Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Aleph

¹ ¶ Halelu-JAH. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, Beth in the company and in the congregation of the upright.

Gimel

² The works of the LORD are great, Daleth sought out by all those that have pleasure therein.

He

³ Honor and beauty are his work; Vau and his righteousness endures for ever.

Zain

⁴ He has made his wonderful works to be remembered;

Cheth

The LORD is gracious and merciful.

Teth

⁵ He has given sustenance unto those that fear him; Jod He will ever be mindful of his covenant.

Caph

⁶ ¶ He has shown his people the power of his works,

Lamed

by giving them the inheritance of the Gentiles.

Mem

⁷ The works of his hands are truth and judgment;

Nun

all his commandments are sure.

Samech

⁸ They stand fast from age to age

Ain

and are made in truth and uprightness.

Pe

⁹ He sent redemption unto his people;

Tzaddi

he has commanded his covenant for ever:

Koph

Holy and reverend is his name.

Resh

¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;

Schin

A good understanding have all those that do his will;

Tau

His praise endures for ever.

²³ And I besought the LORD at that time, saying,

²⁴ O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to show thy slave thy greatness and thy mighty hand; for what God is there in heaven or in earth that can do according to thy works and according to thy mighty acts?

²⁵ I pray thee, let me go over and see that good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly mountain and Lebanon.

²⁶ But the LORD was angry with me for your sakes and would not hear me, and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.

²⁷ Climb up into the top of Pisgah and lift up thine eyes westward and towards the Aquilon and towards the Negev and eastward and behold it with thine eyes, for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

²⁸ But charge Joshua and encourage him and comfort him, for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.

²⁹ So we abode in the valley over against Bethpeor.

⁶ ¶ Not as though the word of God has been deficient. For not all the descendants of Israel are Israelites;

⁷ neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are all sons, but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

⁸ That is, Those who are sons of the flesh, these are not the sons of God; but those who are sons of the promise are counted in the generation.

⁹ For the word of the promise is this, At this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son.

¹⁰ And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac

¹¹ (for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand: not of works, but of him that calls),

¹² it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

¹³ As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

¹⁴ ¶ What shall we say then? Is there injustice in God? No, in no wise.

¹⁵ For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

¹⁶ So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that has mercy.

¹⁷ For the scripture saith of Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

¹⁸ Therefore he has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and he hardens whom he will.