Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.

¹ ¶ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows the work of his hands.

² One day provides a word for the next day, and one night declares wisdom unto the next night.

³ There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

⁴ Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tabernacle for the sun,

⁵ which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoices as a strong man to run a race.

⁶ His going forth is from the end of the heavens, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

⁷ ¶ The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

⁸ The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the rights of the LORD are true, they are all just.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover by them is thy slave warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.

¹² Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

¹³ Keep back thy slave also from pride and arrogance; let them not have dominion over me; then I shall be perfect, and I shall be innocent of the great rebellion.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

21 ¶ The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water, he turns it wherever he will.

² ¶ Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD weighs the hearts.

³ ¶ To do righteousness and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

⁴ ¶ A high look and a proud heart, which is the fire of the wicked, is sin.

⁵ ¶ The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness, but of every one that is too hasty, only to want.

⁶ ¶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of those that seek death.

⁷ ¶ The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them because they refuse to do judgment.

⁸ ¶ The way of the perverse man is crooked and strange, but as for the pure, his work is right.

⁹ ¶ It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

¹⁰ ¶ The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbour finds no favour in his eyes.

¹¹ ¶ When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise, and by instructing the wise, he receives wisdom.

¹² ¶ The righteous man wisely considers the house of the wicked, how God overthrows the wicked for their evil.

¹³ ¶ Whosoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself but shall not be heard.

¹⁴ ¶ A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the bosom strong wrath.

¹⁵ ¶ It is joy to the just to do judgment, but it shall be destruction to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶ ¶ The man that wanders out of the way of wisdom shall end up in the congregation of the dead.

¹⁷ ¶ He that loves pleasure shall be a poor man; he that loves wine and oil shall not be rich.

²³ ¶ And when he was come into the temple, the princes of the priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

²⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you a word, which if ye tell me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.

²⁵ The baptism of John, where was it from? from heaven or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

²⁶ But if we shall say, Of men, we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

²⁷ And they answered Jesus and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

²⁸ ¶ But what do you think? A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

²⁹ He answered and said, I will not, but afterward he repented and went.

³⁰ And he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, I will go, Lord, and went not.

³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go ahead of you into the kingdom of God.

³² For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not, but the publicans and the harlots believed him, and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward that ye might believe him.