Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Aleph

¹ ¶ Halelu-JAH. Blessed is the man that fears the LORD,

Beth

that delights greatly in his commandments.

Gimel

² His seed shall be mighty upon earth;

Daleth

the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

He

³ Wealth and riches shall be in his house;

Vau

and his righteousness endures for ever.

Zain

⁴ A light has shined in the darkness upon the upright:

Cheth

Gracious and merciful and righteous.

Teth

⁵ A good man has mercy and lends;

Jod

He will govern his affairs with good judgment.

Caph

⁶ ¶ Surely he shall not be moved for ever;

Lamed

the righteous shall be in eternal remembrance.

Mem

⁷ He shall not be afraid of evil rumours;

Nun

his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

Samech

⁸ His heart is established; he shall not be afraid,

Ain

until he sees his desire upon his enemies.

Pe

⁹ He has dispersed; he has given to the poor;

Tzaddi

his righteousness endures for ever;

Koph

his horn shall be exalted in glory.

Resh

¹⁰ The wicked shall see it and be furious;

Schin

he shall gnash with his teeth and waste away:

Tau

The desire of the wicked shall perish.

¹³ Therefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people sacrifice unto me and honour me with their lips, but have removed their heart far from me, and their worship with which they honour me was taught by the commandment of men:

¹⁴ Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvellous work among this people with a fearful miracle: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the prudence of their prudent men shall fade away.

¹⁵ Woe unto those that hide themselves from the LORD, covering the counsel; and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? and who knows us?

¹⁶ Surely your subversion shall be as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He did not make me? or shall the vessel say of him that made it, He did not understand?

7 ¶ Then came together unto him the Pharisees and some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem,

² who upon seeing some of his disciples eat bread with common, that is to say, with unwashed, hands, they condemned them.

³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands often, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

⁴ And when they come from the market, unless they wash, they eat not. And there are many other things which they took upon themselves to hold such as the washing of cups and pots, brasen vessels and of tables.)

⁵ Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders but eat bread with unwashed hands?

⁶ He answered and said unto them, Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

⁷ Howbeit in vain do they honor me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups, and many other such like things ye do.