◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Psalm 82 (O God rule the earth); Amos 2:12—3:8 (Who can but prophesy?); John 3:16-21 (God’s son saves the world) (New English Translation)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 82

Psalm 82^[a]

A psalm of Asaph.

82 God stands in^[b] the assembly of El;^[c]
in the midst of the gods^[d] he renders judgment.^[e]
²He says,^[f] “How long will you make unjust legal decisions
and show favoritism to the wicked?^[g] (Selah)
³Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless.^[h]
Vindicate the oppressed and suffering.
⁴Rescue the poor and needy.
Deliver them from the power^[i] of the wicked.
⁵They^[j] neither know nor understand.
They stumble around^[k] in the dark,
while all the foundations of the earth crumble.^[l]
⁶I thought,^[m] ‘You are gods;
all of you are sons of the Most High.’^[n]
⁷Yet you will die like mortals;^[o]
you will fall like all the other rulers.”^[p]
⁸Rise up, O God, and execute judgment on the earth!
For you own^[q] all the nations.

Footnotes

Psalm 82:1 sn Psalm 82. The psalmist pictures God standing in the “assembly of El” where he accuses the “gods” of failing to promote justice on earth. God pronounces sentence upon them, announcing that they will die like men. Having witnessed the scene, the psalmist then asks God to establish his just rule over the earth.
Psalm 82:1 tn Or “presides over.”
Psalm 82:1 tn The phrase עֲדַת אֵל (ʿadat ʾel, “assembly of El”) appears only here in the OT. (1) Some understand “El” to refer to God himself. In this case he is pictured presiding over his own heavenly assembly. (2) Others take אֵל as a superlative here (“God stands in the great assembly”), as in Pss 36:6 and 80:10. (3) The present translation assumes this is a reference to the Canaanite high god El, who presided over the Canaanite divine assembly. (See Isa 14:13, where El’s assembly is called “the stars of El.”) In the Ugaritic myths the phrase ʿdt ʾilm refers to the “assembly of the gods,” who congregate in King Kirtu’s house, where Baal asks El to bless Kirtu’s house (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 91). If the Canaanite divine assembly is referred to here in Ps 82:1, then the psalm must be understood as a bold polemic against Canaanite religion. Israel’s God invades El’s assembly, denounces its gods as failing to uphold justice, and announces their coming demise. For an interpretation of the psalm along these lines, see W. VanGemeren, “Psalms,” EBC 5:533-36.
Psalm 82:1 sn The present translation assumes that the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim, “gods”) here refers to the pagan gods who supposedly comprise El’s assembly according to Canaanite religion. Those who reject the polemical view of the psalm prefer to see the referent as human judges or rulers (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to officials appointed by God, see Exod 21:6; 22:8-9; Ps 45:6) or as angelic beings (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to angelic beings, see Gen 3:5; Ps 8:5).
Psalm 82:1 sn The picture of God rendering judgment among the gods clearly depicts his sovereign authority as universal king (see v. 8, where the psalmist boldly affirms this truth).
Psalm 82:2 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to indicate that the following speech is God’s judicial decision (see v. 1).
Psalm 82:2 tn Heb “and the face of the wicked lift up.”
Psalm 82:3 tn The Hebrew noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9). Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 10:14; 68:5; 94:6; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
Psalm 82:4 tn Heb “hand.”
Psalm 82:5 sn Having addressed the defendants, God now speaks to those who are observing the trial, referring to the gods in the third person.
Psalm 82:5 tn Heb “walk.” The Hitpael stem indicates iterative action, picturing these ignorant “judges” as stumbling around in the darkness.
Psalm 82:5 sn These gods, though responsible for justice, neglect their duty. Their self-imposed ignorance (which the psalmist compares to stumbling around in the dark) results in widespread injustice, which threatens the social order of the world (the meaning of the phrase all the foundations of the earth crumble).
Psalm 82:6 tn Heb “said.”
Psalm 82:6 sn Normally in the OT the title Most High belongs to the God of Israel, but in this context, where the mythological overtones are so strong, it probably refers to the Canaanite high god El (see v. 1, as well as Isa 14:13).
Psalm 82:7 tn Heb “men.” The point in the context is mortality, however, not maleness.sn You will die like mortals. For the concept of a god losing immortality and dying, see Isa 14:12-15, which alludes to a pagan myth in which the petty god “Shining One, son of the Dawn,” is hurled into Sheol for his hubris.
Psalm 82:7 tn Heb “like one of the rulers.” The comparison does not necessarily imply that they are not rulers. The expression “like one of” can sometimes mean “as one of” (Gen 49:16; Obad 11) or “as any other of” (Judg 16:7, 11).
Psalm 82:8 tn The translation assumes that the Qal of נָחַל (nakhal) here means “to own; to possess,” and that the imperfect emphasizes a general truth. Another option is to translate the verb as future, “for you will take possession of all the nations” (cf. NIV “all the nations are your inheritance”).

