Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure? By living by Your Word. ¹⁰ I have looked for You with all my heart. Do not let me turn from Your Law. ¹¹ Your Word have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against You. ¹² Great and honored are You, O Lord. Teach me Your Law. ¹³ I have told with my lips of all the Laws of Your mouth. ¹⁴ I have found as much joy in following Your Law as one finds in much riches. ¹⁵ I will think about Your Law and have respect for Your ways. ¹⁶ I will be glad in Your Law. I will not forget Your Word.

⁸ Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, and those who cannot hear, even though they have ears. ⁹ All the nations have gathered together so the people may be together. Who among them can make this known, and tell us what has happened before? Let them bring people who can show us that they are right. Let them hear and say, “It is true.” ¹⁰ “You can speak for Me,” says the Lord. “You are My servant whom I have chosen so that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. No God was made before Me, and there will be none after Me. ¹¹ I, even I, am the Lord. There is no one who saves except Me. ¹² I have spoken and saved and have made things known, and there was no strange god among you. You can speak for Me,” says the Lord, “and I am God. ¹³ I am God and always will be. No one is able to take anything out of My hand. I do something, and who can change it?”

⁴ We can say these things because of our faith in God through Christ. ⁵ We know we are not able in ourselves to do any of this work. God makes us able to do these things. ⁶ God is the One Who made us preachers of a New Way of Worship. This New Way of Worship is not of the Law. It is of the Holy Spirit. The Law brings death, but the Holy Spirit gives life.

⁷ The Law of Moses was written on stone and it brought death. But God’s shining-greatness was seen when it was given. When Moses took it to the Jews, they could not look at his face because of the bright light. But that bright light in his face began to pass away. ⁸ The new way of life through the Holy Spirit comes with much more shining-greatness. ⁹ If the Law of Moses, that leads to death, came in shining-greatness, how much greater and brighter is the light that makes us right with God? ¹⁰ The Law of Moses came with shining-greatness long ago. But that light is no longer bright. The shining-greatness of the New Way of Worship that brings us life is so much brighter. ¹¹ The shining light that came with the Law of Moses soon passed away. But the new way of life is much brighter. It will never pass away.