Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK THREE(A)
The Justice of God[a]
73 God is indeed good to Israel,
to those who have pure hearts.
2 But I had nearly lost confidence;
my faith was almost gone
3 because I was jealous of the proud
when I saw that things go well for the wicked.
4 They do not suffer pain;
they are strong and healthy.
5 They do not suffer as other people do;
they do not have the troubles that others have.
6 And so they wear pride like a necklace
and violence like a robe;
7 their hearts pour out evil,[b]
and their minds are busy with wicked schemes.
8 They laugh at other people and speak of evil things;
they are proud and make plans to oppress others.
9 They speak evil of God in heaven
and give arrogant orders to everyone on earth,
10 so that even God's people turn to them
and eagerly believe whatever they say.[c]
11 They say, “God will not know;
the Most High will not find out.”
12 That is what the wicked are like.
They have plenty and are always getting more.
13 Is it for nothing, then, that I have kept myself pure
and have not committed sin?
14 O God, you have made me suffer all day long;
every morning you have punished me.
15 If I had said such things,
I would not be acting as one of your people.
16 I tried to think this problem through,
but it was too difficult for me
17 until I went into your Temple.
Then I understood what will happen to the wicked.
18 You will put them in slippery places
and make them fall to destruction!
19 They are instantly destroyed;
they go down to a horrible end.
20 They are like a dream that goes away in the morning;
when you rouse yourself, O Lord, they disappear.
14 Homes are made by the wisdom of women, but are destroyed by foolishness.
2 Be honest and you show that you have reverence for the Lord; be dishonest and you show that you do not.
3 Proud fools talk too much; the words of the wise protect them.
4 Without any oxen to pull the plow your barn will be empty, but with them it will be full of grain.[a]
5 A reliable witness always tells the truth, but an unreliable one tells nothing but lies.
6 Conceited people can never become wise, but intelligent people learn easily.
7 Stay away from foolish people; they have nothing to teach you.
8 Why is a clever person wise? Because he knows what to do. Why is a stupid person foolish? Because he only thinks he knows.
9 Foolish people don't care if they sin, but good people want to be forgiven.[b]
Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon(A)
14 When they returned to the crowd, a man came to Jesus, knelt before him, 15 and said, “Sir, have mercy on my son! He is an epileptic and has such terrible attacks that he often falls in the fire or into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17 Jesus answered, “How unbelieving and wrong you people are! How long must I stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here to me!” 18 Jesus gave a command to the demon, and it went out of the boy, and at that very moment he was healed.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked him, “Why couldn't we drive the demon out?”
20 (B)“It was because you do not have enough faith,” answered Jesus. “I assure you that if you have faith as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this hill, ‘Go from here to there!’ and it will go. You could do anything!” 21 [a]
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.