 And Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Return to your land. For the LORD has refused to allow me to go with you.”
14 So the princes of Moab rose up and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam has refused to come with us.”
15 Still, Balak sent more Princes, even more honorable than they,
16 who came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak, the son of Zippor, ‘Please do not be deterred from coming to me.
17 “‘For I will promote you to great honor and will do whatever you say to me. Please come, therefore, and curse this people for me.’”
18 And Balaam answered, and said to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the Word of the LORD my God to do less or more.
19 “But now, please stay here tonight, so that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.”
20 And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise up. Go with them. But you shall only do that thing which I shall say to you.”
21 So Balaam rose up early and saddled his donkey and went with the Princes of Moab.
17 And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.
18 And the next day Paul went in with us to James. And all the elders were assembled there.
19 And after he had embraced them, he told in order all things that God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 So when they heard it, they glorified God, and said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousand Jews there are who believe. And they are all zealous for the Law.
21 “Now they are informed that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their sons, nor to live after the customs.
22 What then? The multitude must certainly come together. For they shall hear that you have come.
23 Therefore, do what we tell you. We have four men who have made a vow.
24 Take them. And purify yourself with them. And contribute with them, so that they may shave their heads. And all shall know that those things about which they have been informed concerning you, are nothing. And that you yourself also walk and keep the Law.
25 As for the Gentiles who believe, we have written and determined that they should observe no such thing, except that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from that which is strangled, and from fornication.
26 Then the next day Paul took the men, and having been purified with them, entered into the Temple and declared the completion of the days of the purification and that an offering would be offered for each one of them.
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