◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Psalm 119:17-32 (Put false ways far from me); Amos 7:1-6 (Amos pleads for forgiveness); Colossians 1:27—2:7 (To know Christ) (New English Translation)

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July 21, 2025

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 119:17-32

ג (Gimel)

¹⁷Be kind to your servant.
Then I will live^[a] and keep^[b] your instructions.^[c]
¹⁸Open^[d] my eyes so I can truly see^[e]
the marvelous things in your law.
¹⁹I am a resident foreigner in this land.^[f]
Do not hide your commands from me.
²⁰I desperately long to know^[g]
your regulations at all times.
²¹You reprimand arrogant people.
Those who stray from your commands are doomed.^[h]
²²Spare me^[i] shame and humiliation,
for I observe your rules.
²³Though rulers plot and slander me,^[j]
your servant meditates on your statutes.
²⁴Yes, I find delight in your rules;
they give me guidance.^[k]

ד (Dalet)

²⁵I collapse in the dirt.^[l]
Revive me with your word.^[m]
²⁶I told you about my ways^[n] and you answered me.
Teach me your statutes.
²⁷Help me to understand what your precepts mean.^[o]
Then I can meditate^[p] on your marvelous teachings.^[q]
²⁸I collapse^[r] from grief.
Sustain me by your word.^[s]
²⁹Remove me from the path of deceit.^[t]
Graciously give me^[u] your law.
³⁰I choose the path of faithfulness;
I am committed to^[v] your regulations.
³¹I hold fast^[w] to your rules.
O Lord, do not let me be ashamed.
³²I run along the path of your commands,
for you enable me to do so.^[x]

Footnotes

Psalm 119:17 tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a cohortative indicating purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:17 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the imperative that begins the verse.
Psalm 119:17 tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as several ancient versions read the plural here.
Psalm 119:18 tn Heb “uncover.” The verb form גַּל (gal) is an apocopated Piel imperative from גָּלָה (galah, see GKC 214 §75.cc).
Psalm 119:18 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:19 sn Heb This metaphor probably derives from Lev 25:23, which uses the terms גֵּר (ger, “resident foreigner”) and תּוֹשָׁב; (toshav, “resident/temporary settler”). Lev 25:23 emphasizes that Israel would be a guest on God’s land. They were attached to the Lord’s household; they did not own the land. Cf. also Ps 39:12 and Gen 23:4.
Psalm 119:20 tn Heb “my soul languishes for longing for.”
Psalm 119:21 tn Heb “accursed.” The traditional punctuation of the Hebrew text takes “accursed” with the previous line (“arrogant, accursed ones”), but it is preferable to take it with the second line as the predicate of the statement.
Psalm 119:22 tn Heb “roll away from upon me.” Some derive the imperatival form גַּל (gal) from גָּלָה (galah, “uncover,” as in v. 18), but here the form is from גָּלַל (galal, “roll”; see Josh 5:9, where חֶרְפָּה [kherpah, “shame; reproach”] also appears as object of the verb). Some, following the lead of a Dead Sea scroll (11QPs^a), emend the form to גֹּל (gol).
Psalm 119:23 tn Heb “though rulers sit, about me they talk together.” (For another example of the Niphal of דָּבַר (davar) used with a suffixed form of the preposition ב (bet), see Ezek 33:30.)
Psalm 119:24 tn Heb “men of my counsel.” That is, God’s rules are like advisers to the psalmist, for they teach him how to live in a godly manner that refutes the accusations of his enemies.
Psalm 119:25 tn Heb “my soul clings to the dirt.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
Psalm 119:25 tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”
Psalm 119:26 tn Heb “my ways I proclaimed.”
Psalm 119:27 tn Heb “the way of your precepts make me understand.”
Psalm 119:27 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:27 tn Heb “your amazing things,” which refers here to the teachings of the law (see v. 18).
Psalm 119:28 tn Some translate “my soul weeps,” taking the verb דָלַף (dalaf) from a root meaning “to drip; to drop” (BDB 196 s.v. דֶּלַף). On the basis of cognate evidence from Arabic and Akkadian, HALOT 223 s.v. II דלף proposes a homonymic root here, meaning “be sleepless.” Following L. C. Allen (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 127, 135) the translation assumes that the verb is cognate with Ugaritic dlp, “to collapse; to crumple” in CTA 2 iv. 17, 26. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 44, 144.
Psalm 119:28 tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”
Psalm 119:29 tn The “path of deceit” refers to a lifestyle characterized by deceit and disloyalty to God. It stands in contrast to the “way of faithfulness” in v. 30.
Psalm 119:29 tn Heb “be gracious to me.” The verb is used metonymically here for “graciously giving” the law. (See Gen 33:5, where Jacob uses this verb in describing how God had graciously given him children.)
Psalm 119:30 tn BDB 1000-1001 s.v. I שָׁוָה derives the verb from the first homonym listed, meaning “to agree with; to be like; to resemble.” It here means (in the Piel stem) “to be accounted suitable,” which in turn would mean by metonymy “to accept; to be committed to.” Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonym meaning “to place; to set,” but in this case an elliptical prepositional phrase must be understood, “I place your regulations [before me]” (see Ps 16:8).
Psalm 119:31 tn Or “cling to.”
Psalm 119:32 tn Heb “for you make wide my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and understanding. The Lord gives the psalmist the desire and moral understanding that are foundational to the willing obedience depicted metaphorically in the preceding line. In Isa 60:5 the expression “your heart will be wide” means “your heart will swell with pride,” but here the nuance appears to be different.