Amos 2:12-3:8

¹²“But you made the Nazirites drink wine;^[a]
you commanded the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy!’
¹³Look! I will press you down,
like a cart loaded down with grain presses down.^[b]
¹⁴Fast runners will find no place to hide;^[c]
strong men will have no strength left;^[d]
warriors will not be able to save their lives.
¹⁵Archers^[e] will not hold their ground;^[f]
fast runners will not save their lives,
nor will those who ride horses.^[g]
¹⁶Bravehearted^[h] warriors will run away naked in that day.”
The Lord is speaking.

Every Effect has its Cause

3 Listen, you Israelites, to this message that the Lord is proclaiming against^[i] you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up^[j] from the land of Egypt:

²“I have chosen^[k] you alone from all the clans of the earth.
Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”
³Do two walk together without having met?^[l]
⁴Does a lion roar in the woods if he has not cornered his prey?^[m]
Does a young lion bellow from his den if he has not caught something?
⁵Does a bird swoop down into a trap on the ground if there is no bait?
Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has surely caught something?
⁶If an alarm sounds^[n] in a city, do people not fear?^[o]
If disaster overtakes a^[p] city, is the Lord not responsible?^[q]
⁷Certainly the Sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
⁸A lion has roared!^[r] Who is not afraid?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken. Who can refuse to prophesy?^[s]

Footnotes

Amos 2:12 sn Nazirites were strictly forbidden to drink wine (Num 6:2-3).
Amos 2:13 tn The precise meaning of this verse is unclear. Various suggested meanings have been proposed (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 94). One option is to relate the verb to an Arabic verb meaning “to hinder; to hamper,” and translate, “I am making you immobile, like a cart filled with grain is immobile.” In this case, the Lord refers to Israel’s inability to escape his coming judgment (see vv. 14-16; NJPS). Another view relates the verb to a different Arabic verb, meaning “to cut in pieces.” The translation, “I will cut you in pieces as a cart cuts in pieces [the earth],” would refer to the ruts and rifts in the ground caused by an earthquake. Thirdly, some relate the verb to an Arabic root meaning “to groan,” with the idea that the Lord causes the ground underneath Israel to groan (cf. NLT). Fourth, the translation here connects the verb to an Aramaism signifying to “press down” (cf. NIV, NRSV). Lastly, some English versions translate the verb in an intransitive sense as “I am weighted down” (cf. NASB, NKJV), or “I groan beneath you” (NEB). For this last option, see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Amos (AB), 334.
Amos 2:14 tn Heb “and a place of refuge will perish from the swift.”
Amos 2:14 tn Heb “the strong will not increase his strength.”
Amos 2:15 tn Heb “the one who holds the bow.”
Amos 2:15 tn For the idiom of “holding [or “standing”] one’s ground” in battle, there is a similar phrase in Ezek 13:5; also related is the expression “to hold one’s own against” (or “to withstand”) in Judg 2:14; 2 Kgs 10:4; Dan 8:7 (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 97). Other options include “will not endure” or “will not survive.”
Amos 2:15 tn The last two lines read literally, “The one fast in his feet will not rescue [his life], and the rider of the horse will not rescue his life.” The phrase “his life” does double duty in the parallelism and should be understood in both lines.
Amos 2:16 tn Or “the most stouthearted” (NAB); cf. NRSV “those who are stout of heart.”
Amos 3:1 tn Or “about.”
Amos 3:1 tn One might expect a third person verb form (“he brought up”), since the Lord apparently refers to himself in the third person in the preceding sentence. This first person form, however, serves to connect this message to the earlier indictment (2:10) and anticipates the words of the following verse.
Amos 3:2 tn Heb “You only have I known.” The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yadaʿ) is used here in its covenantal sense of “recognize in a special way.”
Amos 3:3 sn The rhetorical questions in vv. 3-5 expect the answer, “No, of course not!” Those in v. 6 anticipate the answer, “Yes, of course they do/he is.” They all draw attention to the principle of cause and effect and lay the logical foundation for the argument in vv. 7-8. Also note the progression from a general question in v. 3 to the “meetings” of two animals (v. 4), to that of an animal and a human trap (v. 5), to a climax with the confrontation with the Lord (v. 6). Each of these meetings is disastrous.
Amos 3:4 tn Heb “without having prey [or “food”].”
Amos 3:6 tn Heb “If the ram’s horn is blown.”
Amos 3:6 tn Or “tremble” (NASB, NIV, NCV); or “shake.”
Amos 3:6 tn Heb “is in”; cf. NIV, NCV, NLT “comes to.”
Amos 3:6 tn Heb “has the Lord not acted?”
Amos 3:8 sn The roar of the lion is here a metaphor for impending judgment (see 1:2; cf. 3:4, 12). Verses 7-8 justify Amos’ prophetic ministry and message of warning and judgment. The people should expect a prophetic message prior to divine action.
Amos 3:8 sn Who can refuse to prophesy? When a message is revealed, the prophet must speak, and the news of impending judgment should cause people to fear.

