Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

Fear God

5 ^{[a] (A)}Guard your steps when you go to ^(B)the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to ^(C)offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. ^2 [b] Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore ^(D)let your words be few. ³ For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with ^(E)many words.

⁴ When ^(F)you vow a vow to God, ^(G)do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. ^(H)Pay what you vow. ^5 (I)It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. ⁶ Let not your mouth lead you^[c] into sin, and do not say before ^(J)the messenger^[d] that it was ^(K)a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;^[e] but^{[f] (L)}God is the one you must fear.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor

^8 (M)If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, ^(N)do not be amazed at the matter, ^(O)for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. ⁹ But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.^[g]

¹⁰ He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? ¹² Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

^13 (P)There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, ¹⁴ and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. ^15 (Q)As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. ¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what ^(R)gain is there to him who ^(S)toils for the wind? ¹⁷ Moreover, all his days he ^(T)eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

¹⁸ Behold, what I have seen to be ^(U)good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment^[h] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his ^(V)lot. ¹⁹ Everyone also to whom ^(W)God has given ^(X)wealth and possessions ^(Y)and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is ^(Z)the gift of God. ²⁰ For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

²¹ So he said to them again, ^(A)“I am going away, and ^(B)you will seek me, and ^(C)you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” ²² So the Jews said, ^(D)“Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” ²³ He said to them, ^(E)“You are from below; I am from above. ^(F)You are of this world; ^(G)I am not of this world. ²⁴ I told you that you ^(H)would die in your sins, for ^(I)unless you believe that ^(J)I am he you will die in your sins.” ²⁵ So they said to him, ^(K)“Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. ²⁶ I have much to say about you and much to judge, but ^(L)he who sent me is true, and I declare ^(M)to the world ^(N)what I have heard from him.” ²⁷ They did not understand that ^(O)he had been speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said to them, “When you have ^(P)lifted up the Son of Man, ^(Q)then you will know that ^(R)I am he, and that ^(S)I do nothing on my own authority, but ^(T)speak just as the Father taught me. ²⁹ And ^(U)he who sent me is with me. ^(V)He has not left me alone, for ^(W)I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” ³⁰ As he was saying these things, ^(X)many believed in him.

The Truth Will Set You Free

³¹ So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ^(Y)“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, ³² and you will ^(Z)know the truth, and the truth ^(AA)will set you free.” ³³ They answered him, ^(AB)“We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(AC)everyone who practices sin is a slave^[a] to sin. ^35 (AD)The slave does not remain in the house forever; ^(AE)the son remains forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet ^(AF)you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. ^38 (AG)I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard ^(AH)from your father.”