◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Psalm 80:1-7 17-19 (We shall be saved); Zechariah 13:1-9 (The coming day of God brings cleansing); Revelation 14:6-13 (Hold fast to the faith) (New English Translation)

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November 30, 2023

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 80:1-7

Psalm 80^[a]

For the music director, according to the shushan-eduth style;^[b] a psalm of Asaph.

80 O Shepherd of Israel, pay attention,
you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep.
You who sit enthroned above the cherubim,^[c] reveal your splendor.^[d]
²In the sight of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh reveal^[e] your power.
Come and deliver us.^[f]
³O God, restore us.
Smile on us.^[g] Then we will be delivered.^[h]
⁴O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,^[i]
how long will you remain angry at your people while they pray to you?^[j]
⁵You have given them tears as food;^[k]
you have made them drink tears by the measure.^[l]
⁶You have made our neighbors dislike us,^[m]
and our enemies insult us.
⁷O God of Heaven’s Armies,^[n] restore us.
Smile on us.^[o] Then we will be delivered.^[p]

Footnotes

Psalm 80:1 sn Psalm 80. The psalmist laments Israel’s demise and asks the Lord to show favor toward his people, as he did in earlier times.
Psalm 80:1 tn The Hebrew expression shushan-eduth means “lily of the testimony.” It may refer to a particular music style or to a tune title. See the superscription to Ps 60.
Psalm 80:1 sn Cherubim are winged angels. As depicted in the OT, they possess both human and animal (lion, ox, and eagle) characteristics (see Ezek 1:10; 10:14, 21; 41:18). They are pictured as winged creatures (Exod 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs 6:24-27; Ezek 10:8, 19) and serve as the very throne of God when the ark of the covenant is in view (Ps 99:1; see Num 7:89; 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15). The picture of the Lord seated on the cherubim suggests they might be used by him as a vehicle, a function they carry out in Ezek 1:22-28 (the “living creatures” mentioned here are identified as cherubim in Ezek 10:20). In Ps 18:10 the image of a cherub serves to personify the wind.
Psalm 80:1 tn Heb “shine forth.”sn Reveal your splendor. The psalmist may allude to Deut 33:2, where God “shines forth” from Sinai and comes to superintend Moses’ blessing of the tribes.
Psalm 80:2 tn Heb “stir up”; “arouse.”
Psalm 80:2 tn Heb “come for our deliverance.”
Psalm 80:3 tn The idiom “cause your face to shine” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 89:15; Dan 9:17).
Psalm 80:3 tn Heb “cause your face to shine in order that we may be delivered.” After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result.
Psalm 80:4 tn Heb “Lord, God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי (ʾelohe) before צְבָאוֹת (ts^evaʾot; “hosts”; see Ps 89:9), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvah ʾelohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת (ts^evaʾot) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. In this context the term “hosts” has been rendered “Heaven’s Armies.”
Psalm 80:4 tn Heb “How long will you remain angry during the prayer of your people.” Some take the preposition ב (bet) in an adversative sense here (“at/against the prayer of your people”), but the temporal sense is preferable. The psalmist expects persistent prayer to pacify God.
Psalm 80:5 tn Heb “you have fed them the food of tears.”
Psalm 80:5 tn Heb “[by] the third part [of a measure].” The Hebrew term שָׁלִישׁ (shalish, “third part [of a measure]”) occurs only here and in Isa 40:12.
Psalm 80:6 tn Heb “you have made us an object of contention to our neighbors.”
Psalm 80:7 tn Heb “O God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת (ts^evaʾot, “hosts”; see Ps 89:9), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvah ʾelohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת (ts^evaʾot) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. See also v. 4 for a similar construction.
Psalm 80:7 tn The idiom “cause your face to shine” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 89:15; Dan 9:17).
Psalm 80:7 tn Heb “cause your face to shine in order that we may be delivered.” After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result.

