Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK 1
The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.
1 Blessed is the person who (A)does not walk in the (B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the [a](C)path of sinners,
Nor (D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his (E)delight is (F)in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates (G)day and (H)night.
3 He will be like (I)a tree planted by [b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its [c]leaf does not wither;
And [d]in whatever he does, (J)he prospers.
20 “Raise your eyes and see
Those coming (A)from the north.
Where is the (B)flock that was given you,
Your beautiful sheep?
21 What will you say when He appoints over you—
And you yourself had taught them—
Former (C)companions to be head over you?
Will (D)sharp pains not take hold of you
Like a woman in childbirth?
22 If you (E)say in your heart,
‘(F)Why have these things happened to me?’
Because of the (G)magnitude of your wrongdoing
(H)Your skirts have been removed
And your [a]heels have suffered violence.
23 (I)Can the Ethiopian change his skin,
Or the leopard his spots?
Then you as well can (J)do good
Who are accustomed to doing evil.
24 Therefore I will (K)scatter them like drifting straw
To the desert (L)wind.
25 This is your (M)lot, the portion measured to you
From Me,” declares the Lord,
“Because you have (N)forgotten Me
And trusted in falsehood.
26 So I Myself have (O)stripped your skirts off over your face,
So that your shame will be seen.
27 As for your (P)adulteries and your lustful neighings,
The (Q)outrageous sin of your prostitution
On the (R)hills in the field,
I have seen your abominations.
Woe to you, Jerusalem!
(S)How long will you remain unclean?”
17 If you (A)address as Father the One who (B)impartially (C)judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves (D)in fear during the time of your (E)stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not [a](F)redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your (G)futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious (H)blood, as of a (I)lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was (J)foreknown before (K)the foundation of the world, but has (L)appeared [b]in these last times (M)for the sake of you 21 who through Him are (N)believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and (O)gave Him glory, so that your faith and (P)hope are in God.
22 Since you have (Q)purified your souls (R)in obedience to the truth for a (S)sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from [c]the heart, 23 for you have been (T)born again (U)not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring (V)word of God. 24 For,
“(W)All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory is like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
25 (X)But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is (Y)the word which was [d]preached to you.
As Newborn Babes
2 Therefore, (Z)rid yourselves of all [e]malice and all deceit and [f]hypocrisy and [g]envy and all [h](AA)slander,
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