Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Works and the Word of God.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
19 The (A)heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their (B)expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to (C)day pours forth speech,
And (D)night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a](E)line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has (F)placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its (G)rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 (H)The law of the Lord is [d](I)perfect, (J)restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is (K)sure, making (L)wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are (M)right, (N)rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is (O)pure, (P)enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are (Q)true; they are (R)righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than (S)gold, yes, than much fine gold;
(T)Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them (U)Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great (V)reward.
12 Who can (W)discern his errors? (X)Acquit me of (Y)hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant (Z)from presumptuous sins;
Let them not (AA)rule over me;
Then I will be [e](AB)blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of (AC)great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and (AD)the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, (AE)my rock and my (AF)Redeemer.
On Life and Conduct
21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He (A)turns it wherever He wishes.
2 (B)Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord (C)weighs the hearts.
3 To do (D)righteousness and justice
Is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The (E)lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The plans of the (F)diligent lead surely to advantage,
But everyone (G)who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
6 The (H)acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the [a]pursuit of (I)death.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they (J)refuse to act with justice.
8 The way of a guilty man is (K)crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than [b]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His (L)neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 When the (M)scoffer is punished, the [c]naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Turning the (N)wicked to ruin.
13 He who (O)shuts his ear to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be (P)answered.
14 A (Q)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But is (R)terror to the workers of iniquity.
16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will (S)rest in the assembly of the [d]dead.
17 He who (T)loves pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
Authority Challenged
23 (A)When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him (B)while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” 24 Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one [a]thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the [b]people; for they all regard John as (C)a prophet.” 27 And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Parable of Two Sons
28 “But what do you think? A man had two [c]sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘[d]Son, go work today in the (D)vineyard.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They *said, “The first.” Jesus *said to them, “Truly I say to you that (E)the tax collectors and prostitutes [e]will get into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but (F)the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.