Psalm 80:17-19

¹⁷May you give support to the one you have chosen,^[a]
to the one whom you raised up for yourself.^[b]
¹⁸Then we will not turn away from you.
Revive us and we will pray to you.^[c]
¹⁹O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,^[d] restore us.
Smile on us.^[e] Then we will be delivered.^[f]

Zechariah 13

The Refinement of Judah

13 “In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty^[a] of David and the people of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity.^[b] ²And also on that day,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will remove^[c] the names of the idols from the land and they will never again be remembered. Moreover, I will remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land. ³Then, if anyone prophesies in spite of this, his father and mother to whom he was born will say to him, ‘You cannot live, for you lie in the name of the Lord.’ Then his father and mother to whom he was born will run him through with a sword when he prophesies.^[d]

⁴“Therefore, on that day each prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies and will no longer wear the hairy garment^[e] of a prophet to deceive the people.^[f] ⁵Instead he will say, ‘I am no prophet; indeed, I am a farmer, for a man has made me his indentured servant since my youth.’^[g] ⁶Then someone will ask him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest?’^[h] and he will answer, ‘Some that I received in the house of my friends.’

⁷“Awake, sword, against my shepherd,
against the man who is my associate,”
says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“Strike the shepherd that the flock may be scattered;^[i]
I will turn my hand against the insignificant ones.
⁸It will happen in all the land,” says the Lord,
“that two-thirds of the people^[j] in it will be cut off and die,
but one-third will be left in it.^[k]
⁹Then I will bring the remaining third into the fire;
I will refine them like silver is refined
and will test them like gold is tested.
They will call on my name and I will answer;
I will say, ‘These are my people,’
and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”^[l]

Footnotes

Zechariah 13:1 tn Heb “house” (so NIV, NRSV), referring to dynastic descendants.
Zechariah 13:1 tn Heb “for sin and for impurity.” The purpose implied here has been stated explicitly in the translation for clarity.sn This reference to the fountain opened up…to cleanse them from sin and impurity is anticipatory of the cleansing from sin that lies at the heart of the NT gospel message (Rom 10:9-10; Titus 3:5). “In that day” throughout the passage (vv. 1, 2, 4) locates this cleansing in the eschatological (church) age (John 19:37).
Zechariah 13:2 tn Heb “cut off” (so NRSV); NAB “destroy”; NIV “banish.”
Zechariah 13:3 sn Death (in this case being run…through with a sword) was the penalty required in the OT for prophesying falsely (Deut 13:6-11; 18:20-22).
Zechariah 13:4 tn The “hairy garment of a prophet” (אַדֶּרֶת שֵׁעָר, ʾadderet sheʿar) was the rough clothing of Elijah (1 Kgs 19:13), Elisha (1 Kgs 19:19; 2 Kgs 2:14), and even John the Baptist (Matt 3:4). Yet אַדֶּרֶת alone suggests something of beauty and honor (Josh 7:21). The prophet’s attire may have been simple; the image it conveyed was one of great dignity.
Zechariah 13:4 tn The words “the people” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation from context (cf. NCV, TEV, NLT).
Zechariah 13:5 tn Or perhaps “for the land has been my possession since my youth” (so NRSV; similar NAB).
Zechariah 13:6 tn Heb “wounds between your hands.” Cf. NIV “wounds on your body”; KJV makes this more specific: “wounds in thine hands.”sn These wounds on your chest. Pagan prophets were often self-lacerated (Lev 19:28; Deut 14:1; 1 Kgs 18:28) for reasons not entirely clear, so this false prophet betrays himself as such by these graphic and ineradicable marks.
Zechariah 13:7 sn Despite the NT use of this text to speak of the scattering of the disciples following Jesus’ crucifixion (Matt 26:31; Mark 14:27), the immediate context of Zechariah suggests that unfaithful shepherds (kings) will be punished by the Lord precisely so their flocks (disobedient Israel) can be scattered (cf. Zech 11:6, 8, 9, 16). It is likely that Jesus drew on this passage merely to make the point that whenever shepherds are incapacitated, sheep will scatter. Thus he was not identifying himself with the shepherd in this text (the shepherd in the Zechariah text is a character who is portrayed negatively).
Zechariah 13:8 tn The words “of the people” are supplied in the translation for clarity (cf. NCV, TEV, NLT).
Zechariah 13:8 sn The fractions mentioned here call to mind the affliction of God’s people described by Ezekiel, though Ezekiel referred to his own times whereas Zechariah is looking forward to a future eschatological age. Ezekiel spoke of cutting his hair at God’s command (Ezek 5:1-4) and then of burning a third of it, striking a third with a sword, and scattering the rest. From this last third a few hairs would survive to become the nucleus of a new Israel. It is this “third” Zechariah speaks of (v. 9), the remnant who will be purified and reclaimed as God’s covenant people.
Zechariah 13:9 sn The expression I will say ‘It is my people,’ and they will say ‘the Lord is our God’ is reminiscent of the restoration of Israel predicted by Hosea, who said that those who had been rejected as God’s people would be reclaimed and once more become his sons and daughters (Hos 2:23).

