Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Deborah and Barak

4 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud had died. ² So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin^(A) king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.^(B) The commander of his forces was Sisera^(C) who lived in Harosheth of the Nations.^{[a] 3} Then the Israelites cried out^(D) to the Lord, because Jabin had 900 iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them 20 years.

⁴ Deborah, a woman who was a prophetess^(E) and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. ⁵ It was her custom to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her for judgment.^(F)

⁶ She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel,^(G) commanded you: ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor,^(H) and take with you 10,000 men from the Naphtalites^(I) and Zebulunites?^{(J) 7} Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s forces, his chariots, and his army at the Wadi Kishon^(K) to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’”^(L)

Psalm 123

Looking for God’s Favor

A song of ascents.

The Day of the Lord

5 About the times and the seasons:^(A) Brothers, you do not need anything to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord^(B) will come just like a thief^(C) in the night. ³ When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction^(D) comes on them, like labor pains come on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you, brothers, are not in the dark, for this day to overtake you like a thief.^{(E) 5} For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness.^{(F) 6} So then, we must not sleep, like the rest, but we must stay awake and be serious. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, we must be serious^(G) and put the armor^(H) of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet^(I) of the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord^(J) Jesus Christ,^{(K) 10} who died for us,^(L) so that whether we are awake or asleep,^(M) we will live together with Him.^{(N) 11} Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it is just like a man going on a journey.^(A) He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents;^[a] to another, two; and to another, one—to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey.^(B) Immediately ¹⁶ the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. ¹⁷ In the same way the man with two earned two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’

²¹ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’^(C)

²² “Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’

²³ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’

²⁴ “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed.^{(D) 25} So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave!^(E) If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, ²⁷ then^[b] you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money^[c] back with interest.

²⁸ “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.^{(F) 30} And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness.^(G) In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’