Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Blessedness of the Fear of the Lord.
A Song of Ascents.
128 (A)Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
Who (B)walks in His ways.
2 When you (C)eat the (D)fruit of the labor of your hands,
You will be happy and (E)it will go well for you.
3 Your wife will be like a (F)fruitful vine
[a]Within your house,
Your children like (G)olive plants
Around your table.
4 Behold, for so shall a man
Who fears the Lord be blessed.
Your Attitude toward God
5 [a](A)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the (B)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 [b]Do not be (C)quick with your mouth or [c]impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your (D)words be few. 3 For the dream comes through much [d]effort, and the voice of a (E)fool through many words.
4 When you (F)make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. (G)Pay what you vow! 5 It is (H)better that you not vow, than vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your [e]speech cause [f]you to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a (I)mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is futility. Rather, [g](J)fear God.
8 If you see (K)oppression of the poor and (L)denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be (M)shocked at the [h]sight; for one [i]official watches over another [j]official, and there are higher [k]officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land.
The Foolishness of Riches
10 (N)One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility. 11 (O)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to [l]look at them? 12 The sleep of the laborer is (P)sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the [m]full stomach of the rich person does not allow him to sleep.
13 There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: (Q)wealth being [n]hoarded by its owner to his detriment. 14 When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing [o]to support him. 15 (R)As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came. He will (S)take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person [p]is born, so will he [q]die. (T)What then is the advantage for him who (U)labors for the wind? 17 All his life (V)he also eats in darkness with (W)great irritation, sickness, and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be (X)good and [r]fitting: to eat, to drink, and [s]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few [t]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his [u](Y)reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every person to whom (Z)God has given riches and wealth, He has also (AA)given him the opportunity to [v]enjoy them and to receive his [w]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the (AB)gift of God. 20 For he will not often call to mind the [x]years of his life, because (AC)God keeps [y]him busy with the joy of his heart.
21 Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and (A)you will look for Me, and (B)will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So (C)the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘(D)Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying to them, “(E)You are from below, I am from above; (F)you are of this world, (G)I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you (H)will die in your sins; for unless you believe that [a](I)I am, (J)you will die in your sins.” 25 Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “[b]What have I even been saying to you from the beginning? 26 I have many things to say and to judge regarding you, but (K)He who sent Me is true; and (L)the things which I heard from Him, these I say to the world.” 27 They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you (M)lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that [c](N)I am, and (O)I do nothing [d]on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me; (P)He [e]has not left Me alone, for (Q)I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He said these things, (R)many came to believe in Him.
The Truth Will Set You Free
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “(S)If you continue in My word, then you are truly My (T)disciples; 32 and (U)you will know the truth, and (V)the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered Him, “(W)We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, (X)everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 Now (Y)the slave does not remain in the house forever; (Z)the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son (AA)sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I know that you are (AB)Abraham’s descendants; yet (AC)you are seeking to kill Me, because My word [f]has no place in you. 38 I speak of the things which I have seen [g]with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from (AD)your father.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.