Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 35

[A Psalm] of David.

¹ Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!

² Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help!

³ Draw out also the spear and javelin and close up the way of those who pursue and persecute me. Say to me, I am your deliverance!

⁴ Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek and require my life; let them be turned back and confounded who plan my hurt!

⁵ Let them be as chaff before the wind, with the ^[a]Angel of the Lord driving them on!

⁶ Let their way be through dark and slippery places, with the Angel of the Lord pursuing and afflicting them.

⁷ For without cause they hid for me their net; a pit of destruction without cause they dug for my life.

⁸ Let destruction befall [my foe] unawares; let the net he hid for me catch him; let him fall into that very destruction.

⁹ Then I shall be joyful in the Lord; I shall rejoice in His deliverance.

¹⁰ All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like You, You Who deliver the poor and the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who snatches away his goods?

22 The Israelites journeyed and encamped in the plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan [River] at Jericho.

² And Balak [the king of Moab] son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

³ And Moab was terrified at the people and full of dread, because they were many. Moab was distressed and overcome with fear because of the Israelites.

⁴ And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. So Balak son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites at that time,

⁵ Sent messengers to Balaam [a foreteller of events] son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the [Euphrates] River, even to the land of the children of his people, to say to him, There is a people come out from Egypt; behold, they cover the face of the earth and they have settled down and dwell opposite me.

⁶ Now come, I beg of you, curse this people for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.

⁷ And the elders of Moab and of Midian departed with the rewards of foretelling in their hands; and they came to Balaam and told him the words of Balak.

⁸ And he said to them, Lodge here tonight and I will bring you word as the Lord may speak to me. And the princes of Moab abode with Balaam [that night].

⁹ And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you?

¹⁰ And Balaam said to God, Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,

¹¹ Behold, the people who came out of Egypt cover the face of the earth; come now, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.

¹² And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.

¹³ And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Go back to your own land, for the Lord refuses to permit me to go with you.

¹⁴ So the princes of Moab rose up and went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.

¹⁵ Then Balak again sent princes, more of them and more honorable than the first ones.

¹⁶ And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus says Balak son of Zippor, I beg of you, let nothing hinder you from coming to me.

¹⁷ For I will promote you to very great honor and I will do whatever you tell me; so come, I beg of you, curse this people for me.

¹⁸ And Balaam answered the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

¹⁹ Now therefore, I pray you, tarry here again tonight that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.

²⁰ And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up and go with them, but still only what I tell you may you do.

²¹ And Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

¹⁷ When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received and welcomed us gladly.

¹⁸ On the next day Paul went in with us to [see] James, and all the elders of the church were present [also].

¹⁹ After saluting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

²⁰ And upon hearing it, they adored and exalted and praised and thanked God. And they said to [Paul], You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and all of them are enthusiastic upholders of the [Mosaic] Law.

²¹ Now they have been informed about you that you continually teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn back from and forsake Moses, advising them not to circumcise their children or pay any attention to the observance of the [Mosaic] customs.

²² What then [is best that] should be done? A multitude will come together, for they will surely hear that you have arrived.

²³ Therefore do just what we tell you. With us are four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.

²⁴ Take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses [for the temple offering], so that they may have their heads shaved. Thus everybody will know that there is no truth in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself walk in observance of the Law.

²⁵ But with regard to the Gentiles who have believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ), we have sent them a letter with our decision that they should keep themselves free from anything that has been sacrificed to idols and from [tasting] blood and [eating the meat of animals] which have been strangled and from all impurity and sexual immorality.

²⁶ Then Paul took the [four] men with him and the following day [he went through the rites of] purifying himself along with them. And they entered the temple to give notice when the days of purification (the ending of each vow) would be fulfilled and the usual offering could be presented on behalf of each of them.