Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Zayin
Remembering What God Has Said
49 Remember what you said[a] to your servant,
by which you caused me to hope.
50 This is what comforts me in my troubles:
that what you say revives me.
51 Even though the arrogant utterly deride me,
I do not turn away from your instruction.[b]
52 I have remembered your ancient ordinances, Lord,
and I take comfort in them.
53 I burn with indignation because of the wicked
who forsake your instruction.[c]
54 Your statutes are my songs,
no matter where I make my home.[d]
55 In the night I remember your name, Lord,
and keep your instruction.[e]
56 I have made it my personal responsibility
to keep your precepts.
Serve the Lord Only
10 “When the Lord your God brings you to the land that he promised to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he will give you large and beautiful cities that you didn’t build, 11 houses filled with every good thing that you didn’t supply, wells that you didn’t dig, and vineyards and olive groves that you didn’t plant. When you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful not to forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and slavery.[a] 13 Fear the Lord your God, serve him, and make your oaths in his name. 14 Do not follow other gods from the gods of the nations[b] around you, 15 because the Lord your God who is among you is a jealous God. He will turn his anger against you and destroy you from the surface of the land.”
Do What is Right
16 “Don’t test the Lord your God like you did in Massah. 17 Be sure to observe the commands of the Lord your God, his testimonies, and his decrees that he gave you. 18 Do what is good and right in the Lord’s sight so it may go well with you. Then you’ll enter and possess the good land that the Lord your God promised to your ancestors, 19 expelling all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.”
Remember What the Lord has Done
20 “When your son asks you in the future, ‘What is the meaning of the instructions, decrees, and ordinances that the Lord our God commanded you?’ 21 tell him, ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with great power. 22 Before our very eyes, the Lord did great and terrible signs and wonders in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to his entire household. 23 But as for us, he brought us out from there to bring us into the land and give it to us, as he promised our ancestors. 24 Then the Lord commanded us to observe all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God for our own good, so that he may keep us alive as we are today. 25 It will be credited as[c] righteousness for us if we’re careful to obey the entire Law in the presence of the Lord our God, as he commanded.’”
The Jewish Council Plans to Kill Jesus(A)
45 Many of the Jews who had come with Mary and who had observed what Jesus did believed in him. 46 Some of them, however, went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the high priests and the Pharisees assembled the Council[a] and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our Temple[b] and our nation.”
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, told them, “You don’t know anything! 50 You don’t realize that it is better for you[c] to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” 51 Now he did not say this on his own initiative. As high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not only for the nation, but that he would also gather into one the children of God who were scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they resolved to put him to death. 54 As a result, Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews.[d] Instead, he went from there[e] to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness. There he remained with his disciples.
55 Now the Jewish Passover was approaching, and before the Passover many people from the countryside went up to Jerusalem to purify themselves. 56 They kept looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the Temple, “What do you think? Surely he won’t come to the festival, will he?” 57 Now the high priests and the Pharisees had given orders that whoever knew where he was should tell them so that they could arrest him.
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