Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 19[a]
For the music director, a psalm of David.
19 The heavens declare the glory of God;[b]
the sky displays his handiwork.[c]
2 Day after day it speaks out;[d]
night after night it reveals his greatness.[e]
3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its[f] voice literally heard.
4 Yet its voice[g] echoes[h] throughout the earth;
its[i] words carry[j] to the distant horizon.[k]
In the sky[l] he has pitched a tent for the sun.[m]
5 Like a bridegroom it emerges[n] from its chamber;[o]
like a strong man it enjoys[p] running its course.[q]
6 It emerges from the distant horizon,[r]
and goes from one end of the sky to the other;[s]
nothing can escape[t] its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life.[u]
The rules set down by the Lord[v] are reliable[w]
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.[x]
8 The Lord’s precepts are fair[y]
and make one joyful.[z]
The Lord’s commands[aa] are pure[ab]
and give insight for life.[ac]
9 The commands to fear the Lord are right[ad]
and endure forever.[ae]
The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy
and absolutely just.[af]
10 They are of greater value[ag] than gold,
than even a great amount of pure gold;
they bring greater delight[ah] than honey,
than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there;[ai]
those who obey them receive a rich reward.[aj]
12 Who can know all his errors?[ak]
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of.[al]
13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins;[am]
do not allow such sins to control me.[an]
Then I will be blameless,
and innocent of blatant[ao] rebellion.
14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight,[ap]
O Lord, my sheltering rock[aq] and my redeemer.[ar]
Nehemiah Intervenes on behalf of the Oppressed
5 Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.[a] 2 There were those who said, “With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain[b] grain in order to eat and stay alive.” 3 There were others who said, “We are putting up our fields, our vineyards, and our houses as collateral in order to obtain grain during the famine.” 4 Then there were those who said, “We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king[c] on our fields and our vineyards. 5 And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen[d] and our children are just like their children,[e] still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery.[f] Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help,[g] since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people.”[h]
6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints.[i] 7 I considered these things carefully[j] and then registered a complaint with the wealthy[k] and the officials. I said to them, “Each one of you is seizing the collateral[l] from your own countrymen!”[m] Because of them I called for[n] a great public assembly. 8 I said to them, “To the extent possible we have bought back our fellow Jews[o] who had been sold to the Gentiles. But now you yourselves want to sell your own countrymen,[p] so that we can then buy them back!” They were utterly silent, and could find nothing to say.
9 Then I[q] said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong![r] Should you not conduct yourselves[s] in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies? 10 Even I and my relatives[t] and my associates[u] are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral![v] 11 This very day return to them their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their houses, along with the interest[w] that you are exacting from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil.”
12 They replied, “We will return these things,[x] and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials[y] swear to do what had been promised.[z] 13 I also shook out my garment,[aa] and I said, “In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out[ab] this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” All the assembly replied, “So be it!” and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.[ac]
39 So[a] when Joseph and Mary[b] had performed[c] everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town[d] of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong,[e] filled with wisdom,[f] and the favor[g] of God[h] was upon him.
Jesus in the Temple
41 Now[i] Jesus’[j] parents went to Jerusalem every[k] year for the Feast of the Passover.[l] 42 When[m] he was twelve years old,[n] they went up[o] according to custom. 43 But[p] when the feast was over,[q] as they were returning home,[r] the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His[s] parents[t] did not know it, 44 but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers)[u] they went a day’s journey. Then[v] they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances.[w] 45 When[x] they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem[y] to look for him. 46 After[z] three days[aa] they found him in the temple courts,[ab] sitting among the teachers,[ac] listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Jesus[ad] were astonished[ae] at his understanding and his answers. 48 When[af] his parents[ag] saw him, they were overwhelmed. His[ah] mother said to him, “Child,[ai] why have you treated[aj] us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.”[ak] 49 But[al] he replied,[am] “Why were you looking for me?[an] Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”[ao] 50 Yet[ap] his parents[aq] did not understand[ar] the remark[as] he made[at] to them. 51 Then[au] he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient[av] to them. But[aw] his mother kept all these things[ax] in her heart.[ay]
52 And Jesus increased[az] in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.
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