Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Difference between Good and Sinful People
1 Happy is the man who does not walk in the way sinful men tell him to, or stand in the path of sinners, or sit with those who laugh at the truth. 2 But he finds joy in the Law of the Lord and thinks about His Law day and night. 3 This man is like a tree planted by rivers of water, which gives its fruit at the right time and its leaf never dries up. Whatever he does will work out well for him.
4 Sinful men are not like this. They are like straw blown away by the wind. 5 So the sinful will not stand. They will be told they are guilty and have to suffer for it. Sinners will not stand with those who are right with God. 6 For the Lord knows the way of those who are right with Him. But the way of the sinful will be lost from God forever.
20 “Look up and see those who are coming from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, your beautiful sheep? 21 What will you say when He sets over you those whom you have taught and who were your friends? Will not pain take hold of you, like a woman giving birth? 22 And if you say in your heart, ‘Why have these things happened to me?’ It is because of your many sins that your clothing has been torn off and you suffer punishment. 23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are used to doing wrong. 24 I will cause you to go everywhere like straw blown by the desert wind. 25 This is what you get, the share given to you from Me,” says the Lord, “because you have forgotten Me and trusted in lies. 26 So I will pull your clothing up over your face, that your shame may be seen. 27 As for your sex sins and cries of desire, your sinful sex acts on the hills in the field, I have seen your hated sins. It is bad for you, O Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?”
17 The Father is the One Who judges you by what you do. He does not respect one person more than another. If you call Him Father, be sure you honor Him with love and fear all the days of your life here on earth. 18 You know you were not bought and made free from sin by paying gold or silver which comes to an end. And you know you were not saved from the punishment of sin by the way of life that you were given from your early fathers. That way of life was worth nothing. 19 The blood of Christ saved you. This blood is of great worth and no amount of money can buy it. Christ was given as a lamb without sin and without spot. 20 Long before the world was made, God chose Christ to be given to you in these last days. 21 Because of Christ, you have put your trust in God. He raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great honor. So now your faith and hope are in God.
The Living Word
22 You have made your souls pure by obeying the truth through the Holy Spirit. This has given you a true love for the Christians. Let it be a true love from the heart. 23 You have been given a new birth. It was from a seed that cannot die. This new life is from the Word of God which lives forever. 24 All people are like grass. Their greatness is like the flowers. The grass dries up and the flowers fall off. 25 But the Word of the Lord will last forever. That Word is the Good News which was preached to you.
Food for Christians
2 Put out of your life hate and lying. Do not pretend to be someone you are not. Do not always want something someone else has. Do not say bad things about other people.
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