Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears Yahweh
A Song of Ascents.
128 (A)How blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh,
Who (B)walks in His ways.
2 When you shall (C)eat of the [a](D)fruit of the labor of your hands,
How blessed will you be and (E)how well will it be for you.
3 Your wife shall be like a (F)fruitful vine
In the innermost parts of your house,
Your children like (G)olive plants
All around your table.
4 Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears Yahweh.
Fear God
5 [a](A)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the (B)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 [b]Do not be (C)hasty with your mouth or [c]impulsive in your heart to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven but you are on the earth; therefore let your (D)words be few. 3 For the dream comes through abundant endeavor and the voice of a (E)fool through abundant words.
4 When you (F)make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. (G)Pay what you vow! 5 It is (H)better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a (I)mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and wreak destruction on the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and vanities are many words. Rather, [d](J)fear God.
The Vanity of Riches
8 If you see (K)oppression of the poor and (L)robbery of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be (M)astonished over the [e]matter; for a lofty one keeps watch over another lofty one, and there are loftier ones over them. 9 But the advantage of the land in everything is this—a king committed to a cultivated field.
10 (N)He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its produce. This too is [f]vanity. 11 (O)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the success to their masters except to look on with their eyes? 12 The sleep of the laboring man is (P)sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the satisfaction of the rich man does not [g]allow him to sleep.
13 There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: (Q)riches being [h]hoarded by their master to his own evil demise. 14 And those riches were lost through a bad endeavor; and he became the father of a son, but there was nothing in his hand for him. 15 (R)As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will (S)carry nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can bring in his hand. 16 This also is a sickening evil—exactly as a man came, so will he go. So (T)what is the advantage to him who (U)labors for the wind? 17 Also, all his days (V)he eats in darkness with (W)much vexation, and his sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be (X)good, which is [i]beautiful: to eat, to drink, and to see good in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few days of his life which God has given him; for this is his (Y)portion. 19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom (Z)God has given riches and wealth, He has also (AA)empowered him to eat from them and to take up his portion and be glad in his labor; this is the (AB)gift of God. 20 For he will not remember much the days of his life because (AC)God allows [j]him to occupy himself with the gladness of his heart.
21 Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and (A)you will seek Me, and (B)will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So (C)the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, since He says, ‘(D)Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying 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 Therefore I said to you that you (H)will die in your sins. For unless you believe that [a](I)I am He, (J)you will die in your sins.” 25 So they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “[b]What have I been saying to you from the beginning? 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but (K)He who sent Me is true; and (L)the things which I heard from Him, these I am saying to the world.” 27 They did not know that He had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you (M)lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that [c](N)I am He, and (O)I do nothing from Myself, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me; (P)He [d]has not left Me alone, for (Q)I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He was speaking these things, (R)many believed in Him.
The Son Will Make You Free
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “(S)If you abide in My word, then you are truly My (T)disciples; 32 and (U)you will know the truth, and (V)the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “(W)We are Abraham’s seed and have never yet been enslaved to anyone. How is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, (X)everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 (Y)And the slave does not remain in the house forever; (Z)the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son (AA)makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are (AB)Abraham’s seed; yet (AC)you are seeking to kill Me, because My word [e]has no place in you. 38 I speak the things which I have seen [f]with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from (AD)your father.”
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