Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
נ Nun
105 Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way.
It is like a light that guides me.
106 I have made a promise
to follow your laws, because they are right.
107 I have suffered very much.
Lord, keep me alive as you have promised.
108 Lord, accept the praise I freely give you.
Teach me your laws.
109 I keep putting my life in danger.
But I won’t forget to obey your law.
110 Evil people have set a trap for me.
But I haven’t wandered away from your rules.
111 Your covenant laws are your gift to me forever.
They fill my heart with joy.
112 I have decided to obey your orders
to the very end.
32 Heavens, listen to me. Then I will speak.
Earth, hear the words of my mouth.
2 Let my teaching fall like rain.
Let my words come down like dew.
Let them be like raindrops on new grass.
Let them be like rain on tender plants.
3 I will make known the name of the Lord.
Praise God! How great he is!
4 He is the Rock. His works are perfect.
All his ways are right.
He is faithful. He doesn’t do anything wrong.
He is honest and fair.
5 Israel, you have sinned against him very much.
It’s too bad for you that you aren’t his children anymore.
You have become a twisted and evil nation.
6 Is that how you thank the Lord?
You aren’t wise. You are foolish.
Remember, he’s your Father. He’s your Creator.
He made you. He formed you.
7 Remember the days of long ago.
Think about what the Lord did through those many years.
Ask your father. He will tell you.
Ask your elders. They’ll explain it to you.
8 The Most High God gave the nations their lands.
He divided up the human race.
He set up borders for the nations.
He did it based on the number of the angels in his heavenly court.
9 The Lord’s people are his share.
Jacob is the nation he has received.
10 The Lord found Israel in a desert.
He found them in an empty and windy land.
He took care of them and kept them safe.
He guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.
Paul Serves the Gentiles
14 My brothers and sisters, I am sure that you are full of goodness. You are filled with knowledge and able to teach one another. 15 But I have written to you very boldly about some things. I wanted to remind you of them again. The grace of God has allowed me 16 to serve Christ Jesus among the Gentiles. I have the duty of a priest to preach God’s good news. Then the Gentiles will become an offering that pleases God. The Holy Spirit will make the offering holy.
17 Because I belong to Christ Jesus, I can take pride in my work for God. 18 I will speak about what Christ has done through me. I won’t try to speak about anything else. He has been leading the Gentiles to obey God. He has been doing this by what I have said and done. 19 He has given me power to do signs and wonders. I can do these things by the power of the Spirit of God. From Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have finished preaching. In those places, I preached the good news about Christ. 20 I have always wanted to preach the good news where Christ was not known. I don’t want to build on what someone else has started. 21 It is written,
“Those who were not told about him will understand.
Those who have not heard will know what it all means.” (Isaiah 52:15)
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