Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Prayer for Help in Time of Trouble

6 O Lord, do not speak sharp words to me in Your anger, or punish me when You are angry. ² Be kind to me, O Lord, for I am weak. O Lord, heal me for my bones are shaken. ³ My soul is in great suffering. But You, O Lord, how long? ⁴ Return, O Lord. Set my soul free. Save me because of Your loving-kindness. ⁵ No one remembers You when he is dead. Who gives You praise from the grave? ⁶ I am tired of crying inside myself. All night long my pillow is wet with tears. I flood my bed with them. ⁷ My eye has grown weak with sorrow. It has grown old because of all who hate me. ⁸ Go away from me, all you who sin. For the Lord has heard the sound of my crying. ⁹ The Lord has heard my cry for help. The Lord receives my prayer. ¹⁰ All those who hate me will be ashamed and worried. They will turn away. They will be put to shame right away.

¹⁵ Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all those who were with him. He came and stood in front of Elisha and said, “See, now I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. So I ask you now to take a gift from your servant.” ¹⁶ But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, before Whom I stand, I will take nothing.” Naaman tried to talk him into taking it, but he would not. ¹⁷ Naaman said, “If not, I ask you, let your servant be given as much dirt as two horses can carry. For your servant will not give burnt gifts or kill animals on the altar in worship to other gods any more. I will only give gifts to the Lord. ¹⁸ But may the Lord forgive your servant for this. My king goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there. He rests on my arm and I put my face to the ground in the house of Rimmon. When I put my face to the ground in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant.” ¹⁹ And Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” So Naaman went away from him a short way.

²¹ After this, Paul thought he would go through the countries of Macedonia and Greece. Then he would go to Jerusalem. He said, “After I have been there, I must go to the city of Rome also.” ²² He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia. Paul stayed in the countries of Asia awhile longer.

The Meeting of the Silver Workmen in Ephesus

²³ During that time there was much trouble about the Christians. ²⁴ A man named Demetrius made small silver buildings for the worship of Diana. His workmen received much money for their work. ²⁵ He called his workmen together and other men who made these small silver buildings. He said to them, “Men, you know we make much money from this work. ²⁶ Now you hear that Paul has turned away many people in Ephesus as well as in Asia. He tells them that gods made with hands are not gods. ²⁷ It could be that our work will not be respected. Not only that, the house of worship for the god of Diana will be worth nothing and her greatness will be destroyed. All the countries of Asia and the world worship her.”