Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
10 Hear the word of the Lord,(A)
you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!(B)
11 “What are all your sacrifices to me?”
asks the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams
and the fat of well-fed cattle;
I have no desire for the blood of bulls,
lambs, or male goats.(C)
12 When you come to appear before me,
who requires this from you—
this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing useless offerings.(D)
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons and Sabbaths,(E)
and the calling of solemn assemblies(F)—
I cannot stand iniquity(G) with a festival.
14 I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals.
They have become a burden to me;
I am tired of putting up with them.
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,(H)
I will refuse to look at you;
even if you offer countless prayers,
I will not listen.(I)
Your hands are covered with blood.(J)
Purification of Jerusalem
16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves.(K)
Remove your evil deeds from my sight.
Stop doing evil.(L)
17 Learn to do what is good.
Pursue justice.(M)
Correct the oppressor.[a]
Defend the rights of the fatherless.
Plead the widow’s cause.
18 “Come, let’s settle this,”(N)
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are scarlet,
they will be as white as snow;(O)
though they are crimson red,
they will be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land.(P)
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”(Q)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(R)
Psalm 50
God as Judge
A psalm of Asaph.(A)
1 The Mighty One, God,[a] the Lord, speaks;
he summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.(B)
2 From Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God appears in radiance.[b](C)
3 Our God is coming; he will not be silent!
Devouring fire precedes him,
and a storm rages around him.(D)
4 On high, he summons heaven and earth
in order to judge his people:(E)
5 “Gather my faithful ones to me,
those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”(F)
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,(G)
for God is the Judge.(H)Selah
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going.(A) 9 By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise.(B) 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.(C)
11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she[a] considered that the one who had promised was faithful.(D) 12 Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.(E)
13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance,(F) greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.(G) 14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.(H)
32 Don’t be afraid,(A) little flock,(B) because your Father delights(C) to give you the kingdom.(D) 33 Sell(E) your possessions and give to the poor.(F) Make money-bags(G) for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure(H) in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.(I)
Ready for the Master’s Return
35 “Be ready for service[a] and have your lamps lit.(J) 36 You are to be like people waiting for their master(K) to return from the wedding banquet(L) so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.(M) 37 Blessed will be those servants the master finds alert(N) when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will get ready,[b] have them recline at the table, then come and serve them.(O) 38 If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn,[c] and finds them alert, blessed are those servants. 39 But know this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming,(P) he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also be ready,(Q) because the Son of Man(R) is coming at an hour you do not expect.”(S)
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