Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
21 When my (A)heart was embittered
And I was (B)pierced [a]within,
22 Then I was (C)senseless and ignorant;
I was like [b]a (D)beast [c]before You.
23 Nevertheless (E)I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
24 With Your counsel You will (F)guide me,
And afterward (G)receive me [d]to glory.
25 (H)Whom have I in heaven but You?
And [e]besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
26 My (I)flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the [f]strength of my heart and my (J)portion forever.
27 For, behold, (K)those who are far from You will (L)perish;
You have [g]destroyed all those who [h](M)are unfaithful to You.
28 But as for me, (N)the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord [i]God my (O)refuge,
That I may (P)tell of all Your works.
Warnings and Instructions
29 A man who hardens his neck after (A)much reproof
Will (B)suddenly be broken [a]beyond remedy.
2 When the (C)righteous [b]increase, the people rejoice,
But when a wicked man rules, people groan.
3 A man who (D)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
But he who (E)keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The (F)king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.
5 A man who (G)flatters his neighbor
Is spreading a net for his steps.
6 By transgression an evil man is (H)ensnared,
But the righteous (I)sings and rejoices.
7 The (J)righteous [c]is concerned for the rights of the poor,
The wicked does not understand such [d]concern.
8 Scorners (K)set a city aflame,
But (L)wise men turn away anger.
9 When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man,
[e]The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.
10 Men of (M)bloodshed hate the blameless,
But the upright [f]are concerned for his life.
11 A (N)fool [g]always loses his temper,
But a (O)wise man holds it back.
12 If a (P)ruler pays attention to falsehood,
All his ministers become wicked.
13 The (Q)poor man and the oppressor [h]have this in common:
The Lord gives (R)light to the eyes of both.
14 If a (S)king judges the poor with truth,
His (T)throne will be established forever.
15 The (U)rod and reproof give wisdom,
But a child [i]who gets his own way (V)brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked [j]increase, transgression increases;
But the (W)righteous will see their fall.
17 (X)Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also [k](Y)delight your soul.
18 Where there is (Z)no [l]vision, the people (AA)are unrestrained,
But (AB)happy is he who keeps the law.
19 A slave will not be instructed by words alone;
For though he understands, there will be no response.
20 Do you see a man who is (AC)hasty in his words?
There is (AD)more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who pampers his slave from childhood
Will in the end find him to be a son.
22 An (AE)angry man stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
23 A man’s (AF)pride will bring him low,
But a (AG)humble spirit will obtain honor.
24 He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
He (AH)hears the oath but tells nothing.
25 The (AI)fear of man [m]brings a snare,
But he who (AJ)trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
26 (AK)Many seek the ruler’s [n]favor,
But (AL)justice for man comes from the Lord.
27 An (AM)unjust man is abominable to the righteous,
And he who is (AN)upright in the way is abominable to the wicked.
25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 26 Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. (A)The rulers do not really know that this is [a]the Christ, do they? 27 However, (B)we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple, (C)teaching and saying, “(D)You both know Me and know where I am from; and (E)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 (F)I know Him, because (G)I am from Him, and (H)He sent Me.” 30 So they (I)were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His (J)hour had not yet come. 31 But (K)many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “(L)When [b]the Christ comes, He will not perform more [c](M)signs than those which this man has, will He?”
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent (N)officers to (O)seize Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, “(P)For a little while longer I am with you, then (Q)I go to Him who sent Me. 34 (R)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35 (S)The Jews then said to one another, “(T)Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to (U)the Dispersion among (V)the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He? 36 What is this statement that He said, ‘(W)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.