Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Book Three
God Is My Strength and Portion Forever
A Psalm of (A)Asaph.
73 Truly God is good to (B)Israel,
to those who are (C)pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 (D)For I was (E)envious of the arrogant
when I saw the (F)prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not (G)stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore pride is (H)their necklace;
violence covers them as (I)a garment.
7 Their (J)eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and (K)speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn back to them,
and find (L)no fault in them.[a]
11 And they say, (M)“How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked;
always at ease, they (N)increase in riches.
13 All in vain have I (O)kept my heart clean
and (P)washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been (Q)stricken
and (R)rebuked (S)every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
I would have betrayed (T)the generation of your children.
32 “And now, (A)O sons, listen to me:
(B)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 (C)Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 (D)Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For (E)whoever finds me (F)finds life
and (G)obtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me (H)injures himself;
all who (I)hate me (J)love death.”
The Way of Wisdom
9 (K)Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her (L)seven (M)pillars.
2 She has (N)slaughtered her beasts; she has (O)mixed her wine;
she has also (P)set her table.
3 She has (Q)sent out her young women to (R)call
from (S)the highest places in the town,
4 (T)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
(U)To him who lacks sense she says,
5 “Come, (V)eat of my bread
and (W)drink of (X)the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave (Y)your simple ways,[a] and (Z)live,
(AA)and walk in the way of insight.”
29 By faith (A)the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith (B)the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith (C)Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she (D)had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of (E)Gideon, (F)Barak, (G)Samson, (H)Jephthah, of (I)David and (J)Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, (K)stopped the mouths of lions, 34 (L)quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, (M)became mighty in war, (N)put foreign armies to flight. 35 (O)Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even (P)chains and imprisonment. 37 (Q)They were stoned, they were sawn in two,[a] (R)they were killed with the sword. (S)They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—(T)wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, (U)though commended through their faith, (V)did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, (W)that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and (X)sin which clings so closely, and (Y)let us run (Z)with endurance the race that is (AA)set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, (AB)who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising (AC)the shame, and (AD)is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.