Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Curse and Blessing
5 This is what the Lord says:
Cursed is the person who trusts in mankind.(A)
He makes human flesh his strength,(B)
and his heart turns from the Lord.
6 He will be like a juniper in the Arabah;(C)
he cannot see when good comes
but dwells in the parched places in the wilderness,
in a salt land where no one lives.(D)
7 The person who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed.(E)
8 He will be like a tree planted by water:(F)
it sends its roots out toward a stream,
it doesn’t fear when heat comes,
and its foliage remains green.
It will not worry in a year of drought
or cease producing fruit.
The Deceitful Heart
Psalm 1
The Two Ways
1 How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked
or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers!(A)
2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.(B)
3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams[a]
that bears its fruit in its season,(C)
and its leaf does not wither.(D)
Whatever he does prospers.(E)
Resurrection Essential to the Faith
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead,(A) how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”?(B) 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.[a] 15 Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses(C) about God, because we have testified(D) wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ(E) have also perished. 19 If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.
Christ’s Resurrection Guarantees Ours
20 But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits(F) of those who have fallen asleep.
Teaching and Healing
17 After coming down with them, he stood on a level place with a large crowd of his disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.(A) 18 They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. 19 The whole crowd was trying to touch him,(B) because power was coming out from him and healing them all.(C)
The Beatitudes
20 Then looking up at his disciples, he said:(D)
Blessed are you who are poor,
because the kingdom of God is yours.
21 Blessed are you who are hungry now,
because you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
because you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you,(E) insult you,
and slander your name as evil(F)
because of the Son of Man.(G)
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. Take note—your reward is great in heaven, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets.(H)
Woe to the Self-Satisfied
24 But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are now full,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you[a] who are now laughing,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you[b]
when all people speak well of you,
for this is the way their ancestors
used to treat the false prophets.(I)
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