Revelation 14:6-13

Three Angels and Three Messages

⁶Then^[a] I saw another^[b] angel flying directly overhead,^[c] and he had^[d] an eternal gospel to proclaim^[e] to those who live^[f] on the earth—to every nation, tribe,^[g] language, and people. ⁷He declared^[h] in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!”

⁸A^[i] second^[j] angel^[k] followed the first,^[l] declaring:^[m] “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city!^[n] She made all the nations^[o] drink of the wine of her immoral passion.”^[p]

⁹A^[q] third angel^[r] followed the first two,^[s] declaring^[t] in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand, ¹⁰that person^[u] will also drink of the wine of God’s anger^[v] that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur^[w] in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. ¹¹And the smoke from their^[x] torture will go up^[y] forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have^[z] no rest day or night, along with^[aa] anyone who receives the mark of his name.” ¹²This requires^[ab] the steadfast endurance^[ac] of the saints—those who obey^[ad] God’s commandments and hold to^[ae] their faith in Jesus.^[af]

¹³Then^[ag] I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this:

‘Blessed are the dead,
those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their hard work,^[ah] because their deeds will follow them.”^[ai]

Footnotes

Revelation 14:6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
Revelation 14:6 tc Most mss (P47 א* M sa) lack ἄλλον (allon, “another”) here, but the support for it is stronger (P^115vid א² A C P 051 1006 1611 1841 2053 2329 al latt sy bo). The problem that its inclusion represents is that there is no reference to any other angel in the immediate context (the last mention was in 11:15). In this instance, the longer reading is harder. The word was probably intentionally omitted in order to resolve the tension; less likely, it might have been accidentally omitted since its spelling is similar to “angel” (ἄγγελος, angelos).
Revelation 14:6 tn L&N 1.10 states, “a point or region of the sky directly above the earth—‘high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.’”
Revelation 14:6 tn Grk “having.”
Revelation 14:6 tn Or “an eternal gospel to announce as good news.”
Revelation 14:6 tn Grk “to those seated on the earth.”
Revelation 14:6 tn Grk “and tribe,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
Revelation 14:7 tn Grk “people, saying.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence. For the translation of λέγω (legō) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.
Revelation 14:8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Revelation 14:8 tc There are several different variants comprising a textual problem involving “second” (δεύτερος, deuteros). First, several mss (A 1 2329 M^K) read “another, a second angel” (ἄλλος δεύτερος ἄγγελος, allos deuteros angelos). Second, other mss (P⁴⁷ א* 1006 1841 1854) read just “another, a second” (ἄλλος δεύτερος). Third, the reading “another angel” (ἄλλος ἄγγελος) is supported by a few Greek mss and some versional evidence (69 ar vg). Fourth, several mss (א² [C reads δεύτερον instead of δεύτερος] 051 1611 2053 2344 M^A) support the reading “another, a second angel” (ἄλλος ἄγγελος δεύτερος). The reading that most likely gave rise to the others is the fourth. The first reading attempts to smooth out the grammar by placing the adjective in front of the noun. The second reading may have dropped out the “angel” on the basis of its similarity to “another” (ἄλλος). The third reading either intentionally or accidentally left out the word “second.” In any event, this is