Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
21 Certainly mine heart was vexed, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I and ignorant: I was a [a]beast before thee.
23 Yet I was always [b]with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou wilt guide me by thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in [c]heaven but thee? and I have desired none in the earth with thee.
26 My flesh faileth and mine heart also: but God is the strength of mine heart, and my [d]portion forever.
27 For lo, that they withdraw themselves from thee, shall perish: thou destroyest all them that [e]go a whoring from thee.
28 As for me, it is good for me [f]to draw near to God: therefore I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
25 1 These are also parables of Solomon, which the [a]men of Hezekiah King of Judah [b]copied out.
2 The glory of God is to [c]conceal a thing secret: but the [d]King’s honor is to search out a thing.
3 The heavens in height, and the earth in deepness: and the [e]king’s heart can no man search out.
4 Take the [f]dross from the silver, and there shall proceed a vessel for the finer.
5 Take [g]away the wicked from the King, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Boast not thyself before the King, and stand not in the place of great men.
7 (A)For it is better, that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, than thou to be put lower in the presence of the Prince whom thine eyes have seen.
8 Go not forth hastily to strife, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.
9 Debate thy matter with thy neighbor, and discover not the secret to another,
10 Lest he that heareth it, put thee to shame, and thine infamy do not [h]cease.
11 A word spoken in his place, is like apples of gold with pictures of silver.
12 He that reproveth the wise and the obedient ear, is as a golden earring, and an ornament of fine gold.
13 As the cold of the snow [i]in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 A man that boasteth of false liberality, is like [j]clouds and wind without rain.
15 A Prince is pacified by staying of [k]anger, and a soft tongue breaketh the [l]bones.
16 If thou have found honey, eat that is [m]sufficient for thee, lest thou be overfull, and vomit it.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor’s house, lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor, is like an hammer and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth and a sliding foot.
20 He that taketh away the garment in the cold season, is like vinegar poured upon [n][o]nitre, or like him that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
21 (B)If he that hateth thee be hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For thou shalt lay [p]coals upon his head, and the Lord shall recompense thee.
23 As the Northwind driveth away the rain, so doth an angry countenance the slandering tongue.
24 (C)It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
25 As are the cold waters to a weary soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked, is like a troubled well and a corrupt spring.
27 It is not good to eat much honey: so to search their own glory, is not glory.
28 A man that refraineth not his appetite, is like a city which is [q]broken down and without walls.
3 1 Against earthly exercises, which the false apostles urged, 2 he setteth heavenly: 5 and beginneth with the mortifying of the flesh, 8 whence he draweth particular exhortations, 18 and particular duties which depend on each man’s calling.
1 If [a]ye then [b]be [c]risen with Christ, [d]seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.
2 Set your affections on things which are above, and not on things which are on the [e]earth.
3 [f]For ye are dead, [g]and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ which is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 (A)[h] Mortify therefore your [i]members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, the inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry.
6 For the which things’ sake the wrath of God [j]cometh on the children of disobedience.
7 Wherein ye also walked once, when ye lived in them.
8 But now put ye away even all these things, wrath, anger, maliciousness, cursed speaking, filthy speaking, out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another: [k]seeing that ye have put off the old man with his works,
10 And have put on the new, [l]which is renewed in [m]knowledge after the image of him that created him,
11 [n]Where is neither Grecian nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, free: But Christ is all, and in all things.
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