Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Joy of Obeying
128 Happy are all who honor the Lord with fear, and who walk in His ways. 2 For you will eat the fruit of your hands. You will be happy and it will be well with you. 3 Your wife will be like a vine with much fruit within your house. Your children will be like olive plants around your table. 4 This is the good that will come to the man who honors the Lord with fear.
5 May the Lord do good things for you from Zion. And may you see good come to Jerusalem all the days of your life. 6 Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.
Do What You Promise
5 Watch your steps as you go to the house of God. Go near and listen but do not give the gift of fools. For they do not know they are sinning. 2 Do not hurry to speak or be in a hurry as you think what to tell God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth. So let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much work, and the voice of a fool comes with many words. 4 When you make a promise to God, do not be late in paying it, for He is not pleased with fools. Pay what you promise to pay! 5 It is better not to make a promise, than to make a promise and not pay it. 6 Do not let your mouth cause you to sin. And do not say to the one sent from God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry because of what you said, and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For when there are many dreams, there are many empty words. Instead of this, honor God with fear.
Money and Honor Are of Little Worth
8 In one part of a land if you see a bad power held over the poor, and what is right and fair and good taken away, do not be surprised by what you see. For one leader watches over another leader, and more important leaders watch over them. 9 After all, a country does better with a king in power.
10 He who loves money will never have enough money to make him happy. It is the same for the one who loves to get many things. This also is for nothing. 11 When there are more good things, there are also more people to eat them. So what does their owner get except to see them with his eyes? 12 The sleep of the working man is pleasing, if he eats little or much. But the full stomach of the rich man does not let him sleep.
13 There is something very wrong which I have seen under the sun: Riches being kept by the owner and he is hurt by them. 14 When those riches are lost because he used them in a wrong way, and he had become the father of a son, there was nothing left for him. 15 A man comes from his mother without clothing, and he will go as he came. He will take nothing from his work that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is very wrong: As a man is born, this is the way he will leave. So what does the man get who works for the wind? 17 All his life he eats in darkness with much sorrow, sickness and anger.
18 This is what I have seen to be good and right: to eat and to drink and be happy in all the work one does under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him. For this is his reward. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and many good things, He has also given him the power to eat from them, receive his reward and be happy in his work. This is the gift of God. 20 For he will not think much about the years of his life, because God keeps him happy in his heart.
Jesus Tells of His Going Away
21 Jesus spoke to the Jews again, saying, “I am going away. You will look for Me but you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 The Jews said, “Will He kill Himself because He said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”
23 He answered them, “You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. 24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins. If you do not believe that I am the Christ, you will die in your sins.”
25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus answered, “The answer is the same as I told you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you. I must say if you are guilty. But He Who sent Me is true. I tell the world the things I have heard from Him.”
27 They did not understand that Jesus was speaking to them about the Father. 28 Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know that I am the Christ. I do nothing of Myself. I say these things as My Father has taught Me. 29 He that sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone. I always do what He wants Me to do.” 30 As Jesus said these things, many people put their trust in Him. 31 He said to the Jews who believed, “If you keep and obey My Word, then you are My followers for sure. 32 You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.”
Jesus Teaches What It Means to Be Free
33 They said to Jesus, “We are children of Abraham. We have never been servants to anyone. What do you mean when You say, ‘You will be free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “For sure, I tell you, everyone who sins is the servant of sin because sin has a hold on him. 35 And the servant does not belong in the house. The son belongs in the house. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free for sure.
37 “I know that you are the children of Abraham. But you want to kill Me because My Word is not in your hearts. 38 I speak of what I saw when I was with My Father. You do what you have seen your father do.”
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