Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 128

A pilgrimage song.

Listen and speak carefully

5 Watch^[a] your steps when you go to God’s house. It’s more acceptable to listen than to offer the fools’ sacrifice—they have no idea that they’re acting wrongly. ² Don’t^[b] be quick with your mouth or say anything hastily before God, because God is in heaven, but you are on earth. Therefore, let your words be few.

⁴ When you make a promise to God, fulfill it without delay because God has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you promise. ⁵ Better not to make a promise than to make a promise without fulfilling it. ⁶ Don’t let your mouth make a sinner of you, and don’t say to the messenger: “It was a mistake!” Otherwise, God may become angry at such talk and destroy what you have accomplished.

Hoarding wealth

⁸ If you witness the poor being oppressed or the violation of what is just and right in some territory, don’t be surprised because a high official watches over another, and yet others stand over them. ⁹ But the land’s yield should be for everyone if the field is cultivated.^{[c] 10} The money lover isn’t satisfied with money; neither is the lover of wealth satisfied with income. This too is pointless. ¹¹ When good things flow, so do those who consume them. But what do owners benefit from such goods, except to feast their eyes on them? ¹² Sweet is the worker’s sleep, whether there’s a lot or little to eat; but the excess of the wealthy won’t let them sleep.

¹³ I have seen a sickening tragedy under the sun: people hoard their wealth to their own detriment. ¹⁴ Then that wealth is lost in a bad business venture so that when they have children, they are left with nothing. ¹⁵ Just as they came from their mother’s womb naked, naked they’ll return, ending up just like they started. All their hard work produces nothing—nothing they can take with them. ¹⁶ This too is a sickening tragedy: they must pass on just as they arrived. What then do they gain from working so hard for wind? ¹⁷ What’s more, they constantly eat in darkness, with much aggravation, grief, and anger.

¹⁸ This is the one good thing I’ve seen: it’s appropriate for people to eat, drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work under the sun during the brief lifetime that God gives them because that’s their lot in life. ¹⁹ Also, whenever God gives people wealth and riches and enables them to enjoy it, to accept their place in the world^[d] and to find pleasure in their hard work—all this is God’s gift. ²⁰ Indeed, people shouldn’t brood too much over the days of their lives because God gives an answer in their hearts’ joy.

²¹ Jesus continued, “I’m going away. You will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you can’t come.”

²² The Jewish leaders said, “He isn’t going to kill himself, is he? Is that why he said, ‘Where I’m going, you can’t come’?”

²³ He said to them, “You are from below; I’m from above. You are from this world; I’m not from this world. ²⁴ This is why I told you that you would die in your sins. If you don’t believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.”

²⁵ “Who are you?” they asked.

Jesus replied, “I’m exactly who I have claimed to be from the beginning. ²⁶ I have many things to say in judgment concerning you. The one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” ²⁷ They didn’t know he was speaking about his Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said to them, “When the Human One^[a] is lifted up,^[b] then you will know that I Am.^[c] Then you will know that I do nothing on my own, but I say just what the Father has taught me. ²⁹ He who sent me is with me. He doesn’t leave me by myself, because I always do what makes him happy.” ³⁰ While Jesus was saying these things, many people came to believe in him.

Children of Abraham

³¹ Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

³³ They responded, “We are Abraham’s children; we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. How can you say that we will be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus answered, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵ A slave isn’t a permanent member of the household, but a son is. ³⁶ Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you really will be free. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s children, yet you want to kill me because you don’t welcome my teaching. ³⁸ I’m telling you what I’ve seen when I am with the Father, but you are doing what you’ve heard from your father.”