Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 50

God as Judge

A psalm of Asaph.^(A)

²⁶ Now Solomon’s servant,^(A) Jeroboam son of Nebat, was an Ephraimite from Zeredah. His widowed mother’s name was Zeruah. Jeroboam rebelled^(B) against Solomon, ²⁷ and this is the reason he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the supporting terraces^(C) and repaired the opening in the wall of the city of his father David. ²⁸ Now the man Jeroboam was capable, and Solomon noticed the young man because he was getting things done. So he appointed him over the entire labor force of the house of Joseph.^(D)

²⁹ During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite^(E) met Jeroboam on the road as Jeroboam came out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself with a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field. ³⁰ Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he had on, tore it into 12 pieces,^{(F) 31} and said to Jeroboam, “Take 10 pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I am about to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand. I will give you 10 tribes, ³² but one tribe will remain his because of my servant David^(G) and because of Jerusalem, the city I chose out of all the tribes of Israel.^{(H) 33} For they have abandoned Me; they have bowed the knee to Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh, the god of Moab, and to Milcom, the god of the Ammonites.^(I) They have not walked in My ways to do what is right in My eyes and to carry out My statutes and My judgments as his father David did.^(J)

³⁴ “‘However, I will not take the whole kingdom from his hand but will let him be ruler all the days of his life because of My servant David, whom I chose and who kept My commands and My statutes. ³⁵ I will take 10 tribes of the kingdom from his son’s hand and give them to you. ³⁶ I will give one tribe^(K) to his son,^(L) so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me^(M) in Jerusalem, the city I chose for Myself to put My name there.^{(N) 37} I will appoint you,^(O) and you will reign as king^(P) over all you want,^(Q) and you will be king over Israel.

³⁸ “‘After that, if you obey all I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight in order to keep My statutes and My commands as My servant David did, I will be with you.^(R) I will build you a lasting dynasty just as I built for David,^(S) and I will give you Israel. ³⁹ I will humble David’s descendants, because of their unfaithfulness, but not forever.’”^[a](T)

⁴⁰ Therefore, Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam,^(U) but he fled to Egypt,^(V) to Shishak king of Egypt,^(W) where he remained until Solomon’s death.

A Trip to Macedonia

¹² When I came to Troas^(A) to preach the gospel of Christ, the Lord opened a door^(B) for me. ¹³ I had no rest^(C) in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus,^(D) but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.^(E)

A Ministry of Life or Death

¹⁴ But thanks be to God,^(F) who always puts us on display^[a] in Christ^[b] and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.^{(G) 15} For to God we are the fragrance^(H) of Christ among those who are being saved^(I) and among those who are perishing.^{(J) 16} To some we are an aroma of death^(K) leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life^(L) leading to life. And who is competent for this? ¹⁷ For we are not like the many^[c] who market God’s message^(M) for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.