Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Curse and Blessing
5 This is what the Lord says:
The man who trusts in mankind,(A)
who makes human flesh his strength(B)
and turns his heart from the Lord is cursed.
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 man 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
BOOK I
(Psalms 1–41)
Psalm 1
The Two Ways
1 How happy is the man
who does not follow[a] the advice of the wicked
or take[b] the path of sinners
or join a group[c] 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 streams of water[d]
that bears its fruit in season[e](C)
and whose 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 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is without foundation, and so is your faith.[a] 15 In addition, we are found to be false witnesses(C) about God, because we have testified(D) 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, Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Therefore, those 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 now 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[a] His disciples, He said:(D)
You who are poor are blessed,
because the kingdom of God is yours.
21 You who are now hungry are blessed,
because you will be filled.
You who now weep are blessed,
because you will laugh.
22 You are blessed 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[b] who are now laughing,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you[c]
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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