Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
ב BETH
9 How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
10 With my whole heart I have (A)sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 (B)Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have (C)declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts,
And [a]contemplate Your ways.
16 I will (D)delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.
The Coming Glory of God’s House
2 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came [a]by Haggai the prophet, saying: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: 3 (A)‘Who is left among you who saw this [b]temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, (B)is this not in your eyes as nothing? 4 Yet now (C)be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts. 5 (D)‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so (E)My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’
6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: (F)‘Once more (it is a little while) (G)I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to (H)the [c]Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this [d]temple with (I)glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. 8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. 9 (J)‘The glory of this latter [e]temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give (K)peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
Zerubbabel Chosen as a Signet
20 And again the word of the Lord came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, (A)governor of Judah, saying:
(B)‘I will shake heaven and earth.
22 (C)I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms;
I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms.
(D)I will overthrow the chariots
And those who ride in them;
The horses and their riders shall come down,
Every one by the sword of his brother.
23 ‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, (E)‘and will make you like a signet ring; for (F)I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
34 The people answered Him, (A)“We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer (B)the light is with you. (C)Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; (D)he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become (E)sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and (F)was hidden from them.
Who Has Believed Our Report?
37 But although He had done so many (G)signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:
(H)“Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:
40 “He(I) has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
(J)Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”
41 (K)These things Isaiah said [a]when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
Walk in the Light
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but (L)because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 (M)for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
44 Then Jesus cried out and said, (N)“He who believes in Me, (O)believes not in Me (P)but in Him who sent Me. 45 And (Q)he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 (R)I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not [b]believe, (S)I do not judge him; for (T)I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 (U)He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—(V)the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For (W)I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, (X)what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I (Y)speak.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.