Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
2 Indeed, God is my salvation;
I will trust him and not be afraid,
for the Lord, the Lord himself,
is my strength and my song.
He has become my salvation.”(A)
3 You will joyfully draw water(B)
from the springs of salvation,
4 and on that day you will say,
“Give thanks to the Lord; proclaim his name!
Make his works known among the peoples.(C)
Declare that his name is exalted.
5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things.(D)
Let this be known throughout the earth.
6 Cry out and sing, citizen of Zion,
for the Holy One of Israel(E) is among you
in his greatness.”
4 Hear this, you who trample on the needy(A)
and do away with the poor of the land,(B)
5 asking, “When will the New Moon be over
so we may sell grain,(C)
and the Sabbath,
so we may market wheat?(D)
We can reduce the measure
while increasing the price[a]
and cheat with dishonest scales.(E)
6 We can buy the poor with silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals(F)
and even sell the chaff!”
7 The Lord has sworn(G) by the Pride of Jacob:[b](H)
I will never forget all their deeds.(I)
8 Because of this, won’t the land quake(J)
and all who dwell in it mourn?(K)
All of it will rise like the Nile;(L)
it will surge and then subside
like the Nile in Egypt.(M)
9 And in that day—
this is the declaration of the Lord God—
I will make the sun go down at noon;(N)
I will darken the land in the daytime.(O)
10 I will turn your feasts into mourning(P)
and all your songs into lamentation;(Q)
I will cause everyone[c] to wear sackcloth(R)
and every head to be shaved.(S)
I will make that grief
like mourning for an only son(T)
and its outcome like a bitter day.
11 Look, the days are coming—
this is the declaration of the Lord God—
when I will send a famine through the land:
not a famine of bread or a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord.(U)
12 People will stagger from sea to sea
and roam from north to east
seeking the word of the Lord,(V)
but they will not find it.
Motivations for Giving
9 Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. 2 For I know your eagerness, and I boast about you to the Macedonians,(A) “Achaia(B) has been ready since last year,” and your zeal(C) has stirred up most of them.(D) 3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter would not prove empty, and so that you would be ready just as I said. 4 Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation.[a] 5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift(E) you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.(F)
6 The point is this:[b] The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves(G) a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able(H) to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. 9 As it is written:
10 Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.(K) 11 You will be enriched(L) in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. 12 For the ministry of this service(M) is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity(N) in sharing with them and with everyone. 14 And as they pray on your behalf, they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
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