Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

97 A psalm for David himself. Sing ye to the Lord anew canticle: because he hath done wonderful things. His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy.

² The Lord hath made known his salvation: he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles.

³ He hath remembered his mercy his truth toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

⁴ Sing joyfully to God, all the earth; make melody, rejoice and sing.

⁵ Sing praise to the Lord on the harp, on the harp, and with the voice of a psalm:

⁶ With long trumpets, and sound of comet. Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king:

⁷ Let the sea be moved and the fulness thereof: the world and they that dwell therein.

⁸ The rivers shall clap their hands, the mountains shall rejoice together

⁹ At the presence of the Lord: because he cometh to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with equity.

¹⁵ And Moses returned from the mount, carrying the two tables of the testimony in his hand, written on both sides,

¹⁶ And made by the work of God: the writing also of God was graven in the tables.

¹⁷ And Josue hearing the noise of the people shouting, said to Moses: The noise of battle is heard in the camp.

¹⁸ But he answered: It is not the cry of men encouraging to fight, nor the shout of men compelling to flee: but I hear the voice of singers.

¹⁹ And when he came nigh to the camp, he saw the calf, and the dances: and being very angry, he threw the tables out of his hand, and broke them at the foot of the mount:

²⁰ And laying hold of the calf which they had made, he burnt it, and beat it to powder, which he strowed into water, and gave thereof to the children of Israel to drink.

²¹ And he said to Aaron: What has this people done to thee, that thou shouldst bring upon them a most heinous sin?

²² And he answered him: Let not my lord be offended: for thou knowest this people, that they are prone to evil.

²³ They said to me: Make us gods, that may go before us: for as to this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is befallen him.

²⁴ And I said to them: Which of you hath any gold? and they took and brought it to me: and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.

²⁵ And when Moses saw that the people were naked, (for Aaron had stripped them by occasion of the shame of the filth, and had set them naked among their enemies,)

²⁶ Then standing in the gate of the camp, he said: If any man be on the Lord's side let him join with me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him:

²⁷ And he said to them: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Put every man his sword upon his thigh: go, and return from gate to gate through the midst of the camp, and let every man kill his brother, and friend, and neighbour.

²⁸ And the sons of Levi did according to the words of Moses, and there were slain that day about three and twenty thousand men.

²⁹ And Moses said: You have consecrated your hands this day to the Lord, every man in his son and in his brother, that a blessing may be given to you.

³⁰ And when the next day was come, Moses spoke to the people: You have sinned a very great sin: I will go up to the Lord, if by any means I may be able to entreat him for your crime.

³¹ And returning to the Lord, he said: I beseech thee: this people hath sinned a heinous sin, and they have made to themselves gods of gold: either forgive them this trespass,

³² Or if thou do not, strike me out of the book that thou hast written.

³³ And the Lord answered him: He that hath sinned against me, him will I strike out of my book:

³⁴ But go thou, and lead this people whither I have told thee: my angel shall go before thee. And I in the day of revenge will visit this sin also of theirs.

³⁵ The Lord therefore struck the people for the guilt on occasion of the calf which Aaron had made.

¹⁷ But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁸ Who told you, that in the last time there should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodlinesses.

¹⁹ These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the Spirit.

²⁰ But you, my beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

²¹ Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting.

²² And some indeed reprove, being judged:

²³ But others save, pulling them out of the fire. And on others have mercy, in fear, hating also the spotted garment which is carnal.

²⁴ Now to him who is able to preserve you without sin, and to present you spotless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,

²⁵ To the only God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and magnificence, empire and power, before all ages, and now, and for all ages of ages. Amen.