Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.(A)
Habakkuk’s First Prayer
2 How long,(B) Lord, must I call for help(C)
and You do not listen
or cry out to You about violence
and You do not save?
3 Why do You force me to look at injustice?(D)
Why do You tolerate[a] wrongdoing?
Oppression and violence are right in front of me.
Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.
4 This is why the law is ineffective
and justice never emerges.
For the wicked restrict(E) the righteous;
therefore, justice(F) comes out perverted.
Habakkuk Waits for God’s Response
2 I will stand at my guard post
and station myself on the lookout tower.(A)
I will watch to see what He will say to me(B)
and what I should[a] reply about my complaint.
God’s Second Answer
2 The Lord answered me:
Write down this vision;(C)
clearly inscribe it on tablets
so one may easily read it.[b]
3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
it testifies about the end and will not lie.
Though it delays, wait for it,
since it will certainly come and not be late.(D)
4 Look, his ego is inflated;[c]
he is without integrity.
But the righteous one will live by his faith.[d](E)
צ Tsade
137 You are righteous, Lord,(A)
and Your judgments are just.
138 The decrees You issue are righteous
and altogether trustworthy.(B)
139 My anger overwhelms me
because my foes forget Your words.(C)
140 Your word is completely pure,(D)
and Your servant loves it.(E)
141 I am insignificant and despised,(F)
but I do not forget Your precepts.(G)
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and Your instruction is true.(H)
143 Trouble and distress have overtaken me,
but Your commands are my delight.(I)
144 Your decrees are righteous forever.(J)
Give me understanding, and I will live.
Greeting
1 Paul, Silvanus,[a](A) and Timothy:(B)
To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s Judgment and Glory
3 We must always thank God for you, brothers. This is right, since your faith is flourishing and the love(D) each one of you has for one another(E) is increasing.(F) 4 Therefore, we ourselves boast(G) about you among God’s churches—about your endurance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you endure.
11 And in view of this, we always pray for you that our God will consider you worthy of His calling,(A) and will, by His power, fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith,(B) 12 so that the name(C) of our Lord Jesus will be glorified(D) by you, and you by Him,(E) according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Visits Zacchaeus
19 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since He was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today I must stay at your house.”
6 So he quickly came down and welcomed Him joyfully. 7 All who saw it began to complain,(A) “He’s gone to lodge with a sinful man!”
8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give[a] half of my possessions to the poor,(B) Lord! And if I have extorted(C) anything from anyone, I’ll pay[b] back four times as much!”(D)
9 “Today salvation(E) has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham.(F) 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”[c](G)
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