Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 6[a]
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style;[b] a psalm of David.
6 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger.
Do not discipline me in your raging fury.[c]
2 Have mercy on me,[d] Lord, for I am frail.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking.[e]
3 I am absolutely terrified,[f]
and you, Lord—how long will this continue?[g]
4 Relent, Lord, rescue me![h]
Deliver me because of your faithfulness.[i]
5 For no one remembers you in the realm of death.[j]
In Sheol who gives you thanks?[k]
6 I am exhausted as I groan.
All night long I drench my bed in tears;[l]
my tears saturate the cushion beneath me.[m]
7 My eyes[n] grow dim[o] from suffering;
they grow weak[p] because of all my enemies.[q]
8 Turn back from me, all you who behave wickedly,[r]
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.[s]
9 The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy;
the Lord has accepted[t] my prayer.
10 They will be humiliated[u] and absolutely terrified.[v]
All my enemies will turn back and be suddenly humiliated.
19 Elisha[a] said to him, “Go in peace.”
When he had gone a short distance,[b] 20 Gehazi, the prophet Elisha’s servant, thought,[c] “Look, my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him.[d] As certainly as the Lord lives, I will run after him and accept something from him.” 21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”[e] 22 He answered, “Everything is fine.[f] My master sent me with this message, ‘Look, two servants of the prophets just arrived from the Ephraimite hill country.[g] Please give them a talent[h] of silver and two suits of clothes.’” 23 Naaman said, “Please accept two talents of silver.”[i] He insisted, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, along with two suits of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants and they carried them for Gehazi.[j] 24 When he arrived at the hill, he took them from the servants[k] and put them in the house. Then he sent the men on their way.[l]
25 When he came and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.” 26 Elisha[m] replied, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you.[n] This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants.[o] 27 Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict[p] you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi[q] went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.[r]
28 When[a] they heard[b] this they became enraged[c] and began to shout,[d] “Great is Artemis[e] of the Ephesians!” 29 The[f] city was filled with the uproar,[g] and the crowd[h] rushed to the theater[i] together,[j] dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. 30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly,[k] the disciples would not let him. 31 Even some of the provincial authorities[l] who were his friends sent[m] a message[n] to him, urging him not to venture[o] into the theater. 32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together.[p] 33 Some of the crowd concluded[q] it was about[r] Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front.[s] Alexander, gesturing[t] with his hand, was wanting to make a defense[u] before the public assembly.[v] 34 But when they recognized[w] that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison,[x] “Great is Artemis[y] of the Ephesians!” for about two hours.[z] 35 After the city secretary[aa] quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person[ab] is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper[ac] of the temple of the great Artemis[ad] and of her image that fell from heaven?[ae] 36 So because these facts[af] are indisputable,[ag] you must keep quiet[ah] and not do anything reckless.[ai] 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers[aj] nor blasphemers of our goddess.[ak] 38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint[al] against someone, the courts are open[am] and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there.[an] 39 But if you want anything in addition,[ao] it will have to be settled[ap] in a legal assembly.[aq] 40 For[ar] we are in danger of being charged with rioting[as] today, since there is no cause we can give to explain[at] this disorderly gathering.”[au] 41 After[av] he had said[aw] this,[ax] he dismissed the assembly.[ay]
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