Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Obedience to the Law of the Lord

^21 (A)“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not put off doing what you promised; the Lord will hold you to your vow, and it is a sin not to keep it. ²² It is no sin not to make a vow to the Lord, ²³ but if you make one voluntarily, be sure that you keep it.

²⁴ “When you walk along a path in someone else's vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but you must not carry any away in a container. ²⁵ When you walk along a path in someone else's grainfield, you may eat all the grain you can pull off with your hands, but you must not cut any grain with a sickle.

Divorce and Remarriage

24 ^(B)“Suppose a man marries a woman and later decides that he doesn't want her, because he finds something about her that he doesn't like.^[a] So he writes out divorce papers, gives them to her, and sends her away from his home. ² Then suppose she marries another man, ³ and he also decides that he doesn't want her, so he also writes out divorce papers, gives them to her, and sends her away from his home. Or suppose her second husband dies. ⁴ In either case, her first husband is not to marry her again; he is to consider her defiled. If he married her again, it would be offensive to the Lord. You are not to commit such a terrible sin in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

^10 (A)“When you lend someone something, do not go into his house to get the garment he is going to give you as security; ¹¹ wait outside and let him bring it to you himself. ¹² If he is poor, do not keep it overnight; ¹³ return it to him each evening, so that he can have it to sleep in. Then he will be grateful, and the Lord your God will be pleased with you.

^14 (B)“Do not cheat poor and needy hired servants, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living in one of your towns. ¹⁵ Each day before sunset pay them for that day's work; they need the money and have counted on getting it. If you do not pay them, they will cry out against you to the Lord, and you will be guilty of sin.

Warning against Prejudice

2 My friends, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, you must never treat people in different ways according to their outward appearance. ² Suppose a rich man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes comes to your meeting, and a poor man in ragged clothes also comes. ³ If you show more respect to the well-dressed man and say to him, “Have this best seat here,” but say to the poor man, “Stand over there, or sit here on the floor by my feet,” ⁴ then you are guilty of creating distinctions among yourselves and of making judgments based on evil motives.

⁵ Listen, my dear friends! God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. ⁶ But you dishonor the poor! Who are the ones who oppress you and drag you before the judges? The rich! ⁷ They are the ones who speak evil of that good name which has been given to you.

^8 (A)You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” ⁹ But if you treat people according to their outward appearance, you are guilty of sin, and the Law condemns you as a lawbreaker. ¹⁰ Whoever breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them all. ^11 (B)For the same one who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Even if you do not commit adultery, you have become a lawbreaker if you commit murder. ¹² Speak and act as people who will be judged by the law that sets us free. ¹³ For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgment.