Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

147 Hallelujah! Yes, praise the Lord! How good it is to sing his praises! How delightful, and how right!

² He is rebuilding Jerusalem and bringing back the exiles. ³ He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds. ⁴ He counts the stars and calls them all by name. ⁵ How great he is! His power is absolute! His understanding is unlimited. ⁶ The Lord supports the humble, but brings the wicked into the dust.

⁷ Sing out your thanks to him; sing praises to our God, accompanied by harps. ⁸ He covers the heavens with clouds, sends down the showers, and makes the green grass grow in mountain pastures. ⁹ He feeds the wild animals, and the young ravens cry to him for food. ¹⁰ The speed of a horse is nothing to him. How puny in his sight is the strength of a man. ¹¹ But his joy is in those who reverence him, those who expect him to be loving and kind.

²⁰ something he has not done with any other nation; they have not known his commands.

Hallelujah! Yes, praise the Lord!

¹⁰ A good man is concerned for the welfare of his animals, but even the kindness of godless men is cruel.

¹¹ Hard work means prosperity;^[a] only a fool idles away his time.

¹² Crooks are jealous of each other’s loot, while good men long to help each other.

¹³ Lies will get any man into trouble, but honesty is its own defense.

¹⁴ Telling the truth gives a man great satisfaction, and hard work returns many blessings to him.

¹⁵ A fool thinks he needs no advice, but a wise man listens to others.

¹⁶ A fool is quick-tempered; a wise man stays cool when insulted.

¹⁷ A good man is known by his truthfulness; a false man by deceit and lies.

¹⁸ Some people like to make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise soothe and heal.

¹⁹ Truth stands the test of time; lies are soon exposed.

²⁰ Deceit fills hearts that are plotting for evil; joy fills hearts that are planning for good!

²¹ No real harm befalls the good, but there is constant trouble for the wicked.

² Listen to me, for this is serious: if you are counting on circumcision and keeping the Jewish laws to make you right with God, then Christ cannot save you. ³ I’ll say it again. Anyone trying to find favor with God by being circumcised must always obey every other Jewish law or perish. ⁴ Christ is useless to you if you are counting on clearing your debt to God by keeping those laws; you are lost from God’s grace.

⁵ But we by the help of the Holy Spirit are counting on Christ’s death to clear away our sins and make us right with God. ⁶ And we to whom Christ has given eternal life don’t need to worry about whether we have been circumcised or not, or whether we are obeying the Jewish ceremonies or not; for all we need is faith working through love.

⁷ You were getting along so well. Who has interfered with you to hold you back from following the truth? ⁸ It certainly isn’t God who has done it, for he is the one who has called you to freedom in Christ. ⁹ But it takes only one wrong person among you to infect all the others.

¹⁰ I am trusting the Lord to bring you back to believing as I do about these things. God will deal with that person, whoever he is, who has been troubling and confusing you.

¹¹ Some people even say that I myself am preaching that circumcision and Jewish laws are necessary to the plan of salvation. Well, if I preached that, I would be persecuted no more—for that message doesn’t offend anyone. The fact that I am still being persecuted proves that I am still preaching salvation through faith in the cross of Christ alone.

¹² I only wish these teachers who want you to cut yourselves by being circumcised would cut themselves off from you and leave you alone!^[a]

¹³ For, dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other. ¹⁴ For the whole Law can be summed up in this one command: “Love others as you love yourself.” ¹⁵ But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always critical and catty, watch out! Beware of ruining each other.