Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 128
Blessings for Those Who Fear God
A song of ascents.
1 How happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in His ways!(A)
2 You will surely eat
what your hands have worked for.(B)
You will be happy,
and it will go well for you.(C)
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house,
your sons, like young olive trees
around your table.(D)
4 In this very way
the man who fears the Lord
will be blessed.(E)
5 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
so that you will see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life(F)
6 and will see your children’s children!
Peace be with Israel.(G)
Caution in God’s Presence
5 [a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do,(A) for they ignorantly do wrong. 2 [b]Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.(B) 3 For dreams result from much work and a fool’s voice from many words.(C) 4 When you make a vow to God,(D) don’t delay fulfilling it, because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. 5 Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.(E) 6 Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you,(F) and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake.(G) Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For many dreams bring futility, so do many words.(H) Therefore, fear God.
The Realities of Wealth
8 If you see oppression of the poor(I) and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation,(J) because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them. 9 The profit from the land is taken by all; the king is served by the field.[c](K)
10 The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile. 11 When good things increase, the ones who consume them multiply; what, then, is the profit to the owner, except to gaze at them with his eyes? 12 The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep.
13 There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.(L) 14 That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed. 15 As he came from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came;(M) he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands. 16 This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain(N) who struggles for the wind?(O) 17 What is more, he eats in darkness all his days,(P) with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be good:(Q) it is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward.(R) 19 God has also given riches and wealth to every man,(S) and He has allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor.(T) This is a gift of God,(U) 20 for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
Jesus Predicts His Departure
21 Then He said to them again, “I’m going away;(A) you will look for Me, and you will die in your sin.(B) Where I’m going, you cannot come.”(C)
22 So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’(D)?”
23 “You are from below,” He told them, “I am from above.(E) You are of this world;(F) I am not of this world.(G) 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am He,[a] you will die in your sins.”
25 “Who are You?” they questioned.
“Precisely what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. 26 “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the One who sent Me(H) is true, and what I have heard from Him—these things I tell the world.”(I)
27 They did not know He was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man,(J) then you will know that I am(K) He, and that I do nothing on My own.(L) But just as the Father taught Me, I say these things. 29 The One who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone,(M) because I always do what pleases Him.”
Truth and Freedom
30 As He was saying these things, many believed in Him. 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word,[b](N) you really are My disciples. 32 You will know the truth,(O) and the truth will set you free.”
33 “We are descendants[c] of Abraham,”(P) they answered Him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus responded, “I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.(Q) 35 A slave does not remain in the household forever,(R) but a son does remain forever.(S) 36 Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I know you are descendants[d] of Abraham,(T) but you are trying to kill Me because My word[e] is not welcome among you. 38 I speak what I have seen(U) in the presence of the Father;[f](V) therefore, you do what you have heard from your father.”
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