Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Puts Down the Proud and Lifts Up Those Who Are Right with Himself
75 We give thanks to You, O God. We give thanks that Your name is near. Men tell about the great things You have done. 2 You say, “When the right time has come, I will be right and fair in deciding who is guilty or not. 3 When the earth and all its people shake, it is I Who will hold it together. 4 I said to the proud, ‘Do not speak with pride.’ And I said to the sinful, ‘Do not lift up the horn. 5 Do not lift your horn up high. Do not speak in your pride.’”
6 For honor does not come from the east or the west or from the desert. 7 But God is the One Who decides. He puts down one and brings respect to another. 8 For there is a cup in the Lord’s hand. It is full of strong wine that is well mixed. He pours out from it, and all the sinful people of the earth must drink all of it.
9 But as for me, I will tell of it forever. I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 He will cut off all the horns of the sinful. But the horns of those who are right with God will be lifted up.
12 “I will not keep quiet about his legs, or his powerful strength, or the good way he is made. 13 Who can take off his outside clothing? Who can get through his hard skin? 14 Who can open the doors of his mouth? Around his teeth is much fear. 15 His hard covering is his pride. He is shut up as with a lock. 16 One piece of his hard skin is so close to another that no air can come between them. 17 They are joined one to another. They hold on to each other and cannot be separated. 18 His breath gives out light. And his eyes are like those of the first light of day. 19 Burning light goes out of his mouth. Fire comes out. 20 Smoke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning grass. 21 His breath sets fire to coals. A fire goes out of his mouth. 22 Strength is in his neck, and fear jumps in front of him. 23 The folds of his flesh are joined together. They are set in place and cannot be moved. 24 His heart is as hard as a stone, even as hard as a grinding-stone. 25 When he raises himself up, the powerful are afraid. They are troubled because of his noise. 26 The sword that hits him cannot cut. And spears are of no use. 27 He thinks of iron as straw, and brass as soft wood. 28 The arrow cannot make him run away. Stones thrown at him are like dry grass to him. 29 He thinks of heavy sticks as dry grass. He laughs at the noise of the spear. 30 The parts under him are like sharp pieces of a pot. He spreads out like a grain crusher on the mud. 31 He makes the sea boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a jar of oil. 32 He makes his way shine behind him. One would think that the sea has white hair. 33 Nothing on earth is like him, one made without fear. 34 He looks on everything that is high. He is king over all that are proud.”
Jesus Washes the Feet of His Followers
13 It was before the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had loved His own who were in the world. He loved them to the end. 2 He and His followers were having supper. Satan had put the thought into the heart of Judas Iscariot of handing Jesus over to the leaders of the country. 3 Jesus knew the Father had put everything into His hands. He knew He had come from God and was going back to God. 4 Jesus got up from the supper and took off His coat. He picked up a cloth and put it around Him. 5 Then He put water into a wash pan and began to wash the feet of His followers. He dried their feet with the cloth He had put around Himself.
Peter Speaks Out against Jesus Washing His Feet
6 Jesus came to Simon Peter. Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “You do not understand now what I am doing but you will later.” 8 Peter said to Him, “I will never let You wash my feet.” Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you will not be a part of Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, do not wash only my feet, but wash my hands and my head also.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Anyone who has washed his body needs only to wash his feet. Then he is clean all over. You are all clean except one.” 11 Jesus knew who was going to hand Him over to the leaders. That is why He said, “You are all clean except one.”
Jesus Tells Why He Washed Their Feet
12 Jesus washed their feet and put on His coat. Then He sat down again and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. You are right because that is what I am. 14 I am your Teacher and Lord. I have washed your feet. You should wash each other’s feet also. 15 I have done this to show you what should be done. You should do as I have done to you. 16 For sure, I tell you, a workman who is owned by someone is not greater than his owner. One who is sent is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you will be happy if you do them.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.