Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Deborah

4 When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel once more did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. ² The Lord sold them into the hands of King Jabin of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera. He lived in Harosheth Haggoyim. ³ The children of Israel cried out to the Lord, for Sisera had nine hundred iron chariots and had forcefully oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years.

⁴ Now Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophetess. She judged Israel at that time. ⁵ She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim. The children of Israel would go up to her for her to render judgment. ⁶ She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord God of Israel commands you, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor, and take ten thousand men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun with you. ⁷ I will draw Sisera, the commander of the army of Jabin, with his chariots and large army to you at the River Kishon and give him into your hands.’ ”

Psalm 123

A Song of Ascents.

5 Concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I write to you. ² For you know perfectly that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ When they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.

⁴ But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵ You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶ Therefore let us not sleep as others do. But let us be alert and sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. ⁸ But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we should live together with Him. ¹¹ So comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, just as you are doing.

The Parable of the Talents^(A)

¹⁴ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents,^[a] to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his ability. And immediately he took his journey. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents. ¹⁷ So also, he who had received two gained another two. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ He who had received five talents came and brought the other five talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted to me five talents. Look, I have gained five talents more.’

²¹ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter the joy of your master.’

²² “He who had received two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more talents besides them.’

²³ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter the joy of your master.’

²⁴ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow. ²⁵ So I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “His master answered, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not winnowed. ²⁷ Then you ought to have given my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.

²⁸ “ ‘So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And throw the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’