Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

42 A psalm for David. Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man.

² For thou art God my strength: why hast thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?

³ Send forth thy light and thy truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto thy holy hill, and into thy tabernacles.

⁴ And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.

⁵ To thee, O God my God, I will give praise upon the harp: why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me?

⁶ Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

¹³ And the next day Moses sat, to judge the people, who stood by Moses from morning until night.

¹⁴ And when his kinsman had seen all things that he did among the people, he said: What is it that thou dost among the people? Why sittest thou alone, and all the people wait from morning till night.

¹⁵ And Moses answered him: The people come to me to seek the judgment of God.

¹⁶ And when any controversy falleth out among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to shew the precepts of God, and his laws.

¹⁷ But he said: The thing thou dost is not good.

¹⁸ Thou are spent with foolish labour, both thou and this people that is with thee: the business is above thy strength, thou alone canst not bear it.

¹⁹ But hear my words and counsels, and God shall be with thee. Be thou to the people in those things that pertain to God, to bring their words to him:

²⁰ And to shew the people the ceremonies and the manner of worshipping, and the way wherein they ought to walk, and the work that they ought to do.

²¹ And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens.

²² Who may judge the people at all times: and when any great matter soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the lesser matters only: that so it may be lighter for thee, the burden being shared out unto others.

²³ If thou dost this, thou shalt fulfill the commandment of God, and shalt be able to bear his precepts: and all this people shall return to their places with peace.

²⁴ And when Moses heard this, he did all things that he had suggested unto him.

²⁵ And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.

²⁶ And they judged the people at all times: and whatsoever was of greater difficulty they referred to him, and they judged the easier cases only.

²⁷ And he let his kinsman depart: and he returned and went into his own country.

¹⁵ Some indeed, even out of envy and contention; but some also for good will preach Christ.

¹⁶ Some out of charity, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

¹⁷ And some out of contention preach Christ not sincerely: supposing that they raise affliction to my bands.

¹⁸ But what then? So that by all means, whether by occasion, or by truth, Christ be preached: in this also I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

¹⁹ For I know that this shall fall out to me unto salvation, through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

²⁰ According to my expectation and hope; that in nothing I shall be confounded, but with all confidence, as always, so now also shall Christ be magnified in my body, wither it be by life, or by death.

²¹ For to me, to live is Christ; and to die is gain.