Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Pleads with Israel
6 Hear now what the Lord says:
“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
And let the hills hear your voice.
2 (A)Hear, O you mountains, (B)the Lord’s complaint,
And you strong foundations of the earth;
For (C)the Lord has a complaint against His people,
And He will [a]contend with Israel.
3 “O My people, what (D)have I done to you?
And how have I (E)wearied you?
Testify against Me.
4 (F)For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage;
And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 O My people, remember now
What (G)Balak king of Moab counseled,
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
From [b]Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
That you may know (H)the righteousness of the Lord.”
6 With what shall I come before the Lord,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
7 (I)Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand (J)rivers of oil?
(K)Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
[c]The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord
A Psalm of David.
2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the (B)truth in his heart;
3 He who (C)does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
(D)Nor does he [b]take up a reproach against his friend;
4 (E)In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who (F)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things (G)shall never be moved.
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God(A)
18 For the [a]message of the cross is (B)foolishness to (C)those who are perishing, but to us (D)who are being saved it is the (E)power of God. 19 For it is written:
(F)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 (G)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the [b]disputer of this age? (H)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the (I)wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For (J)Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, (K)to the Jews a [c]stumbling block and to the [d]Greeks (L)foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (M)the power of God and (N)the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Glory Only in the Lord
26 For [e]you see your calling, brethren, (O)that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many [f]noble, are called. 27 But (P)God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the [g]base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and (Q)righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, (R)“He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
The Beatitudes(A)
5 And seeing the multitudes, (B)He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and (C)taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed(D) are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 (E)Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 (F)Blessed are the meek,
For (G)they shall inherit the [a]earth.
6 Blessed are those who (H)hunger and thirst for righteousness,
(I)For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
(J)For they shall obtain mercy.
8 (K)Blessed are the pure in heart,
For (L)they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 (M)Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 (N)Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of (O)evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 (P)Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for (Q)so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.