Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Warning Against Disregarding Wisdom
20 Wisdom[a] calls out[b] in the street,
she shouts loudly[c] in the plazas;[d]
21 at the head of the noisy streets[e] she calls,
in the entrances of the gates in the city[f] she utters her words:[g]
22 “How long will you simpletons[h] love naiveté?[i]
How long[j] have mockers[k] delighted in[l] mockery?[m]
And how long[n] will fools[o] hate knowledge?
23 You should respond to[p] my rebuke.[q]
Then[r] I would pour out[s] my thoughts[t] to you;
I would make[u] my words known to you.
24 However,[v] because[w] I called but you refused to listen,[x]
because[y] I stretched out my hand[z] but no one was paying attention,[aa]
25 and you neglected[ab] all my advice,
and did not comply[ac] with my rebuke,
26 so[ad] I myself will laugh[ae] when disaster strikes you,[af]
I will mock when what you dread[ag] comes,
27 when what you dread[ah] comes like a whirlwind,[ai]
and disaster strikes you[aj] like a devastating storm,[ak]
when distressing trouble[al] comes on you.
28 Then they will call to me, but I will not answer;
they will diligently seek[am] me, but they will not find me.
29 Because[an] they hated moral knowledge,[ao]
and did not choose to fear the Lord,[ap]
30 they did not comply with my advice,
they spurned[aq] all my rebuke.
31 Therefore[ar] they will eat from the fruit[as] of their way,[at]
and they will be stuffed full[au] of their own counsel.
32 For the waywardness[av] of the
simpletons will kill[aw] them,
and the careless ease[ax] of fools will destroy them.
33 But the one who listens[ay] to me will live in security,[az]
and will be at ease[ba] from the dread of harm.”
Psalm 19[a]
For the music director, a psalm of David.
19 The heavens declare the glory of God;[b]
the sky displays his handiwork.[c]
2 Day after day it speaks out;[d]
night after night it reveals his greatness.[e]
3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its[f] voice literally heard.
4 Yet its voice[g] echoes[h] throughout the earth;
its[i] words carry[j] to the distant horizon.[k]
In the sky[l] he has pitched a tent for the sun.[m]
5 Like a bridegroom it emerges[n] from its chamber;[o]
like a strong man it enjoys[p] running its course.[q]
6 It emerges from the distant horizon,[r]
and goes from one end of the sky to the other;[s]
nothing can escape[t] its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life.[u]
The rules set down by the Lord[v] are reliable[w]
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.[x]
8 The Lord’s precepts are fair[y]
and make one joyful.[z]
The Lord’s commands[aa] are pure[ab]
and give insight for life.[ac]
9 The commands to fear the Lord are right[ad]
and endure forever.[ae]
The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy
and absolutely just.[af]
10 They are of greater value[ag] than gold,
than even a great amount of pure gold;
they bring greater delight[ah] than honey,
than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there;[ai]
those who obey them receive a rich reward.[aj]
12 Who can know all his errors?[ak]
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of.[al]
13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins;[am]
do not allow such sins to control me.[an]
Then I will be blameless,
and innocent of blatant[ao] rebellion.
14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight,[ap]
O Lord, my sheltering rock[aq] and my redeemer.[ar]
The Power of the Tongue
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters,[a] because you know that we will be judged more strictly.[b] 2 For we all stumble[c] in many ways. If someone does not stumble[d] in what he says,[e] he is a perfect individual,[f] able to control the entire body as well. 3 And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies.[g] 4 Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs. 5 So too the tongue is a small part of the body,[h] yet it has great pretensions.[i] Think[j] how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze. 6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents[k] the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It[l] pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence—and is set on fire by hell.[m]
7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature[n] is subdued and has been subdued by humankind.[o] 8 But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless[p] evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord[q] and Father, and with it we curse people[r] made in God’s image. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters.[s] 11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? 12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters,[t] or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.
Peter’s Confession
27 Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples,[a] “Who do people say that I am?” 28 They said,[b] “John the Baptist, others say Elijah,[c] and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him,[d] “You are the Christ.”[e] 30 Then[f] he warned them not to tell anyone about him.[g]
First Prediction of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
31 Then[h] Jesus[i] began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer[j] many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law,[k] and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke openly about this. So[l] Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But after turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”[m]
Following Jesus
34 Then[n] Jesus[o] called the crowd, along with his disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to become my follower,[p] he must deny[q] himself, take up his cross,[r] and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life[s] will lose it,[t] but whoever loses his life because of me and because of the gospel[u] will save it. 36 For what benefit is it for a person[v] to gain the whole world, yet[w] forfeit his life? 37 What can a person give in exchange for his life? 38 For if anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him[x] when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
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