Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Deborah and Barak

4 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud had died. ² So the Lord sold them to King Jabin^(A) of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.^(B) The commander of his army was Sisera^(C) who lived in Harosheth of the Nations.^{[a] 3} Then the Israelites cried out^(D) to the Lord, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them twenty years.

⁴ Deborah, a prophetess^(E) and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. ⁵ She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes.^(F)

⁶ She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel,^(G) commanded you, ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor,^(H) and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites^(I) and Zebulunites?^{(J) 7} Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon^(K) to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’”^(L)

Psalm 123

Looking for God’s Favor

A song of ascents.

The Day of the Lord

5 About the times and the seasons:^(A) Brothers and sisters, you do not need anything to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord^(B) will come just like a thief^(C) in the night. ³ When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction^(D) will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief.^{(E) 5} For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness.^{(F) 6} So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled^(G) and put on the armor^(H) of faith and love, and a helmet^(I) of the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord^(J) Jesus Christ,^{(K) 10} who died for us,^(L) so that whether we are awake or asleep,^(M) we may live together with him.^{(N) 11} Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey.^(A) He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents,^[a] to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey.^(B) Immediately ¹⁶ the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. ¹⁷ In the same way the man with two earned two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’

²¹ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’^(C)

²² “The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’

²³ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

²⁴ “The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed.^{(D) 25} So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant!^(E) If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, ²⁷ then^[b] you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money^[c] back with interest when I returned.

²⁸ “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.^{(F) 30} And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness,^(G) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’