Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Job Says He Longs for God
23 Then Job responded,
2 “Even today my (A)complaint is rebellion;
[a]His hand is (B)heavy despite my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew how to find Him,
That I might come to His home!
4 I would (C)present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn the words which He would [b]answer,
And perceive what He would tell me.
6 Would He contend with me by (D)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 There the upright would (E)argue with Him;
And I [c]would be (F)free of my Judge forever.
8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I (G)cannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him;
He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him.
A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.
For the music director; upon [a]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.
22 (A)My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
(B)Far from my [b]help are the words of my [c](C)groaning.
2 My God, I (D)cry out by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but [d]I have no rest.
3 Yet (E)You are holy,
You who [e]are enthroned upon (F)the praises of Israel.
4 In You our fathers (G)trusted;
They trusted and You (H)rescued them.
5 To You they cried out and they fled to safety;
(I)In You they trusted and were not [f]disappointed.
6 But I am a (J)worm and not a person,
A (K)disgrace of mankind and (L)despised by the people.
7 All who see me (M)deride me;
They [g]sneer, they (N)shake their heads, saying,
8 “[h]Turn [i]him over to the Lord; (O)let Him save him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”
9 Yet You are He who (P)brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You (Q)from [j]birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.
11 (R)Do not be far from me, for [k]trouble is near;
For there is (S)no one to help.
12 Many (T)bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of (U)Bashan have encircled me.
13 They (V)open their mouths wide at me,
As a ravening and roaring (W)lion.
14 I am (X)poured out like water,
And all my (Y)bones are out of joint;
My (Z)heart is like wax;
It is melted within [l]me.
15 My (AA)strength is dried up like a piece of pottery,
And (AB)my tongue clings to my jaws;
And You (AC)lay me [m]in the dust of death.
12 For (A)the word of God is (B)living and (C)active, and sharper than any two-edged (D)sword, even penetrating as far as the division of (E)soul and (F)spirit, of both joints and marrow, and (G)able to [a]judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And (H)there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are (I)open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom [b]we must answer.
14 Therefore, since we have a great (J)high priest who has (K)passed through the heavens, Jesus (L)the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our (M)confession. 15 For we do not have (N)a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been (O)tempted in all things just as we are, yet (P)without sin. 16 Therefore let’s (Q)approach the throne of grace with (R)confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
The Rich Young Ruler
17 (A)As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and (B)knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may (C)inherit eternal life?” 18 But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘(D)Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept (E)all these things from my youth.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have (F)treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But he [a]was deeply dismayed by [b]these words, and he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
23 And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “(G)How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples (H)were amazed at His words. But Jesus responded again and *said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 (I)It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were even more astonished, and said to Him, “[c]Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus *said, “(J)With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
28 (K)Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and have followed You.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, (L)there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30 [d]but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in [e]the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in (M)the age to come, eternal life. 31 But (N)many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
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