Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹ ¶ Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are pure in heart.

² But as for me, my feet almost departed from the way; my steps had almost slipped.

³ For I became angry against the foolish when I saw the peace of the wicked.

⁴ Because there is no restraint that would bring about their death, but their strength is firm.

⁵ They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

⁶ Therefore they are crowned with pride; they cover themselves with violence as a garment.

⁷ Their eyes stand out with fatness; they easily obtain the desires of their heart.

⁸ They are lawless and speak wickedly of doing violence; they speak loftily.

⁹ They set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue walks through the earth.

¹⁰ Therefore his people shall return here; and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

¹¹ And they say, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

¹² Behold, these ungodly men, without being troubled by the world obtain riches.

¹³ Verily, in vain have I cleansed my heart and washed my hands in innocency

¹⁴ and been plagued all day long and chastened every morning:

¹⁵ ¶ If I should say, I will speak as they do; behold, I should deny the generation of thy sons.

¹⁶ I shall meditate that I might understand this; it is very hard for me to see.

¹⁷ When I come into the sanctuary of God, then I shall understand their end.

¹⁸ Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; in desolation thou shalt cause them to fall.

¹⁹ How they are brought into desolation, as in a moment! They have come to an end; they are utterly consumed with terrors.

²⁰ As the dream of one who awakes; so, O Lord, when thou shalt rise up, thou shalt despise their appearances.

³² ¶ Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye sons; for blessed are those that keep my ways.

³³ Hearken unto chastening, and be wise; refuse it not.

³⁴ Blessed is the man that hears me, keeping vigil at my gates, waiting at the threshold of my doors.

³⁵ For whosoever finds me shall find life and shall obtain the will of the LORD.

³⁶ But he that sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those that hate me love death.

9 ¶ Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out her seven pillars:

² She has killed her sacrifice; she has mingled her wine; and she has furnished her table.

³ She has sent forth her maidens; she cries upon the highest places of the city,

⁴ whosoever is simple, let him turn in here; as for those that lack understanding, {Heb. lacking of heart} she saith unto him,

⁵ Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

⁶ Forsake that which is foolish and live and go in the way of understanding.

²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempted to do and were drowned.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days.

³¹ By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish together with the disobedient, having received the spies with peace.

³² ¶ And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon and of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthae, of David also and Samuel and of the prophets,

³³ who by faith won kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

³⁴ quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, were made valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of foreign enemies;

³⁵ women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection;

³⁶ and others experienced cruel mockings and scourgings, and added to this, bonds and imprisonment;

³⁷ they were stoned; they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; poor, afflicted, mistreated,

³⁸ (of whom the world was not worthy); they wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And these all, approved by testimony of faith, received not the promise,

⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

12 ¶ Therefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, leaving behind all the weight of the sin which surrounds us, let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who having been offered joy, endured the cross,{Gr. stauros-stake} despising the shame and was seated at the right hand of the throne of God.