Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK 1
The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.
1 How blessed is the man who (A)does not walk in the (B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the [a](C)path of sinners,
Nor (D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his (E)delight is (F)in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates (G)day and (H)night.
3 He will be like (I)a tree firmly planted by [b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its [c]leaf does not wither;
And [d]in whatever he does, (J)he prospers.
20 “Lift up your eyes and see
Those coming (A)from the north.
Where is the (B)flock that was given you,
Your beautiful sheep?
21 “What will you say when He appoints over you—
And you yourself had taught them—
Former [a](C)companions to be head over you?
Will not (D)pangs take hold of you
Like a woman in childbirth?
22 “If you (E)say in your heart,
‘(F)Why have these things happened to me?’
Because of the (G)magnitude of your iniquity
(H)Your skirts have been removed
And your heels have [b]been exposed.
23 “(I)Can the Ethiopian change his skin
Or the leopard his spots?
Then you also can (J)do good
Who are accustomed to doing evil.
24 “Therefore I will (K)scatter them like drifting straw
To the desert (L)wind.
25 “This is your (M)lot, the portion measured to you
From Me,” declares the Lord,
“Because you have (N)forgotten Me
And trusted in falsehood.
26 “So I Myself have also (O)stripped your skirts off over your face,
That your shame may be seen.
27 “As for your (P)adulteries and your lustful neighings,
The (Q)lewdness of your prostitution
On the (R)hills in the field,
I have seen your abominations.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
(S)How long will you remain unclean?”
17 If you (A)address as Father the One who (B)impartially (C)judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves (D)in fear during the time of your (E)stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not [a](F)redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your (G)futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious (H)blood, as of a (I)lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was (J)foreknown before (K)the foundation of the world, but has (L)appeared [b]in these last times (M)for the sake of you 21 who through Him are (N)believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and (O)gave Him glory, so that your faith and (P)hope are in God.
22 Since you have (Q)in obedience to the truth (R)purified your souls for a [c](S)sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from [d]the heart, 23 for you have been (T)born again (U)not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring (V)word of God. 24 For,
“(W)All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
25 (X)But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is (Y)the word which was [e]preached to you.
As Newborn Babes
2 Therefore, (Z)putting aside all [f]malice and all deceit and [g]hypocrisy and [h]envy and all [i](AA)slander,
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.