Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Lord Reveals His Omnipotence to Job(A)
38 Then the Lord answered Job (B)out of the whirlwind, and said:
2 “Who(C) is this who darkens counsel
By (D)words without knowledge?
3 (E)Now [a]prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
4 “Where(F) were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the [b]line upon it?
6 To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together,
And all (G)the sons of God shouted for joy?
34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
That an abundance of water may cover you?
35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go,
And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?
36 (A)Who has put wisdom in [a]the mind?
Or who has given understanding to the heart?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust hardens in clumps,
And the clods cling together?
Praise to the Sovereign Lord for His Creation and Providence(A)
104 Bless (B)the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great:
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.
3 (C)He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,
Who makes the clouds His chariot,
Who walks on the wings of the wind,
4 Who makes His angels spirits,
His [a]ministers a flame of fire.
5 You who [b]laid the foundations of the earth,
So that it should not be moved forever,
6 You (D)covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters stood above the mountains.
7 At Your rebuke they fled;
At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.
8 [c]They went up over the mountains;
They went down into the valleys,
To the place which You founded for them.
9 You have (E)set a boundary that they may not pass over,
(F)That they may not return to cover the earth.
Qualifications for High Priesthood
5 For every high priest taken from among men (A)is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can [a]have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to (B)weakness. 3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for (C)himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. 4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as (D)Aaron was.
A Priest Forever
5 (E)So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:
(F)“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
6 As He also says in another place:
(G)“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek”;
7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had (H)offered up prayers and supplications, (I)with vehement cries and tears to Him (J)who was able to save Him from death, and was heard (K)because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned (L)obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And (M)having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest (N)“according to the order of Melchizedek,”
Greatness Is Serving(A)
35 (B)Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the (C)cup that I drink, and be baptized with the (D)baptism that I am baptized with?”
39 They said to Him, “We are able.”
So Jesus said to them, (E)“You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those (F)for whom it is prepared.”
41 (G)And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, (H)“You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 (I)Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even (J)the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and (K)to give His life a ransom for many.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.