Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.
39 I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue.
I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”
2 I was mute with silence.
I held my peace, even from good.
My sorrow was stirred.
3 My heart was hot within me.
While I meditated, the fire burned.
I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Yahweh, show me my end,
what is the measure of my days.
Let me know how frail I am.
5 Behold, you have made my days hand widths.
My lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely every man stands as a breath.” Selah.
6 “Surely every man walks like a shadow.
Surely they busy themselves in vain.
He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.
7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in you.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was mute.
I didn’t open my mouth,
because you did it.
10 Remove your scourge away from me.
I am overcome by the blow of your hand.
11 When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity,
you consume his wealth like a moth.
Surely every man is but a breath.” Selah.
12 “Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and give ear to my cry.
Don’t be silent at my tears.
For I am a stranger with you,
a foreigner, as all my fathers were.
13 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength,
before I go away and exist no more.”
32 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled against Job. His wrath was kindled because he justified himself rather than God. 3 Also his wrath was kindled against his three friends, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job, because they were older than he. 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was kindled.
6 Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered,
“I am young, and you are very old.
Therefore I held back, and didn’t dare show you my opinion.
7 I said, ‘Days should speak,
and multitude of years should teach wisdom.’
8 But there is a spirit in man,
and the Spirit[a] of the Almighty gives them understanding.
9 It is not the great who are wise,
nor the aged who understand justice.
10 Therefore I said, ‘Listen to me;
I also will show my opinion.’
11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
and I listened for your reasoning,
while you searched out what to say.
12 Yes, I gave you my full attention,
but there was no one who convinced Job,
or who answered his words, among you.
13 Beware lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom.
God may refute him, not man;’
14 for he has not directed his words against me;
neither will I answer him with your speeches.
15 “They are amazed. They answer no more.
They don’t have a word to say.
16 Shall I wait, because they don’t speak,
because they stand still, and answer no more?
17 I also will answer my part,
and I also will show my opinion.
18 For I am full of words.
The spirit within me constrains me.
19 Behold, my breast is as wine which has no vent;
like new wineskins it is ready to burst.
20 I will speak, that I may be refreshed.
I will open my lips and answer.
21 Please don’t let me respect any man’s person,
neither will I give flattering titles to any man.
22 For I don’t know how to give flattering titles,
or else my Maker would soon take me away.
19 “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades,[a] he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 24 He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’
25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But here he is now comforted and you are in anguish. 26 Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’
27 “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
30 “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”
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