Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Wisdom’s Plea
20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she makes her voice heard in the public squares.(A)
21 She cries out above[a] the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers(B) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?(C)
23 If you respond to my warning,[b](D)
then I will pour out my spirit on you(E)
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,(F)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,(G)
25 since you neglected all my counsel(H)
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.(I)
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.(J)
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,(K)
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,(L)
31 they will eat the fruit of their way(M)
and be glutted with their own schemes.(N)
32 For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,(O)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.”(P)
Psalm 19
The Witness of Creation and Scripture
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the expanse(A) proclaims the work of his hands.(B)
2 Day after day they pour out speech;
night after night they communicate knowledge.[a]
3 There is no speech; there are no words;
their voice is not heard.
4 Their message[b] has gone out to the whole earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.(C)
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun.(D)
5 It is like a bridegroom coming from his home;
it rejoices like an athlete running a course.
6 It rises from one end of the heavens
and circles to their other end;(E)
nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect,
renewing one’s life;(F)
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.(G)
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
making the heart glad;(H)
the command of the Lord is radiant,
making the eyes light up.(I)
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;(J)
the ordinances of the Lord are reliable
and altogether righteous.(K)
10 They are more desirable than gold—
than an abundance of pure gold;(L)
and sweeter than honey
dripping from a honeycomb.(M)
11 In addition, your servant is warned by them,
and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.(N)
12 Who perceives his unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from my hidden faults.(O)
13 Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins;(P)
do not let them rule me.(Q)
Then I will be blameless
and cleansed from blatant rebellion.(R)
14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,(S)
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.(T)
Controlling the Tongue
3 Not many should become teachers, my brothers,[a] because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.(A) 2 For we all stumble in many ways.(B) If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.(C) 3 Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us,(D) we direct their whole bodies. 4 And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things.(E) Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed[b] among our members. It stains the whole body,(F) sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.(G) 9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness.(H) 10 Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.
Peter’s Confession of the Messiah
27 Jesus(A) went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
28 They answered him, “John the Baptist;(B) others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”(C)
29 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”
Peter(D) answered him, “You are the Messiah.”(E) 30 And he strictly warned(F) them to tell no one about him.
His Death and Resurrection Predicted
31 Then(G) he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man(H) to suffer many things and be rejected(I) by the elders,(J) chief priests, and scribes,(K) be killed, and rise(L) after three days.(M) 32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan!(N) You are not thinking about God’s concerns[a] but human concerns.”
Take Up Your Cross
34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself,(O) take up his cross,(P) and follow me.(Q) 35 For whoever wants to save(R) his life will lose it,(S) but whoever loses(T) his life(U) because of me(V) and the gospel(W) will save it.(X) 36 For what does it benefit(Y) someone to gain(Z) the whole world(AA) and yet lose(AB) his life?(AC) 37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life?(AD) 38 For whoever is ashamed(AE) of me and my words(AF) in this adulterous and sinful(AG) generation,(AH) the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory(AI) of his Father(AJ) with the holy(AK) angels.”(AL)
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