Amos 7:1-6

Symbolic Visions of Judgment

7 The Sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw^[a] him making locusts just as the crops planted late^[b] were beginning to sprout. (The crops planted late sprout after the royal harvest.^[c]) ²When they had completely consumed the earth’s vegetation, I said,

“Sovereign Lord, forgive Israel!^[d]
How can Jacob survive?^[e]
He is too weak!”^[f]

³The Lord decided not to do this.^[g] “It will not happen,” the Lord said.

⁴The Sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw^[h] the Sovereign Lord summoning a shower of fire.^[i] It consumed the great deep and devoured the fields. ⁵I said,

“Sovereign Lord, stop!
How can Jacob survive?^[j]
He is too weak!”^[k]

⁶The Lord decided not to do this.^[l] The Sovereign Lord said, “This will not happen either.”

Colossians 1:27-2:7

²⁷God wanted to make known to them the glorious^[a] riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸We proclaim him by instructing^[b] and teaching^[c] all people^[d] with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature^[e] in Christ. ²⁹Toward this goal^[f] I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully^[g] works in me.

2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you,^[h] and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face.^[i] ²My goal is that^[j] their hearts, having been knit together^[k] in love, may be encouraged, and that^[l] they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ,^[m] ³in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴I say this so that no one will deceive you through arguments^[n] that sound reasonable.^[o] ⁵For though^[p] I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to see^[q] your morale^[r] and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Warnings Against the Adoption of False Philosophies

⁶Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,^[s] continue to live your lives^[t] in him, ⁷rooted^[u] and built up in him and firm^[v] in your^[w] faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Footnotes