weakly attested and should not be given much consideration. (If, however, this reading had had good support, with “second” floating, and with “third” in the text in 14:9, one could possibly see δεύτερος as a motivated reading. But without sufficient support for the third reading, the one thing that is most certain is that δεύτερος was part of the initial text here.) It is difficult to account for the rise of the other readings if “second” is not original. And the undisputed use of “third” (τρίτος, tritos) in 14:9 may be another indicator that the adjective “second” was in the autographic text. Finally, the fourth reading is the most difficult and therefore, in this case, to be accepted as the progenitor of the others.
Revelation 14:8 tn Grk “And another angel, a second.”
Revelation 14:8 tn The words “the first” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
Revelation 14:8 tn For the translation of λέγω (legō) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.
Revelation 14:8 sn The fall of Babylon the great city is described in detail in Rev 18:2-24.
Revelation 14:8 tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
Revelation 14:8 tn Grk “of the wine of the passion of the sexual immorality of her.” Here τῆς πορνείας (tēs porneias) has been translated as an attributive genitive. In an ironic twist of fate, God will make Babylon drink her own mixture, but it will become the wine of his wrath in retribution for her immoral deeds (see the note on the word “wrath” in 16:19).
Revelation 14:9 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Revelation 14:9 tn Grk “And another angel, a third.”
Revelation 14:9 tn Grk “followed them.”
Revelation 14:9 tn For the translation of λέγω (legō) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.
Revelation 14:10 tn Grk “he himself.”
Revelation 14:10 tn The Greek word for “anger” here is θυμός (thumos), a wordplay on the “passion” (θυμός) of the personified city of Babylon in 14:8.
Revelation 14:10 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
Revelation 14:11 tn The Greek pronoun is plural here even though the verbs in the previous verse are singular.
Revelation 14:11 tn The present tense ἀναβαίνει (anabainei) has been translated as a futuristic present (ExSyn 535-36). This is also consistent with the future passive βασανισθήσεται (basanisthēsetai) in v. 10.
Revelation 14:11 tn The present tense ἔχουσιν (echousin) has been translated as a futuristic present to keep the English tense consistent with the previous verb (see note on “will go up” earlier in this verse).
Revelation 14:11 tn Grk “and.”
Revelation 14:12 tn Grk “Here is.”
Revelation 14:12 tn Or “the perseverance.”
Revelation 14:12 tn Grk “who keep.”
Revelation 14:12 tn The words “hold to” are implied as a repetition of the participle translated “keep” (οἱ τηροῦντες, hoi tērountes).
Revelation 14:12 tn Grk “faith of Jesus.” The construction may mean either “faith in Jesus” or “faithful to Jesus.” Either translation implies that ᾿Ιησοῦ (Iēsou) is to be taken as an objective genitive; the difference is more lexical than grammatical because πίστις (pistis) can mean either “faith” or “faithfulness.”
Revelation 14:13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
Revelation 14:13 tn Or “from their trouble” (L&N 22.7).
Revelation 14:13 tn Grk “their deeds will follow with them.”

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 80[a]

For the music director, according to the shushan-eduth style;[b] a psalm of Asaph.

Footnotes

Footnotes

The Refinement of Judah

Footnotes

Three Angels and Three Messages

Footnotes

Psalm 80^[a]

For the music director, according to the shushan-eduth style;^[b] a psalm of Asaph.