Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Habakkuk’s Question
1 This is the special word which Habakkuk the man of God saw. 2 O Lord, how long must I call for help before You will hear? I cry out to You, “We are being hurt!” But You do not save us. 3 Why do you make me see sins and wrong-doing? People are being destroyed in anger in front of me. There is arguing and fighting. 4 The Law is not followed. What is right is never done. For the sinful are all around those who are right and good, so what is right looks like sin.
2 I will take my stand and keep watch. I will take my place on the tower. And I will keep watch to see what the Lord will say, and how I should answer when He speaks strong words to me.
The Lord’s Answer to Habakkuk
2 Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write down the special dream on stone so that one may read it in a hurry. 3 For it is not yet time for it to come true. The time is coming in a hurry, and it will come true. If you think it is slow in coming, wait for it. For it will happen for sure, and it will not wait. 4 As for the proud one, his soul is not right in him. But the one who is right and good will live by his faith.
137 You are right and good, O Lord, and Your Law is right. 138 The Law You have made is right and good and very faithful. 139 I feel weak because those who hate me have forgotten Your Word. 140 Your Word is very pure and Your servant loves it. 141 I am not important and I am hated but I do not forget Your Law. 142 You are right forever, and Your Law is truth. 143 Trouble and suffering have come upon me, yet Your Word is my joy. 144 Your Law is right forever. Give me understanding and I will live.
1 This letter is from Paul and Silas and Timothy. It is to the church in the city of Thessalonica that belongs to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 May you have loving-favor and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We must give thanks to God for you always, Christian brothers. It is the right thing to do because your faith is growing so much. Your love for each other is stronger all the time. 4 We are proud of you and tell the other churches about you. We tell them how your faith stays so strong even when people make it hard for you and make you suffer.
11 For this reason, we always pray for you. We pray that our God will make you worth being chosen. We pray that His power will help you do the good things you want to do. We pray that your work of faith will be complete. 12 In this way, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be honored by you and you will be honored by Him. It is through the loving-favor of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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.”
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