Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
2 Surely God is my salvation.
I will trust him and will not be afraid,
because Yah, the Lord,[a] is my strength and song,
and he has become my salvation.
3 Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
4 In that day you will say:
Give thanks to the Lord! Proclaim[b] his name.
Declare among the peoples what he has done.
Proclaim that his name is exalted!
5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done amazing things!
Let this be known in all the earth!
6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, daughter[c] of Zion,
for the Holy One of Israel is great among you!
Judgment Against Complacency
6 Woe to[a] you who are complacent in Zion,
you who feel secure on Mount Samaria,
you distinguished people of the leading nation,
to whom the house of Israel comes.
2 Travel to Kalneh and look.
Go from there to Hamath Rabbah,
and go down to Gath of the Philistines.
Are you better than those kingdoms?
Are their territories greater than your territory?[b]
3 You who are trying to put off the evil day,
you bring near the session for violence!
4 Those who lie on ivory beds,
sprawling upon their couches,
eating lambs from the flock
and calves straight from the stall,
5 improvising tunes on the lyre,
composing music for themselves on musical instruments like David,
6 drinking large bowls of wine—
they slather[c] themselves with the most expensive perfumed oils,
but they do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
7 That is why they will go into exile as the first of the exiles.
Those who sprawl out at their feasts for the dead will depart.
Certain Destruction for Proud Israel
8 The Lord God swears by himself,
declares the Lord, the God of Armies:
I detest the pride of Jacob,
and I hate his citadels,
so I will hand over the city and everything in it.
Finish the Collection
8 Now brothers,[a] we want you to know about the grace of God that was given in the churches of Macedonia: 2 In a severe test of trouble, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty overflowed into an abundance of their generosity.[b] 3 I testify that of their own free will they gave according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, 4 pleading with us with an urgent request for the gracious privilege of joining in this service to the saints. 5 And they did this not as we had expected, but in keeping with God’s will they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us. 6 As a result we urged Titus, since he had already made a beginning, to bring to completion this gracious gift on your part. 7 But just as you overflow in every way—in faith, in word, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us[c]—see that you also overflow in this gracious gift.
8 I do not say this as a command, but to test how genuine your love is, by comparing it with the eagerness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich.
10 And I am giving advice in this matter because it is going to be helpful for you. Last year, you were not only the first to take action, but also the first to be willing. 11 Now bring the work to completion too, so that your eagerness to start may be matched by your completing it with what you have. 12 For if the eagerness is there, a gift is acceptable according to what someone has, not according to what he does not have.
13 Certainly, our goal is not that others take it easy while you are burdened, but that there may be equality. 14 At the present time, your abundance will provide what they lack, in order that their abundance will also provide what you lack—in this way there will be equality. 15 As it is written, “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”[d]
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.