Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Symbols of Sin and Judgment: The Prostitute and Her Children
2 When the Lord first spoke[a] through[b] Hosea, he[c] said to him,[d] “Go marry[e] a prostitute[f] who will bear illegitimate children conceived through prostitution,[g] because the nation[h] continually commits spiritual prostitution[i] by turning away from[j] the Lord.” 3 So Hosea married[k] Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. Then she conceived and gave birth to a son for him. 4 Then the Lord said to Hosea,[l] “Name him ‘Jezreel,’ because in a little while I will punish the dynasty[m] of Jehu on account of the bloodshed[n] in the valley of Jezreel,[o] and I will put an end to the kingdom[p] of Israel.[q] 5 At that time,[r] I will destroy the military power[s] of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.”
6 She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord[t] said to him, “Name her ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah) because I will no longer have pity[u] on the nation[v] of Israel. For[w] I will certainly not forgive[x] their guilt.[y] 7 But I will have pity on the nation[z] of Judah.[aa] I will deliver them by the Lord their God; I will not deliver them by the warrior’s bow, by sword, by military victory,[ab] by chariot horses, or by chariots.”[ac]
8 When[ad] she had weaned “No Pity” (Lo-Ruhamah), she conceived again and gave birth to another son. 9 Then the Lord[ae] said: “Name him ‘Not My People’ (Lo-Ammi), because you[af] are not my people and I am not your[ag] God.”[ah]
The Restoration of Israel
10 (2:1)[ai] However,[aj] in the future the number of the people[ak] of Israel will be like the sand of the sea that can be neither measured nor numbered. Although[al] it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it will be said to them, “You are[am] children[an] of the living God!”
Psalm 85[a]
For the music director, written by the Korahites, a psalm.
85 O Lord, you showed favor to your land;
you restored the well-being of Jacob.[b]
2 You pardoned[c] the wrongdoing of your people;
you forgave[d] all their sin. (Selah)
3 You withdrew all your fury;
you turned back from your raging anger.[e]
4 Restore us, O God our deliverer.
Do not be displeased with us.[f]
5 Will you stay mad at us forever?
Will you remain angry throughout future generations?[g]
6 Will you not revive us once more?
Then your people will rejoice in you.
7 O Lord, show us your loyal love.
Bestow on us your deliverance.
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says.[h]
For he will make[i] peace with his people, his faithful followers.[j]
Yet they must not[k] return to their foolish ways.
9 Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance;[l]
then his splendor will again appear in our land.[m]
10 Loyal love and faithfulness meet;[n]
deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss.[o]
11 Faithfulness grows from the ground,
and deliverance looks down from the sky.[p]
12 Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings,[q]
and our land will yield[r] its crops.
13 Deliverance goes[s] before him,
and prepares[t] a pathway for him.[u]
Warnings Against the Adoption of False Philosophies
6 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,[a] continue to live your lives[b] in him, 7 rooted[c] and built up in him and firm[d] in your[e] faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you[f] through an empty, deceitful philosophy[g] that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits[h] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives[i] in bodily form, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 In him you also were circumcised—not, however,[j] with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removal[k] of the fleshly body,[l] that is,[m] through the circumcision done by Christ. 12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your[n] faith in the power[o] of God who raised him from the dead. 13 And even though you were dead in your[p] transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless[q] made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. 14 He has destroyed[r] what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness[s] expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 Disarming[t] the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[u]
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days— 17 these are only[a] the shadow of the things to come, but the reality[b] is Christ![c] 18 Let no one who delights in false humility[d] and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths[e] about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.[f] 19 He has not held fast[g] to the head from whom the whole body, supported[h] and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.[i]
Instructions on Prayer
11 Now[a] Jesus[b] was praying in a certain place. When[c] he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John[d] taught[e] his disciples.” 2 So he said to them, “When you pray,[f] say:
Father,[g] may your name be honored;[h]
may your kingdom come.[i]
3 Give us each day our daily bread,[j]
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins[k] against us.
And do not lead us into temptation.”[l]
5 Then[m] he said to them, “Suppose one of you[n] has a friend, and you go to him[o] at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,[p] 6 because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey,[q] and I have nothing to set before[r] him.’ 7 Then[s] he will reply[t] from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed.[u] I cannot get up and give you anything.’[v] 8 I tell you, even though the man inside[w] will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s[x] sheer persistence[y] he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
9 “So[z] I tell you: Ask,[aa] and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door[ab] will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks[ac] receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door[ad] will be opened. 11 What father among you, if your[ae] son asks for[af] a fish, will give him a snake[ag] instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?[ah] 13 If you then, although you are[ai] evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit[aj] to those who ask him!”
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