Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Joy of Going to the House of the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

The Wickedness and Judgment of Man

6 Now it came to pass, ^(A)when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, ² that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they ^(B)took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

³ And the Lord said, ^(C)“My Spirit shall not ^(D)strive^[a] with man forever, ^(E)for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” ⁴ There were ^[b]giants on the earth in those ^(F)days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

⁵ Then ^[c]the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every ^(G)intent^[d] of the thoughts of his heart was only evil ^[e]continually. ⁶ And ^(H)the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and ^(I)He was grieved in His ^(J)heart. ⁷ So the Lord said, “I will ^(K)destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” ⁸ But Noah ^(L)found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah Pleases God

⁹ This is the genealogy of Noah. ^(M)Noah was a just man, ^[f]perfect in his generations. Noah ^(N)walked with God. ¹⁰ And Noah begot three sons: ^(O)Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the ^[a]substance of things hoped for, the ^[b]evidence ^(A)of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

³ By faith we understand that ^(B)the ^[c]worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Faith at the Dawn of History^(C)

⁴ By faith ^(D)Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still ^(E)speaks.

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ^(F)“and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

⁷ By faith ^(G)Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, ^(H)prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of ^(I)the righteousness which is according to faith.