Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

My Help Comes from Yahweh

A Song of Ascents.

Death of the Firstborn of Egypt

²⁹ Now it happened at ^(A)midnight that ^(B)Yahweh struck all ^(C)the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the ^[a]dungeon, and all the firstborn of ^(D)cattle. ³⁰ Then Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was ^(E)a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead. ³¹ Then ^(F)he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, ^(G)get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, ^[b]serve Yahweh, as you have spoken. ³² Take ^(H)both your flocks and your herds, as you have spoken, and go, and bless me also.”

Israel Goes Out from Egypt

^33 (I)And the Egyptians strongly pressed the people to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We will all be dead.” ³⁴ So the people took up ^(J)their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls bound up in the clothes on their shoulders.

^35 (K)Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses—they had asked from the Egyptians for articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; ³⁶ and Yahweh had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they ^(L)plundered the Egyptians.

³⁷ And the ^(M)sons of Israel journeyed from ^(N)Rameses to Succoth, about ^(O)six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from the little ones. ³⁸ A ^[c](P)foreign multitude also went up with them, ^[d]along with flocks and herds, a ^(Q)very ^[e]large number of livestock. ³⁹ And they baked the dough which they had brought out of Egypt into cakes of unleavened bread. For it had not become leavened, since they were ^(R)driven out of Egypt and could not delay, nor had they ^[f]prepared any provisions for themselves.

⁴⁰ Now the time ^[g]that the sons of Israel lived in Egypt was ^(S)430 years. ⁴¹ And it happened at the end of 430 years, ^[h]to ^(T)the very day, that ^(U)all the hosts of Yahweh went out from the land of Egypt. ^42 (V)It is a night to be kept for Yahweh for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for Yahweh, to be kept ^[i]by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations.

Be Subject to Government

13 Every ^[a](A)person is to be in ^(B)subjection to the governing authorities. For ^(C)there is no authority except ^[b]from God, and those which exist have been appointed by God. ² Therefore ^[c]whoever resists that authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. ³ For ^(D)rulers are not a cause of fear for ^[d]good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of that authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; ⁴ for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain, for it is a minister of God, an ^(E)avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. ⁵ Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of that wrath, but also because of ^(F)conscience. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. ^7 (G)Render to all what is due them: ^(H)tax to whom tax is due; ^(I)custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.