Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Fool Says, There Is No God
To the choirmaster. Of David.
14 (A)The (B)fool says in his heart, (C)“There is no God.”
They are (D)corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
(E)there is none who does good.
2 The Lord (F)looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,[a]
who (G)seek after God.
3 They have all turned aside; together they have become (H)corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.
4 Have they no (I)knowledge, all the evildoers
who (J)eat up my people as they eat bread
and (K)do not call upon the Lord?
5 There they are in great terror,
for God is with (L)the generation of the righteous.
6 You would shame the plans of the poor,
but[b] the Lord is his (M)refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord (N)restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
13 Behold, he comes up like clouds;
(A)his chariots like the whirlwind;
his horses are (B)swifter than eagles—
woe to us, (C)for we are ruined!
14 O Jerusalem, (D)wash your heart from evil,
that you may be saved.
How long shall your wicked thoughts
lodge within you?
15 For a voice (E)declares from Dan
and proclaims trouble from (F)Mount Ephraim.
16 Warn the nations that he is coming;
announce to Jerusalem,
“Besiegers come (G)from a distant land;
they shout against the cities of Judah.
17 Like keepers of a field (H)are they against her all around,
because she has rebelled against me,
declares the Lord.
18 Your ways and your deeds
have brought this upon you.
This is your doom, and (I)it is bitter;
it has reached your very heart.”
Anguish over Judah's Desolation
19 (J)My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!
Oh the walls of my heart!
My heart is beating wildly;
I cannot keep silent,
for I hear the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war.
20 (K)Crash follows hard on crash;
the whole land is laid waste.
(L)Suddenly my tents are laid waste,
my curtains in a moment.
21 How long must I see the standard
and hear the sound of the trumpet?
29 At the noise of horseman and archer
every city takes to flight;
they enter thickets; they climb among rocks;
all the cities are forsaken,
and (A)no man dwells in them.
30 And you, O desolate one,
what do you mean that you dress in scarlet,
(B)that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,
(C)that you enlarge your eyes with paint?
In vain you beautify yourself.
(D)Your lovers despise you;
they seek your life.
31 For I heard (E)a cry as of a woman in labor,
anguish as of one giving birth to her first child,
the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,
(F)stretching out her hands,
“Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.”
11 (A)I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd (B)lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is (C)a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and (D)leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and (E)scatters them. 13 He flees because (F)he is a hired hand and (G)cares nothing for the sheep. 14 (H)I am the good shepherd. (I)I know my own and (J)my own know me, 15 (K)just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and (L)I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And (M)I have other sheep that are not of this fold. (N)I must bring them also, and (O)they will listen to my voice. So there will be (P)one flock, (Q)one shepherd. 17 (R)For this reason the Father loves me, (S)because (T)I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 (U)No one takes it from me, but (V)I lay it down (W)of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and (X)I have authority to take it up again. (Y)This charge I have received from my Father.”
19 (Z)There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, (AA)“He has a demon, and (AB)is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. (AC)Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.