Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

ב Beth

²¹ Don’t put off giving to the Lord your God everything you promise him. He will certainly require it from you. And you will be guilty of committing a sin. ²² But if you don’t make a promise, you won’t be guilty. ²³ Make sure you do what you promised to do. With your own mouth you made the promise to the Lord your God. No one forced you to do it.

²⁴ When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you can eat all the grapes you want. But don’t put any of them in your basket. ²⁵ When you enter your neighbor’s field, you can pick heads of grain. But don’t cut down their standing grain.

24 Suppose a man marries a woman. But later he decides he doesn’t like her. He finds something shameful about her. So he gives her a letter of divorce and sends her away from his house. ² Then after she leaves his house she becomes another man’s wife. ³ But her second husband doesn’t like her either. So he gives her a letter of divorce and sends her away from his house. Or perhaps he dies. ⁴ Then her first husband isn’t allowed to marry her again. The Lord would hate that. When her first husband divorced her, she became “unclean.” Don’t bring sin on the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own.

¹⁰ Suppose your neighbor borrows something from you. And he offers you something to keep until you get paid back. Then don’t go into their house to get it. ¹¹ Stay outside. Let the neighbor bring it out to you. ¹² The neighbor might be poor. You might be given their coat to keep until you get paid back. Don’t go to sleep while you still have it. ¹³ Return it before the sun goes down. They need it to sleep in and will thank you for returning it. The Lord your God will see it and know that you have done the right thing.

¹⁴ Don’t take advantage of any hired worker who is poor and needy. That applies to your own people. It also applies to outsiders living in one of your towns. ¹⁵ Give them their pay every day. They are poor and are counting on it. If you don’t pay them, they might cry out to the Lord against you. Then you will be guilty of committing a sin.

Treat Everyone the Same

2 My brothers and sisters, you are believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So treat everyone the same. ² Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes. And suppose a poor man in dirty old clothes also comes in. ³ Would you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes? Would you say, “Here’s a good seat for you”? Would you say to the poor man, “You stand there”? Or “Sit on the floor by my feet”? ⁴ If you would, aren’t you treating some people better than others? Aren’t you like judges who have evil thoughts?

⁵ My dear brothers and sisters, listen to me. Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor in the world’s eyes to be rich in faith? Hasn’t he chosen them to receive the kingdom? Hasn’t he promised it to those who love him? ⁶ But you have disrespected poor people. Aren’t rich people taking advantage of you? Aren’t they dragging you into court? ⁷ Aren’t they speaking evil things against the worthy name of Jesus? Remember, you belong to him.

⁸ The royal law is found in Scripture. It says, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18) If you really keep this law, you are doing what is right. ⁹ But you sin if you don’t treat everyone the same. The law judges you because you have broken it. ¹⁰ Suppose you keep the whole law but trip over just one part of it. Then you are guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹ God said, “Do not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18) He also said, “Do not commit murder.” (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17) Suppose you don’t commit adultery but do commit murder. Then you have broken the law.

¹² Speak and act like people who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. ¹³ Those who have not shown mercy will not receive mercy when they are judged. To show mercy is better than to judge.