Colossians 1:27 tn The genitive noun τῆς δόξης (tēs doxēs) is an attributive genitive and has therefore been translated as “glorious riches.”
Colossians 1:28 tn Or “admonishing,” or “warning.” BDAG 679 s.v. νουθετέω states, “to counsel about avoidance or cessation of an improper course of conduct, admonish, warn, instruct.” After the participle νουθετοῦντες (nouthetountes, “instructing”) the words πάντα ἄνθρωπον (panta anthrōpon, “all men”) occur in the Greek text, but since the same phrase appears again after διδάσκοντες (didaskontes) it was omitted in translation to avoid redundancy in English.
Colossians 1:28 tn The two participles “instructing” (νουθετοῦντες, nouthetountes) and “teaching” (διδάσκοντες, didaskontes) are translated as participles of means (“by”) related to the finite verb “we proclaim” (καταγγέλλομεν, katangellomen).
Colossians 1:28 tn Here ἄνθρωπον (anthrōpon) is twice translated as a generic (“people” and “person”) since both men and women are clearly intended in this context.
Colossians 1:28 tn Since Paul’s focus is on the present experience of the Colossians, “mature” is a better translation of τέλειον (teleion) than “perfect,” since the latter implies a future, eschatological focus.
Colossians 1:29 tn The Greek phrase εἴς ὅ (eis ho, “toward which”) implies “movement toward a goal” and has been rendered by the English phrase “Toward this goal.”
Colossians 1:29 tn The prepositional phrase ἐν δυνάμει (en dunamei) seems to be functioning adverbially, related to the participle, and has therefore been translated “powerfully.”
Colossians 2:1 tn Or “I want you to know how hard I am working for you…”
Colossians 2:1 tn Grk “as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.”
Colossians 2:2 tn Verse two begins a subordinate ἵνα (hina) clause which was divided up into two sentences for the sake of clarity in English. Thus the phrase “My goal is that” is an attempt to reflect in the translation the purpose expressed through the ἵνα clauses.
Colossians 2:2 tn BDAG 956 s.v. συμβιβάζω 1.b reads “unite, knit together.” Some commentators take the verb as a reference to instruction, “instructed in love.” See P. T. O’Brien, Colossians, Philemon (WBC), 93.
Colossians 2:2 tn The phrase “and that” translates the first εἰς (eis) clause of v. 2 and reflects the second goal of Paul’s striving and struggle for the Colossians—the first is “encouragement” and the second is “full assurance.”
Colossians 2:2 tc There are at least a dozen variants here, almost surely generated by the unusual wording τοῦ θεοῦ, Χριστοῦ (tou theou, Christou, “of God, [namely,] Christ”; so P⁴⁶ B Hil). Scribes would be prone to conform this to more common Pauline expressions such as “of God, who is in Christ” (33), “of God, the Father of Christ” (א* A C 048^vid 1175 bo), and “of the God and Father of Christ” (א² Ψ 365 945 1505). Several witnesses, especially later Byzantines, read “of the God and Father, and of Christ” (D² K L 075 [0208 0278] M). Even though the external support for the wording τοῦ θεοῦ, Χριστοῦ is hardly overwhelming, it clearly best explains the rise of the other readings and should thus be regarded as authentic.
Colossians 2:4 tn BDAG 812 s.v. πιθανολογία states, “persuasive speech, art of persuasion (so Pla., Theaet. 162e) in an unfavorable sense in its only occurrence in our lit. ἐν πιθανολογίᾳ by specious arguments Col 2:4 (cp. PLips 40 III, 7 διὰ πιθανολογίας).”
Colossians 2:4 sn Paul’s point is that even though the arguments seem to make sense (sound reasonable), they are in the end false. Paul is not here arguing against the study of philosophy or serious thinking per se, but is arguing against the uncritical adoption of a philosophy that is at odds with a proper view of Christ and the ethics of the Christian life.
Colossians 2:5 tn The conditional particle εἰ (ei) together with καί (kai) here indicates a first class condition in Greek and carries a concessive force, especially when seen in contrast to the following phrase which begins with ἀλλά (alla).
Colossians 2:5 tn Grk “rejoicing and seeing.”
Colossians 2:5 tn The Greek word τάξις can mean “order,” “discipline,” or even “unbroken ranks” (REB).
Colossians 2:6 tn Though the verb παρελάβετε (parelabete) does not often take a double accusative, here it seems to do so. Both τὸν Χριστὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν (ton Christon Iēsoun) and τὸν κύριον (ton kurion) are equally definite insofar as they both have an article, but both the word order and the use of “Christ Jesus” as a proper name suggest that it is the object (cf. Rom 10:9, 10). Thus Paul is affirming that the tradition that was delivered to the Colossians by Epaphras was Christ-centered and focused on him as Lord.
Colossians 2:6 tn The present imperative περιπατεῖτε (peripateite) implies, in this context, a continuation of something already begun. This is evidenced by the fact that Paul has already referred to their faith as “orderly” and “firm” (2:5), despite the struggles of some of them with this deceptive heresy (cf. 2:16-23). The verb is used literally to refer to a person “walking” and is thus used metaphorically (i.e., ethically) to refer to the way a person lives his or her life.
Colossians 2:7 tn Or “having been rooted.”
Colossians 2:7 sn The three participles rooted, built up, and firm belong together and reflect three different metaphors. The first participle “rooted” (perfect tense) indicates a settled condition on the part of the Colossian believers and refers to horticulture. The second participle “built up” (present passive) comes from the world of architecture. The third participle “firm [established]” (present passive) comes from the law courts. With these three metaphors (as well as the following comment on thankfulness) Paul explains what he means when he commands them to continue to live their lives in Christ. The use of the passive probably reflects God’s activity among them. It was he who had rooted them, had been building them up, and had established them in the faith (cf. 1 Cor 3:5-15 for the use of mixed metaphors).
Colossians 2:7 tn Or “the.” The Greek text has the article τῇ (tē), not the possessive pronoun ὑμῶν (humōn), but the article often functions as a possessive pronoun and was translated as such here (ExSyn 215).

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

ג (Gimel)

ד (Dalet)

Footnotes

Symbolic Visions of Judgment

Footnotes

Warnings Against the Adoption of False Philosophies

Footnotes