Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Chapter 4
Judges Deborah and Barak. 1 After Ehud died the Israelites once again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 2 The Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin, the king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim. 3 The Israelites cried out to the Lord, for he had nine hundred iron chariots. He oppressed the Israelites terribly for twenty years.
4 Now Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, a prophetess, was then a judge in Israel.[a] 5 She used to sit underneath the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites would come up to her for judgment there. 6 She summoned Barak, the son of Ahinoam, from Kadesh of Naphtali, and she said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Go, take ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun with yourself and march toward Mount Tabor.[b] 7 I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and his forces, to the Kishon River, and I will deliver him up into your hands.’ ”
Psalm 123[a]
Prayer in Time of Spiritual Need
1 A song of ascents.
I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who are enthroned in heaven.[b]
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants[c]
are on the hand of their master,
or as the eyes of a maid
focus on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord, our God,
as we wait for him to show us his mercy.
3 Show us your mercy, O Lord, show us your mercy,
for we have suffered more than our share of contempt.[d]
4 We have had to suffer far too long
the insults of the haughty[e]
and the contempt of the arrogant.
Chapter 5
The Christian Life Is One Long Vigil.[a] 1 In regard to specific dates and times,[b] brethren, it is not necessary to write you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the Day of the Lord[c] will come like a thief in the night. 3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” instant destruction[d] will overwhelm them, in the manner that labor pains suddenly come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no means of escape.
4 However, brethren, you do not live in darkness, and therefore that Day will not catch you unawares like a thief. 5 For all of you are children of the light[e] and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So we must not fall asleep as the others do, but we must stay alert and sober.
7 Those who sleep do so at night, and those who get drunk do so at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, arming ourselves with faith and love as our breastplate and the hope of salvation as our helmet.[f] 9 [g]For God has not destined us to suffer wrath, but to achieve salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore, encourage one another and strengthen one another, as indeed you are doing.
14 The Parable of the Talents.[a]“Again, the kingdom of heaven will be like a man going on a journey who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two talents, to a third one talent—to each according to his ability. Then he set forth on his journey.
16 “The servant who had received the five talents promptly went to invest them and gained five more. 17 In the same manner, the servant who had received the two talents gained two more. 18 But the servant who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long period of time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing an additional five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you gave me five talents. Behold, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master said to him,‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful in small matters, I will give you much greater responsibilities. Come and share your master’s joy.’
22 “Next, the one who had received the two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Behold, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful in small matters, I will give you much greater responsibilities. Come and share your master’s joy.’
24 “Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew that you were a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. 25 Therefore, out of fear I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Behold, I give it back to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant. So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered! 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have gotten back my money with interest.
28 “ ‘Therefore, take the talent from him and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he does have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless servant, cast him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
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