Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
118 Give thanks to the Lord because he is good,
because his mercy endures forever.
2 Israel should say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
14 The Lord is my strength and my song.
He is my savior.
15 The sound of joyful singing and victory is heard
in the tents of righteous people.
The right hand of the Lord displays strength.
16 The right hand of the Lord is held high.
The right hand of the Lord displays strength.
17 I will not die,
but I will live and tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord disciplined me severely,
but he did not allow me to be killed.
19 Open the gates of righteousness for me.
I will go through them ⌞and⌟ give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which righteous people will enter.
21 I give thanks to you,
because you have answered me.
You are my savior.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 The Lord is responsible for this,
and it is amazing for us to see.
24 This is the day the Lord has made.
Let’s rejoice and be glad today!
16 The five kings ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah. 17 Someone told Joshua, “The five kings have been found. They are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”
18 Joshua replied, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post a guard there. 19 But don’t stop. Chase your enemies! Cut off their rear guard. Don’t let them get back into their own cities, because the Lord your God has handed them over to you.”
20 Joshua and the Israelites defeated them decisively, almost destroying them. But some who survived got back into the fortified cities. 21 Then the whole army returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a single person dared to speak against any of the Israelites.
22 Joshua said, “Open the cave, and bring me the five kings!” 23 So they brought him the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
24 When they brought them to Joshua, he called for all the men of Israel. He told the officers who had gone with him, “Come forward and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So that’s what they did. 25 Joshua told them, “Don’t be afraid or terrified! Be strong and courageous, because this is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you’re fighting against.”
26 After this, Joshua put them to death and hung their bodies on five poles until evening. 27 When the sun went down, Joshua gave the order to take them down from the poles. Then they threw them into the cave where they had been hiding and put large stones over the mouth of the cave. These stones are still there today.
6 It’s not good for you to brag. Don’t you know that a little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough? 7 Remove the old yeast ⌞of sin⌟ so that you may be a new batch of dough, since you don’t actually have the yeast ⌞of sin⌟.
Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 So we must not celebrate our festival with the old yeast ⌞of sin⌟ or with the yeast of vice and wickedness. Instead, we must celebrate it with the bread of purity and truth that has no yeast.
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