Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

[A Psalm] of David.

35 Strive, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me:

² Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help;

³ And draw out the spear, and stop [the way] against my pursuers: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

⁴ Let them be put to shame and confounded that seek after my life; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion that devise my hurt:

⁵ Let them be as chaff before the wind, and let the angel of Jehovah drive [them] away;

⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of Jehovah pursue them.

⁷ For without cause have they hidden for me their net [in] a pit; without cause they have digged [it] for my soul.

⁸ Let destruction come upon him unawares, and let his net which he hath hidden catch himself: for destruction let him fall therein.

⁹ And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah; it shall rejoice in his salvation.

¹⁰ All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the afflicted from one stronger than he, yea, the afflicted and the needy from him that spoileth him!

²² And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the Angel of Jehovah set himself in the way to withstand him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two young men were with him.

²³ And the ass saw the Angel of Jehovah standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field, and Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way.

²⁴ And the Angel of Jehovah stood in a hollow of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

²⁵ And the ass saw the Angel of Jehovah, and she pressed herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; and he smote her again.

²⁶ Then the Angel of Jehovah went still further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

²⁷ And the ass saw the Angel of Jehovah, and lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.

²⁸ And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

³² But I wish you to be without care. The unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;

³³ but he that has married cares for the things of the world, how he shall please his wife.

³⁴ There is a difference between the wife and the virgin. The unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but she that has married cares for the things of the world, how she shall please her husband.

³⁵ But I say this for your own profit; not that I may set a snare before you, but for what [is] seemly, and waiting on the Lord without distraction.

³⁶ But if any one think that he behaves unseemly to his virginity, if he be beyond the flower of his age, and so it must be, let him do what he will, he does not sin: let them marry.

³⁷ But he who stands firm in his heart, having no need, but has authority over his own will, and has judged this in his heart to keep his own virginity, he does well.

³⁸ So that he that marries himself does well; and he that does not marry does better.

³⁹ A wife is bound for whatever time her husband lives; but if the husband be fallen asleep, she is free to be married to whom she will, only in [the] Lord.

⁴⁰ But she is happier if she so remain, according to my judgment; but I think that *I* also have God's Spirit.