Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Saves from Many Dangers
107 Thank the Lord because he is good.
His love continues forever.
2 That is what those whom the Lord has saved should say.
He has saved them from the enemy
3 and has gathered them from other lands,
from east and west, north and south.
4 Some people had wandered in the desert lands.
They found no city in which to live.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and they were discouraged.
6 In their misery they cried out to the Lord,
and he saved them from their troubles.
7 He led them on a straight road
to a city where they could live.
8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love
and for the miracles he does for people.
9 He satisfies the thirsty
and fills up the hungry.
10 Some sat in gloom and darkness;
they were prisoners suffering in chains.
11 They had turned against the words of God
and had refused the advice of God Most High.
12 So he broke their pride by hard work.
They stumbled, and no one helped.
13 In their misery they cried out to the Lord,
and he saved them from their troubles.
14 He brought them out of their gloom and darkness
and broke their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love
and for the miracles he does for people.
16 He breaks down bronze gates
and cuts apart iron bars.
15 “You have been hated and left empty
with no one passing through.
But I will make you great from now on;
you will be a place of happiness forever and ever.
16 You will be given what you need from the nations,
like a child drinking milk from its mother.
Then you will know that it is I, the Lord, who saves you.
You will know that the Powerful One of Jacob protects you.
17 I will bring you gold in place of bronze,
silver in place of iron,
bronze in place of wood,
iron in place of rocks.
I will change your punishment into peace,
and you will be ruled by what is right.
18 There will be no more violence in your country;
it will not be ruined or destroyed.
You will name your walls Salvation
and your gates Praise.
19 The sun will no longer be your light during the day
nor will the brightness from the moon be your light,
because the Lord will be your light forever,
and your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun will never set again,
and your moon will never be dark,
because the Lord will be your light forever,
and your time of sadness will end.
21 All of your people will do what is right.
They will receive the earth forever.
They are the plant I have planted,
the work of my own hands
to show my greatness.
22 The smallest family will grow to a thousand.
The least important of you will become a powerful nation.
I am the Lord,
and when it is time, I will make these things happen quickly.”
Jesus Is the Light of the World
12 Later, Jesus talked to the people again, saying, “I am the light of the world. The person who follows me will never live in darkness but will have the light that gives life.”
13 The Pharisees said to Jesus, “When you talk about yourself, you are the only one to say these things are true. We cannot accept what you say.”
14 Jesus answered, “Yes, I am saying these things about myself, but they are true. I know where I came from and where I am going. But you don’t know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards. I am not judging anyone. 16 But when I do judge, I judge truthfully, because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me. 17 Your own law says that when two witnesses say the same thing, you must accept what they say. 18 I am one of the witnesses who speaks about myself, and the Father who sent me is the other witness.”
19 They asked, “Where is your father?”
Jesus answered, “You don’t know me or my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father, too.” 20 Jesus said these things while he was teaching in the Temple, near where the money is kept. But no one arrested him, because the right time for him had not yet come.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.