Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Praise God Who Helps His People
147 Praise the Lord!
It is good to sing praises to our God.
It is good and pleasant to praise him.
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem.
He brings back the scattered Israelites who were taken captive.
3 He heals the brokenhearted.
He bandages their wounds.
4 He counts the stars
and names each one.
5 Our Lord is great and very powerful.
There is no limit to what he knows.
6 The Lord defends those who are not proud.
But he throws the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing praises to the Lord.
Praise our God with harps.
8 He fills the sky with clouds.
He sends rain to the earth.
He makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives food to cattle
and to the little birds that call.
10 He is not pleased by the strength of a horse
or the power of a man.
11 The Lord is pleased with those who fear him,
with those who trust his love.
20 He didn’t do this for any other nation.
They don’t know his laws.
Praise the Lord!
10 A good man takes care of his animals.
But even the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
11 The person who works his land will have plenty of food.
But the one who chases useless dreams isn’t wise.
12 Evil people want what other evil people have stolen.
But good people want to give to others.
13 Evil people are trapped by their evil talk.
But good people stay out of trouble.
14 A person will be rewarded for what he says.
And he will also be rewarded for what he does.
15 A foolish person thinks he is doing right.
But a wise person listens to advice.
16 A foolish person quickly shows that he is upset.
But a wise person ignores an insult.
17 An honest witness tells the truth.
But a dishonest witness tells lies.
18 Careless words stab like a sword.
But wise words bring healing.
19 Truth will last forever.
But lies last only a moment.
20 Those who plan evil mean to lie.
But those who plan peace will be happy.
21 No harm comes to a good person.
But an evil person’s life is full of trouble.
2 Listen! I am Paul. I tell you that if you go back to the law by being circumcised, then Christ is no good for you. 3 Again, I warn every man: If you allow yourselves to be circumcised, then you must follow all the law. 4 If you try to be made right with God through the law, then your life with Christ is over—you have left God’s grace. 5 But we hope to be made right with God through faith, and we wait for this hope anxiously with the Spirit’s help. 6 When we are in Christ Jesus, it is not important if we are circumcised or not. The important thing is faith—the kind of faith that works through love.
7 You were running a good race. You were obeying the truth. Who stopped you from following the true way? 8 Whatever way he used did not come from the One who chose you. 9 Be careful! “Just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise.” 10 But I trust in the Lord that you will not believe those different ideas. Someone is confusing you with such ideas. And he will be punished, whoever he is.
11 My brothers, I do not teach that a man must be circumcised. If I teach circumcision, then why am I still being treated badly? If I still taught circumcision, my preaching about the cross would not be a problem. 12 I wish the people who are bothering you would castrate[a] themselves!
13 My brothers, God called you to be free. But do not use your freedom as an excuse to do the things that please your sinful self. Serve each other with love. 14 The whole law is made complete in this one command: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”[b] 15 If you go on hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful! You will completely destroy each other.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.