Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Job Says He Longs for God
23 Then Job [a]replied,
2 “Even today my (A)complaint is rebellion;
[b]His hand is (B)heavy despite my groaning.
3 “Oh that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 “I would (C)present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 “I would learn the words which He would [c]answer,
And perceive what He would say to 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)reason with Him;
And I [d]would be (F)delivered forever from my Judge.
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 behold Him;
He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.
A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.
For the choir director; upon [a]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.
22 (A)My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
[b](B)Far from my deliverance are the words of my [c](C)groaning.
2 O my God, I (D)cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but [d]I have no rest.
3 Yet (E)You are holy,
O You who [e]are enthroned upon (F)the praises of Israel.
4 In You our fathers (G)trusted;
They trusted and You (H)delivered them.
5 To You they cried out and were delivered;
(I)In You they trusted and were not [f]disappointed.
6 But I am a (J)worm and not a man,
A (K)reproach of men and (L)despised by the people.
7 All who see me [g](M)sneer at me;
They [h]separate with the lip, they (N)wag the head, saying,
8 “[i]Commit yourself to the Lord; (O)let Him deliver 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 Upon You I was cast (Q)from [j]birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.
11 (R)Be not far from me, for [k]trouble is near;
For there is (S)none to help.
12 Many (T)bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of (U)Bashan have encircled me.
13 They (V)open wide their mouth at me,
As a ravening and a 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 potsherd,
And (AB)my tongue cleaves 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, and piercing as far as the division of (E)soul and (F)spirit, of both joints and marrow, and (G)able to 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 with whom we have to do.
14 Therefore, since we have a great (J)high priest who has (K)passed through the heavens, Jesus (L)the Son of God, let us hold fast 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 as we are, yet (P)without sin. 16 Therefore let us (Q)draw near with (R)confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of 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 to (C)inherit eternal life?” 18 And 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 bear false witness, 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 up.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for 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 at these words [a]he was saddened, 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 The disciples (H)were amazed at His words. But Jesus *answered 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 man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, “[b]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 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 [c]but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in [d]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.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.