Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Nations Praise God

67 May God show loving-kindness toward us and bring good to us. May He make His face shine upon us. ² May Your way be known on the earth, and Your saving power among all nations. ³ May the people praise You, O God. May all the people praise You. ⁴ May the nations be glad and sing for joy. For You will be fair when You judge the people and rule the nations of the earth. ⁵ May the people praise You, O God. May all the people praise You. ⁶ The earth has given its fruit. God, our God, will bring good to us. ⁷ God will bring good to us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him.

⁹ Then you will understand what is right and good, and right from wrong, and you will know what you should do. ¹⁰ For wisdom will come into your heart. And much learning will be pleasing to your soul. ¹¹ Good thinking will keep you safe. Understanding will watch over you. ¹² You will be kept from the sinful man, and from the man who causes much trouble by what he says. ¹³ You will be kept from the man who leaves the right way to walk in the ways of darkness, ¹⁴ from the one who is happy doing wrong, and who finds joy in the way of sin. ¹⁵ His ways are not straight and are not good.

The Changed Life of Zaccheus

19 Jesus went on to the city of Jericho and was passing through it. ² There was a rich man named Zaccheus. He was a leader of those who gathered taxes. ³ Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus but he could not because so many people were there and he was a short man. ⁴ He ran ahead and got up into a sycamore tree to see Him. Jesus was going by that way.

⁵ When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw Zaccheus. He said, “Zaccheus, come down at once. I must stay in your house today.” ⁶ At once he came down and was glad to have Jesus come to his house. ⁷ When the people saw it, they began to complain among themselves. They said, “He is going to stay with a man who is known to be a sinner.”

⁸ Zaccheus stood up and said to the Lord, “Lord, see! Half of what I own I will give to poor people. And if I have taken money from anyone in a wrong way, I will pay him back four times as much.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today, a person has been saved in this house. This man is a Jew also. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to look for and to save from the punishment of sin those who are lost.”