Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
20 ¶ Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets:
21 She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the entrance to the gates of the city she utters her words, saying,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and the fools hate knowledge?
23 Return at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one responded;
25 for because ye have disregarded all my counsel and rejected my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes upon you;
27 when what you have feared comes as destruction, and your calamity comes as a whirlwind; when tribulation and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they shall call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 They rejected my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own counsel.
32 For the rest of the ignorant shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whosoever hearkens unto me shall dwell safely and shall rest from the fear of evil.
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.
3 ¶ My brethren, make not unto yourselves many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For we all offend in many things. If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to govern the whole body with restraint.
3 Behold, we put bits (or restraint) in the horses’ mouths to persuade them, and we govern their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they are so great are driven of fierce winds, yet they are governed with a very small rudder, wherever the governor desires.
5 In the same manner, the tongue is a very small member and boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every nature of beasts and of birds and of serpents and of beings in the sea may be tamed and is tamed by mankind,
8 but no man can tame the tongue, which is an evil that cannot be restrained and is full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless God, even the Father; and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a fountain send forth at the same place both sweet and bitter water?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, produce olive berries? or the vine, figs? In the same manner no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
27 ¶ And Jesus and his disciples went out into the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Who do men say that I am?
28 And they answered, John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, One of the prophets.
29 Then he said unto them, But who say ye that I am? And Peter answered and said unto him, Thou art the Christ!
30 And he commanded them that they should tell no one of this regarding him.
31 And he began to teach them that it was convenient that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and of the princes of the priests and of the scribes, and be killed and after three days rise again.
32 And he spoke this word clearly. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him.
33 And he, turning about and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, Get thyself from me, Satan, for thou knowest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.
34 And calling the multitude unto him with his disciples, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross {Gr. stauros – stake} and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
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