Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 120
A song for going up to worship.
1 When I was in trouble, I cried out to Yahweh,
and he answered me.
2 O Yahweh, rescue me from lying lips
and from a deceitful tongue.
3 You deceitful tongue, what can Yahweh give you?
What more can he do for you?
4 He will give you a warrior’s sharpened arrows and red-hot coals.
5 How horrible it is to live as a foreigner in Meshech
or to stay in the tents of Kedar.
6 I have lived too long with those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace, but when I talk about it,
they only talk about war.
Cyrus Allows the Jews to Return from Babylon(A)
1 The promise Yahweh had spoken through Jeremiah was about to come true in Cyrus’ first year as king of Persia. Yahweh inspired the king to make this announcement throughout his whole kingdom and then to put it in writing.
2 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: Yahweh Elohim of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the world. Then he ordered me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem (which is in Judah). 3 May Elohim be with all of you who are his people. You may go to Jerusalem (which is in Judah) and build a temple for Yahweh Elohim of Israel. He is the Elohim who is in Jerusalem. 4 All who choose to remain behind, wherever they may be living, should provide the people who are leaving with silver, gold, supplies, livestock, and freewill offerings to be used in Elohim’s temple in Jerusalem.
Sheshbazzar Returns with the Temple Furnishings
5 Then the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, the priests, and the Levites—everyone Elohim had inspired—came forward to rebuild Yahweh’s temple in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors who were remaining behind provided them with articles made from silver and gold, supplies, livestock, and valuable gifts besides everything that was freely offered. 7 King Cyrus brought out the utensils belonging to Yahweh’s temple. Nebuchadnezzar had taken these utensils from Jerusalem and put them in the temple of his own god. 8 King Cyrus of Persia put the treasurer Mithredath in charge of bringing them out. So Mithredath made a list of them for Prince Sheshbazzar of Judah.[a] 9 This is the inventory:
| gold dishes[b] | 30 |
| silver dishes | 1,000 |
| knives[c] | 29 |
| 10 gold bowls | 30 |
| other silver bowls | 410 |
| other utensils | 1,000 |
11 The gold and silver utensils totaled 5,400.
Sheshbazzar took all these utensils with him when the exiles left Babylon to go to Jerusalem.
Paul’s Reason for Being Proud
12 We are proud that our conscience is clear. We are proud of the way that we have lived in this world. We have lived with a God-given holiness[a] and sincerity, especially toward you. It was not by human wisdom that we have lived but by God’s kindness.[b] 13 We are only writing you what you already knew before you read this. I hope you will understand this as long as you live, 14 even though you now understand it only partially. We are your reason to be proud, as you will be our reason to be proud on the day of our Lord Yeshua.
Why Paul Changed His Plans
15 Confident of this, I had previously wanted to visit you so that you could benefit twice. 16 My plans had been to go from the city of Corinth to the province of Macedonia. Then from Macedonia I had planned to return to you again in Corinth and have you support my trip to Judea.
17 You don’t think that I made these plans lightly, do you? Do you think that when I make plans, I make them in a sinful way? Why would I say that something is true when it isn’t? 18 You can depend on God. Our message to you isn’t false; it’s true. 19 God’s Son, Yeshua Christ, whom I, Silvanus, and Timothy told you about, was true not false. Because of him our message was always true.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.