Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
9 ¶ Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: my eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10 For my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing: my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
11 I was a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to my acquaintances: those that see me without flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I have become like a lost vessel.
13 For I have heard the slander of many; fear was on every side; while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD; I said, Thou art my God.
15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those that persecute me.
16 Make thy face to shine upon thy slave; save me for thy mercies’ sake.
13 ¶ Listen to me, and I will speak, and afterward let come on me what will.
14 Why shall I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in the palm of my hand?
15 Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him; but I will defend my ways before him.
16 He also shall be my saving health; for the hypocrite shall not enter into his presence.
17 Hear diligently my reason and my declaration with your ears.
18 Behold now, if I draw near unto the judgment; I know that I shall be justified.
19 Who is he that will contend with me? For now, if I remain silent, I shall die.
21 ¶ For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour, yet I do not know what to choose.
23 For I am in a strait between the two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better:
24 nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith,
26 that your glorying in Jesus Christ may be more abundant by my coming to you again.
27 ¶ Only let your conversation be as is worthy of the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, unanimous, working together for the faith of the gospel,
28 and in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of saving health and that of God.
29 For unto you it is granted regarding Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake,
30 having the same conflict which ye saw in me and now hear to be in me.
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