Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Obedience to the Law of the Lord

The Rewards of Wisdom

2 My child, learn what I teach you and never forget what I tell you to do. ² Listen to what is wise and try to understand it. ³ Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. ⁴ Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure. ⁵ If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God. ^6 (A)It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding. ⁷ He provides help and protection for those who are righteous and honest. ⁸ He protects those who treat others fairly, and guards those who are devoted to him.

⁹ If you listen to me, you will know what is right, just, and fair. You will know what you should do. ¹⁰ You will become wise, and your knowledge will give you pleasure. ¹¹ Your insight and understanding will protect you ¹² and prevent you from doing the wrong thing. They will keep you away from people who stir up trouble by what they say— ¹³ those who have abandoned a righteous life to live in the darkness of sin, ¹⁴ those who find pleasure in doing wrong and who enjoy senseless evil, ¹⁵ unreliable people who cannot be trusted.

Jesus Teaches about Divorce^(A)

19 When Jesus finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went to the territory of Judea on the other side of the Jordan River. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

³ Some Pharisees came to him and tried to trap him by asking, “Does our Law allow a man to divorce his wife for whatever reason he wishes?”

^4 (B)Jesus answered, “Haven't you read the scripture that says that in the beginning the Creator made people male and female? ^5 (C)And God said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and unite with his wife, and the two will become one.’ ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one. No human being must separate, then, what God has joined together.”

^7 (D)The Pharisees asked him, “Why, then, did Moses give the law for a man to hand his wife a divorce notice and send her away?”

⁸ Jesus answered, “Moses gave you permission to divorce your wives because you are so hard to teach. But it was not like that at the time of creation. ^9 (E)I tell you, then, that any man who divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, commits adultery if he marries some other woman.”

¹⁰ His disciples said to him, “If this is how it is between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ Jesus answered, “This teaching does not apply to everyone, but only to those to whom God has given it. ¹² For there are different reasons why men cannot marry: some, because they were born that way; others, because men made them that way; and others do not marry for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Let him who can accept this teaching do so.”