John 3:16-21

¹⁶For this is the way^[a] God loved the world: He gave his one and only^[b] Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish^[c] but have eternal life.^[d] ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,^[e] but that the world should be saved through him. ¹⁸The one who believes in him is not condemned.^[f] The one who does not believe has been condemned^[g] already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only^[h] Son of God. ¹⁹Now this is the basis for judging:^[i] that the light has come into the world and people^[j] loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. ²¹But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.^[k]

Footnotes

John 3:16 tn Or “this is how much”; or “in this way.” The Greek adverb οὕτως (houtōs) can refer (1) to the degree to which God loved the world, that is, to such an extent or so much that he gave his own Son (see R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:133-34; D. A. Carson, John, 204) or (2) simply to the manner in which God loved the world, i.e., by sending his own son (see R. H. Gundry and R. W. Howell, “The Sense and Syntax of John 3:14-17 with Special Reference to the Use of Οὕτως…ὥστε in John 3:16, ” NovT 41 [1999]: 24-39). Though the term more frequently refers to the manner in which something is done (see BDAG 741-42 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως), the following clause involving ὥστε (hōste) plus the indicative (which stresses actual, but [usually] unexpected result) emphasizes the greatness of the gift God has given. With this in mind, then, it is likely (3) that John is emphasizing both the degree to which God loved the world as well as the manner in which He chose to express that love. This is in keeping with John’s style of using double entendre or double meaning. Thus, the focus of the Greek construction here is on the nature of God’s love, addressing its mode, intensity, and extent.
John 3:16 tn Although this word is often translated “only begotten,” such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [Luke 7:12; 9:38] or a daughter [Luke 8:42]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological Phoenix (1 Clement 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac (Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant. 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means “one-of-a-kind” and is reserved for Jesus in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God (τέκνα θεοῦ, tekna theou), Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John (1:14, 18; 3:16, 18).
John 3:16 tn In John the word ἀπόλλυμι (apollumi) can mean either (1) to be lost (2) to perish or be destroyed, depending on the context.
John 3:16 sn The alternatives presented are only two (again, it is typical of Johannine thought for this to be presented in terms of polar opposites): perish or have eternal life.
John 3:17 sn That is, “to judge the world to be guilty and liable to punishment.”
John 3:18 tn Grk “judged.”
John 3:18 tn Grk “judged.”
John 3:18 tn See the note on the term “one and only” in 3:16.
John 3:19 tn Or “this is the reason for God judging,” or “this is how judgment works.”
John 3:19 tn Grk “and men,” but in a generic sense, referring to people of both genders (as “everyone” in v. 20 makes clear).
John 3:21 sn John 3:16-21 provides an introduction to the (so-called) “realized” eschatology of the Fourth Gospel: Judgment has come; eternal life may be possessed now, in the present life, as well as in the future. The terminology “realized eschatology” was originally coined by E. Haenchen and used by J. Jeremias in discussion with C. H. Dodd, but is now characteristically used to describe Dodd’s own formulation. See L. Goppelt, Theology of the New Testament, 1:54, note 10, and R. E. Brown (John [AB], 1:cxvii-cxviii) for further discussion. Especially important to note is the element of choice portrayed in John’s Gospel. As Brown observes, “If there is a twofold reaction to Jesus in John’s Gospel, it should be emphasized that that reaction is very much dependent on a person’s choice, a choice that is influenced by his way of life, whether his deeds are wicked or are done in God (John 3:20-21). Thus, there is nodeterminism in John as there seems to be in some of the passages of the Qumranscrolls” (John [AB], 1:148). Only when one looks beneath the surface does one find statements like “no one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 82[a]

A psalm of Asaph.

Footnotes

Every Effect has its Cause

Footnotes

Footnotes

Psalm 82^[a]