Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Happy Home of the Faithful

A Song of Ascents.

Reverence, Humility, and Contentment

5 ^[a] Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than to 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 upon earth; therefore let your words be few.

³ For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.

⁴ When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. ⁵ It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. ⁶ Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger^[c] that it was a mistake; why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

⁷ For when dreams increase, empty words grow many:^[d] but do you fear God.

⁸ If you see in a province the poor oppressed and justice and right violently taken away, do not be amazed at the matter; for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. ⁹ But in all, a king is an advantage to a land with cultivated fields.^[e]

¹⁰ He who loves money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves wealth, with gain: this also is vanity.

¹¹ When goods increase, they increase who eat them; and what gain 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 surfeit of the rich will not let him sleep.

¹³ There is a grievous evil which 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 As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil, which he may carry away in his hand. ¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go; and what gain has he that he toiled for the wind, ¹⁷ and spent all his days in darkness and grief,^[f] in much vexation and sickness and resentment?

¹⁸ Behold, what I have seen to be good and to be fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life which God has given him, for this is his lot. ¹⁹ Every man also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and find enjoyment in his toil—this is 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.

Jesus Foretells His Death

²¹ Again he said to them, “I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin;^[a] where I am going, you cannot come.” ²² Then said the Jews, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” ²³ He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ²⁴ I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.” ²⁵ They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Even what I have told you from the beginning.^{[b] 26} I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” ²⁷ They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. ²⁹ And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” ³⁰ As he spoke thus, many believed in him.

True Disciples

³¹ Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, ³² and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” ³³ They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, ‘You will be made free’?”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin. ³⁵ The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever. ³⁶ So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. ³⁸ I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”