Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Satan’s Second Test of Job
2 One day the sons of God(A) came again to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before the Lord. 2 The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?”
“From roaming through the earth,” Satan answered Him, “and walking around on it.”
3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity,(B) who fears God and turns away from evil.(C) He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him, to destroy him without just cause.”
4 “Skin for skin!” Satan answered the Lord. “A man will give up everything he owns in exchange for his life. 5 But stretch out Your hand and strike(D) his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
6 “Very well,” the Lord told Satan, “he is in your power; only spare his life.” 7 So Satan left the Lord’s presence and infected Job with terrible boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.(E) 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself while he sat among the ashes.[a](F)
9 His wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10 “You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.[b]
Psalm 26
Prayer for Vindication
Davidic.
1 Vindicate me, Lord,
because I have lived with integrity
and have trusted in the Lord without wavering.(A)
2 Test me, Lord, and try me;
examine my heart and mind.(B)
3 For Your faithful love is before my eyes,
and I live by Your truth.(C)
4 I do not sit with the worthless
or associate with hypocrites.
5 I hate a crowd of evildoers,
and I do not sit with the wicked.(D)
6 I wash my hands[a] in innocence(E)
and go around Your altar, Lord,(F)
7 raising my voice in thanksgiving(G)
and telling about Your wonderful works.(H)
The Nature of the Son
1 Long ago God spoke(A) to the fathers by the prophets(B) at different times and in different ways.(C) 2 In these last days,(D) He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe[a](E) through Him. 3 The Son is the radiance[b] of God’s glory and the exact expression[c] of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins,[d] He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.[e](F) 4 So He became higher in rank than the angels, just as the name He inherited is superior to theirs.(G)
Jesus and Humanity
5 For He has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. 6 But one has somewhere testified:
What is man that You remember him,
or the son of man that You care for him?
7 You made him lower than the angels
for a short time;
You crowned him with glory and honor[a]
8 and subjected everything under his feet.[b]
For in subjecting everything to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him.(A) 9 But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace He might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor(B) because of His suffering in death.(C)
10 For in bringing many sons to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—all things exist for Him and through Him—should make the source[c] of their salvation perfect through sufferings.(D) 11 For the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.[d] That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers,(E) 12 saying:
2 Some Pharisees(A) approached Him to test(B) Him. They asked, “Is it lawful(C) for a man to divorce(D) his wife?”(E)
3 He replied to them, “What did Moses(F) command you?”
4 They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers(G) and send her away.”(H)
5 But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.(I) 6 But from the beginning(J) of creation(K) God[a] made them male and female.(L)[b]
7 For this reason a man will leave(M)
his father and mother
[and be joined to his wife],[c]
8 and the two will become one flesh.(N)[d]
So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.”(O)
10 Now in the house the disciples questioned Him again about this matter. 11 And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife(P) and marries(Q) another commits adultery(R) against her. 12 Also, if she divorces her husband(S) and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Blessing the Children
13 Some(T) people were bringing little children(U) to Him so He might touch them, but His disciples rebuked(V) them. 14 When Jesus saw it, He was indignant(W) and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me.(X) Don’t stop(Y) them, for the kingdom of God(Z) belongs to such as these. 15 I assure you:(AA) Whoever does not welcome[e](AB) the kingdom of God like a little child(AC) will never enter it.” 16 After taking them in His arms, He laid His hands on(AD) them and blessed(AE) them.
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