Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
135 Praise the Name of the LORD, you servants of the LORD! Praise,
2 you who stand in the House of the LORD and in the courts of the House of our God!
3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good! Sing praises to His Name; for it is a sweet thing.
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself and Israel for His chief treasure.
5 For I know that the LORD is great and that our LORD is above all gods.
6 Whatever pleased the LORD, He did in Heaven and on Earth, in the sea and in all the depths.
7 He brings up the clouds from the ends of the Earth and makes the lightning with the rain. He draws forth the wind out of His treasures.
8 He struck the firstborn of Egypt (of both man and beast).
9 He has sent signs and wonders into the midst of You, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants.
10 He struck many nations and slew mighty Kings—
11 Sihon, King of the Amorites and Og, King of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 and gave their land for an inheritance, an inheritance to Israel, His people.
13 Your Name, O LORD, endures forever! O LORD, Your remembrance is from generation to generation.
14 For the LORD will judge His people and be pacified toward His servants.
15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
16 They have a mouth and do not speak. They have eyes and do not see.
17 They have ears and do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouth.
18 Those who make them are like them, all who trust in them.
19 Praise the LORD, you House of Israel! Praise the LORD, you House of Aaron!
20 Praise the LORD, you House of Levi! You who fear the LORD, praise the LORD!
21 Praise the LORD out of Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD!
3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was 60 cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babel.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to gather together the nobles, the princes and the dukes; the judges, the receivers, the counselors, the officers, and all the governors of the provinces, that they should come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3 So the nobles, princes, and dukes; the judges, the receivers, the counselors, the officers, and all the governors of the provinces were assembled for the dedicating of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. And they stood before the image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then a herald cried aloud, “Be it known to you, O people, nations, and languages,
5 That when you hear the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all instruments of music, you shall fall down, and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
6 “And whoever does not fall down and worship, shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a hot fiery furnace!”
7 Therefore as soon as all the people heard the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all instruments of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down, and worshipped the golden image, that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 By reason whereof, at that same time came men of the Chaldeans, and grievously accused the Jews.
9 For they spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever.
10 “You, O king, have made a decree that every man who shall hear the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all instruments of music, shall fall down, and worship the golden image.
11 “And whoever does not fall down, and worship, that he should be cast into the midst of a hot fiery furnace.
12 “There are certain Jews whom you have set over the charge of the province of Babel: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not regarded your commandment. Nor will they serve your gods, nor worship the golden image that you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in his anger and wrath, commanded that they should bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king.
14 And Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said to them, “What is this? Will not you, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, serve my god, and worship the golden image that I have set up?
15 “Now, therefore, you should be ready when you hear the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all instruments of music, to fall down, and worship the image which I have made. “For if you do not worship it, you shall immediately be cast into the midst of a hot fiery furnace. For who is that God, that can deliver you out of my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not hesitant to answer you in this matter.
17 “Behold, our God whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the hot fiery furnace. And he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
18 “But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of rage. And his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore, he commanded that they should heat the furnace to seven times hotter than it was normally heated.
20 And he charged the most valiant men of war, who were in his army, to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the hot fiery furnace.
21 So these men were bound in their coats, their hats, and their cloaks, with their other garments, and cast into the midst of the hot fiery furnace.
22 Therefore, because the king’s commandment was urgent, that the furnace should be exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who brought forth Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the hot fiery furnace.
24 Then, Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished; and rose up quickly, and spoke; and said to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men, bound, into the midst of the fire?” Who answered, and said to him, “It is true, O king.”
25 And he answered, and said, “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the appearance of the fourth is like the son of God.
26 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the hot fiery furnace, and spoke, and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the servants of the high God, come out and come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came forth from the midst of the fire.
27 Then the nobles, princes, and dukes, and the king’s counselors came together to see these men, because the fire had no power over their bodies. For not a hair of their head was burnt, nor their clothing, nor was any smell of fire upon them.
28 So, Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his Angel, and delivered his servants, who put their trust in him; and have changed the king’s commandment, and offered their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
29 “Therefore, I make a decree that every people, nation, and language, which speaks any blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be torn in pieces, and their houses shall be laid waste, because there is no god that can deliver like this.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babel.
31 Nebuchadnezzar, king to all people, nations and languages, who dwell in all the world, Peace be multiplied to you.
32 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders, that the high God has wrought toward me.
33 How great are his signs, and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And his dominion is from generation to generation.
3 And by this we are sure that we know Him: if we keep His Commandments.
4 The one who says, “I know him,” and does not keep His Commandments, is a liar. And the truth is not in him.
5 But whoever keeps His Word, in him is the love of God accomplished. By this we know that we are in Him.
6 Whoever says that he remains in Him, ought still to walk as He has walked.
7 Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old Commandment which you have had from the beginning. This old Commandment is that Word which you have heard from the beginning.
8 On the other hand, a new Commandment I do write to you (which is true in Him and also in you). For the darkness is passing, and the true Light now shines.
9 Whoever says that he is in the Light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.
10 Whoever loves his brother, abides in the Light. And there is no stumbling block in him.
11 But whoever hates his brother, is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and does not know where he goes, because that darkness has blinded his eyes.
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