Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
12 The wicked (A)plots against the righteous,
And (B)gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord (C)laughs at him,
For He sees that (D)his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn the sword and (E)bent their bow
To take down the (F)afflicted and the needy,
To (G)kill off those who are upright in conduct.
15 Their sword will enter their own heart,
And their (H)bows will be broken.
16 (I)Better is the little of the righteous
Than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the (J)arms of the wicked will be broken,
But the Lord (K)sustains the righteous.
18 The Lord (L)knows the days of the [a]blameless,
And their (M)inheritance will be forever.
19 They will not be ashamed in the time of evil,
And (N)in the days of famine they will have plenty.
20 But the (O)wicked will perish;
And the enemies of the Lord will be like the [b]glory of the pastures,
They vanish—(P)like smoke they vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous (Q)is gracious and gives.
22 For (R)those blessed by Him will (S)inherit the land,
But those (T)cursed by Him will be eliminated.
22 So the messenger departed and came and reported to David everything that Joab had sent him to tell. 23 The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us and came out against us in the field, but we [a]pressed them as far as the entrance of the gate. 24 Also, the archers shot at your servants from the wall; so some of the king’s servants died, and your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.” 25 Then David said to the messenger, “This is what you shall say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing [b]displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; [c]fight with determination against the city and overthrow it’; and thereby encourage him.”
26 Now when Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, (A)she mourned for her husband. 27 When the time of mourning was over, David sent servants and [d]had her brought to his house and (B)she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But (C)the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.
22 For this reason (A)I have often been prevented from coming to you; 23 but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I (B)have had for many years a longing to come to you 24 whenever I (C)go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be (D)helped on my way there by you, when I have first (E)enjoyed your company [a]for a while— 25 but now, (F)I am going to Jerusalem, (G)serving the [b]saints. 26 For (H)Macedonia and (I)Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the [c]saints in Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For (J)if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to do them a service also in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have finished this, and (K)have [d]put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will (L)go on by way of you to Spain. 29 I know that when (M)I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
30 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by (N)the love of the Spirit, to (O)strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be (P)rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my (Q)service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the [e](R)saints; 32 so that (S)I may come to you in joy by (T)the will of God and relax in your company. 33 Now (U)the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
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