Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked.
For the music director; set to [a]Al-tashheth. A [b]Mikhtam of David.
58 Do you indeed [c]speak righteousness, you [d]gods?
Do you (A)judge [e]fairly, you sons of mankind?
2 No, in heart you (B)practice injustice;
On earth you (C)clear a way for the violence of your hands.
3 The wicked have turned away (D)from the womb;
These who speak lies (E)go astray from [f]birth.
4 They have venom like the (F)venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
5 So that it (G)does not hear the voice of [g](H)charmers,
Or a skillful caster of spells.
6 God, (I)shatter their teeth in their mouth;
Break out the fangs of the young lions, Lord.
7 May they (J)flow away like water that runs off;
When he [h](K)aims his arrows, may they be as [i]headless shafts.
8 May they be like a snail which goes along in slime,
Like the (L)miscarriage of a woman that never sees the sun.
9 Before your (M)pots can feel the fire of thorns
He will (N)sweep them away with a whirlwind, the [j]green and the burning alike.
23 “(A)How can you say, ‘I am not defiled,
I have not gone after the (B)Baals’?
Look at your way in the (C)valley!
Know what you have done!
You are a swift young camel (D)running about senselessly on her ways,
24 A (E)wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness,
That sniffs the wind in her passion.
Who can turn her away in her mating season?
None who seek her will grow weary;
In her month they will find her.
25 Keep your feet from being bare,
And your throat from thirst;
But you said, ‘(F)It is [a]hopeless!
No! For I have (G)loved strangers,
And I will walk after them.’
26 “Like the shame of a (H)thief when he is discovered,
So the house of Israel is shamed;
They, their kings, their leaders,
Their priests, and their prophets,
27 Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’
And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’
For they have turned their (I)backs to Me,
And not their faces;
But in the (J)time of their [b]trouble they will say,
‘Arise and save us!’
28 But where are your (K)gods
Which you made for yourself?
Let them arise, if they can (L)save you
In the time of your [c]trouble!
For (M)as many as the number of your cities
Are your gods, Judah.
29 “Why do you contend with Me?
You have (N)all revolted against Me,” declares the Lord.
30 “(O)In vain I have struck your sons;
They did not accept discipline.
Your (P)sword has devoured your prophets
Like a destroying lion.
31 You generation, look to the word of the Lord.
Have I been a wilderness to Israel,
Or a (Q)land of thick darkness?
Why do My people say, ‘(R)We are free to roam;
We will no longer come to You’?
32 Can a virgin forget her jewelry,
Or a bride her attire?
Yet My people have (S)forgotten Me
For days without number.
33 How well you prepare your way
To seek love!
Therefore even to the wicked women
You have taught your ways.
34 Also on your skirts is found
The (T)lifeblood of the innocent poor;
You did not find them (U)breaking in.
But in spite of all these things,
35 You said, ‘I am innocent;
Surely His anger is turned away from me.’
Behold, I will (V)enter into judgment with you
Because you (W)say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 Why do you (X)go around so much
Changing your way?
Also, (Y)you will be put to shame by Egypt,
Just as you were put to shame by (Z)Assyria.
37 From this place as well you will go out
With (AA)your hands on your head;
For the Lord has rejected (AB)those in whom you trust,
And you will not prosper with them.”
7 Remember (A)those who led you, who spoke (B)the word of God to you; and considering the [a]result of their way of life, (C)imitate their faith. 8 (D)Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. 9 (E)Do not be misled by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to (F)be strengthened by grace, not by (G)foods, (H)through which those who [b]were so occupied were not benefited. 10 We have an altar (I)from which those (J)who serve the [c]tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For (K)the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place by the high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also suffered (L)outside the gate, (M)that He might sanctify the people (N)through His own blood. 13 So then, let us go out to Him outside the camp, (O)bearing His reproach. 14 For here (P)we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking (Q)the city which is to come.
God-pleasing Sacrifices
15 (R)Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a (S)sacrifice of praise to God, that is, (T)the fruit of lips praising His name. 16 And do not neglect doing good and (U)sharing, for (V)with such sacrifices God is pleased.
17 (W)Obey your leaders and submit to them—for (X)they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they may do this with joy, not [d]groaning; for this would be unhelpful for you.
18 (Y)Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a (Z)good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. 19 And I urge you all the more to do this, (AA)so that I may be restored to you more quickly.
Benediction
20 Now may (AB)the God of peace, who (AC)brought up from the dead the (AD)great Shepherd of the sheep [e]through (AE)the blood of the (AF)eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, 21 (AG)equip you in every good thing to do His will, (AH)working in us that (AI)which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, (AJ)to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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