Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
13 who boasted, “Let us seize for ourselves
the pastures of God.”
14 [a]O my God, treat them like tumbleweed,
like chaff blown before the wind.
15 As a fire rages through a forest,
as a flame sets mountains ablaze,
16 so hound them with your tempests
and terrify them with your stormwinds.[b]
17 Fill their faces with shame
so that they will seek your name,[c] O Lord.
18 [d]Let them be humiliated and terrified forever;
let them be disgraced and perish.
10 Aaron, Spokesman for Moses. Moses said to the Lord, “My Lord, I am not eloquent. I have never been so in the past nor now that you have begun to speak to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” 11 The Lord told him, “Who has made man with a mouth? Who can make him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go! I will be with your mouth and supervise what you are to say.” 13 Moses said, “Forgive me, my Lord, but please send someone else.” 14 The Lord became angry with Moses and said to him, “Do you not have a brother, Aaron, a Levite. I know that he can speak well. He is now on his way here to meet you. When he sees you, his heart will rejoice.[a] 15 You will speak to him and place the words he is to say in his mouth. I will be with you and with him while you speak and I will tell you what you are to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you. It will be as if he is your mouth and you are his God. 17 Take this staff in your hand and perform the signs with it.”
18 Moses Returns to Egypt.[b] Moses left and returned to Jethro, his father-in-law, and told him, “Let me leave and return to my brothers who are in Egypt to see if they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 The Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt, for those who sought to kill you are dead.” 20 Moses took his wife and his sons, placed them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses held the staff of God in his hand.
21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you do all the signs that I have placed in your hand in the presence of Pharaoh. But I will harden his heart and he will not let my people go. 22 You will say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is my firstborn son. 23 I have told you to let my son go so that he might serve me, but you have refused to let him leave. Therefore, I will kill your firstborn son.” ’ ”
24 [c]On the way, when they were camped for the night, the Lord came and tried to kill Moses. 25 Zipporah took a flint knife and cut the foreskin of her son and with it touched Moses’ feet and said, “You are now my spouse of blood.” 26 Then God let him go. She said “spouse of blood” because of the circumcision.
27 Moses Makes Contact with His People.[d] The Lord said to Aaron, “Go meet Moses in the desert.” He went and met Moses on the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 Moses told Aaron all the words that God had sent him to say and about all the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled the elders of the children of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke to the people, telling them all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and performing the signs before the people. 31 The people believed when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and had seen their affliction. They knelt down in worship.
Chapter 3
To Sardis.[a] 1 “To the angel of the Church in Sardis,[b] write:
“ ‘These are the words of the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars:
“ ‘ “I know your deeds. You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. 2 Be on guard and strengthen what remains and is at the point of death. For I have not found any of your deeds perfect in the sight of my God. 3 Therefore, remember the teaching that you have received and heard. Hold on to it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.
4 “ ‘ “However, there are still a few in Sardis who have not soiled their robes, and they will walk with me dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 Anyone who is victorious will be dressed like these in white robes, and I shall not blot his name from the book of life.[c] Rather, I shall acknowledge it in the presence of my Father and his angels.
6 “ ‘ “Whoever has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the Churches.” ’
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