Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Blessedness of the Fear of the Lord.

A Song of Ascents.

⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. ¹⁰ For if ^[a]either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not ^[b]another to lift him up. ¹¹ Furthermore, if two lie down together they ^[c]keep warm, but ^(A)how can one be warm alone? ¹² And if ^[d]one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

¹³ A ^(B)poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive ^[e]instruction. ¹⁴ For he has come ^(C)out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵ I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who ^[f]replaces him. ¹⁶ There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is ^(D)vanity and striving after wind.

Misuse of Riches

5 ^(A)Come now, ^(B)you rich, ^(C)weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. ^2 (D)Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is ^(E)in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! ⁴ Behold, ^(F)the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and ^(G)the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of ^(H)the Lord of ^[a]Sabaoth. ⁵ You have ^(I)lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have ^[b]fattened your hearts in ^(J)a day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned and ^[c](K)put to death ^(L)the righteous man; he does not resist you.