Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
9 The Lord then said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” Therefore, that place is called Gilgal[a] to this day.(A)
Food from the Land
10 While the Israelites camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.[b] 11 The day after Passover they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land. 12 And the day after they ate from the produce of the land, the manna ceased.(B) Since there was no more manna for the Israelites, they ate from the crops of the land of Canaan that year.
Psalm 32
The Joy of Forgiveness
Davidic. A Maskil.
1 How joyful is the one
whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered!(A)
2 How joyful is the man
the Lord does not charge with sin(B)
and in whose spirit is no deceit!(C)
3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle
from my groaning all day long.(D)
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy on me;(E)
my strength was drained[a]
as in the summer’s heat.(F)
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You
and did not conceal my iniquity.
I said,
“I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and You took away the guilt of my sin.(G)
6 Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to You
at a time that You may be found.[b](H)
When great floodwaters come,
they will not reach him.(I)
7 You are my hiding place;(J)
You protect me from trouble.(K)
You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
16 From now on, then, we do not know[a] anyone in a purely human way.[b] Even if we have known[c] Christ in a purely human way,[d] yet now we no longer know[e] Him in this way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;(A) old things have passed away, and look,(B) new things[f] have come.(C) 18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:(D) 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world(E) to Himself,(F) not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors(G) for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf,(H) “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the One who did not know sin(I) to be sin[g] for us,(J) so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 He also said: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets[a] to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered(A) his estate in foolish living.(B) 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.[b] 15 Then he went to work for[c] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.(C) 16 He longed to eat his fill from[d] the carob pods[e] the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. 17 When he came to his senses,[f] he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger![g] 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned(D) against heaven(E) and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy(F) to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion.(G) He ran, threw his arms around his neck,[h] and kissed(H) him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe(I) and put it on him; put a ring(J) on his finger[i] and sandals(K) on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf(L) and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again;(M) he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’[j]
28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets[k] with prostitutes,(N) you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’
31 “‘Son,’[l] he said to him, ‘you are always with me,(O) and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.