Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Law of Yahweh Is Perfect
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
19 The (A)heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And the (B)expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to (C)day pours forth [a]speech,
And (D)night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no [b]speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [c](E)line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has (F)placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its (G)rising is from [d]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [e]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 (H)The law of Yahweh is [f](I)perfect, (J)restoring the soul;
The testimony of Yahweh is (K)sure, making (L)wise the simple.
8 The precepts of Yahweh are (M)right, (N)rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of Yahweh is (O)pure, (P)enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of Yahweh are (Q)true; they are (R)righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than (S)gold, even more than much fine gold;
(T)Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them (U)Your slave is warned;
In keeping them there is great (V)reward.
12 Who can (W)discern his errors? (X)Acquit me of (Y)hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your slave (Z)from presumptuous sins;
Let them not (AA)rule over me;
Then I will be [g](AB)blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of (AC)great transgression.
14 Let the [h]words of my mouth and (AD)the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Yahweh, (AE)my rock and my (AF)Redeemer.
Each Usury Is Forsaken
5 Then (A)there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their (B)Jewish brothers. 2 Now there were those who were saying, “We, with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore let us (C)get grain that we may eat and live.” 3 There were others who were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses, that we might get grain because of the famine.” 4 Also there were those who were saying, “We have borrowed money (D)for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 But now (E)our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, (F)we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into subjugation, and we have no power in our hands to help, and our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6 Then I was very (G)angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. 7 I consulted within my own heart and contended with the nobles and the officials and said to them, “(H)You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8 I said to them, “We, according to our ability, (I)have bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; and now would you also sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 And I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of (J)the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 And likewise I, my brothers, and my young men are lending them money and grain. Please, let us forsake this usury. 11 Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We (K)will give it back and (L)will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you are saying.” So I called the priests and (M)made them swear that they would do according to this word. 13 I (N)also shook out the [a]front of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not establish this word; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And (O)all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised Yahweh. Then the people did according to this word.
The Return to Nazareth
39 And when they had finished everything according to the Law of the [a]Lord, they returned to Galilee, to (A)their own city of Nazareth. 40 (B)Now the Child continued to grow and become strong, being filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 And His parents would go to Jerusalem every year at (C)the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He became twelve years old, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; 43 and as they were returning, after finishing the (D)days of the Feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents did not know. 44 But supposing Him to be in the caravan, they went a day’s journey, and they began searching for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem searching for Him. 46 And it happened that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him (E)were astounded at His understanding and His answers. 48 When they saw Him, they were astonished, and (F)His mother said to Him, “Child, why have You treated us this way? Behold, (G)Your father and I [b]have been anxiously searching for You.” 49 And He said to them, “Why is it that you were searching for Me? Did you not know that (H)I had to be in My Father’s [c]house?” 50 But (I)they did not understand the statement which He had spoken to them. 51 And He went down with them and came to (J)Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them, and (K)His mother (L)was treasuring all these [d]things in her heart.
52 And Jesus was advancing in wisdom and [e]stature, and in (M)favor with God and men.
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