Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was [a]vexed in my mind.
22 (A)I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
24 (B)You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
Happy Is He Who Keeps the Law
29 He(A) who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 When the righteous [a]are in authority, the (B)people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, (C)the people groan.
3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The king establishes the land by justice,
But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
5 A man who (D)flatters his neighbor
Spreads a net for his feet.
6 By transgression an evil man is snared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.
7 The righteous (E)considers the cause of the poor,
But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
8 Scoffers (F)set a city aflame,
But wise men turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
(G)Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,
All his servants become wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
(J)The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 The king who judges the (K)poor with truth,
His throne will be established forever.
15 The rod and rebuke give (L)wisdom,
But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their (M)fall.
17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
18 (N)Where there is no [d]revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But (O)happy is he who keeps the law.
19 A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
For though he understands, he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man hasty in his words?
(P)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who pampers his servant from childhood
Will have him as a son in the end.
22 (Q)An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression.
23 (R)A man’s pride will bring him low,
But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
(S)He [e]swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
Could This Be the Christ?
25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to (A)kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. (B)Do the rulers know indeed that this is [a]truly the Christ? 27 (C)However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”
28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, (D)“You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and (E)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me (F)is true, (G)whom you do not know. 29 [b]But (H)I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
30 Therefore (I)they sought to take Him; but (J)no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And (K)many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”
Jesus and the Religious Leaders
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then Jesus said [c]to them, (L)“I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I (M)go to Him who sent Me. 34 You (N)will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you (O)cannot come.”
35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to (P)the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.