Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 17[a]
A prayer of David.
17 Lord, consider my just cause.[b]
Pay attention to my cry for help.
Listen to the prayer
I sincerely offer.[c]
2 Make a just decision on my behalf.[d]
Decide what is right.[e]
3 You have scrutinized my inner motives;[f]
you have examined me during the night.[g]
You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.
I am determined I will say nothing sinful.[h]
4 As for the actions of people[i]—
just as you have commanded,
I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men.[j]
5 I carefully obey your commands;[k]
I do not deviate from them.[l]
6 I call to you because you will answer me, O God.
Listen to me![m]
Hear what I say![n]
7 Accomplish awesome, faithful deeds,[o]
you who powerfully deliver those who look to you for protection from their enemies.[p]
8 Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye.[q]
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.[r]
9 Protect me from[s] the wicked men who attack[t] me,
my enemies who crowd around me for the kill.[u]
10 They are calloused;[v]
they speak arrogantly.[w]
11 They attack me, now they surround me;[x]
they intend to throw me to the ground.[y]
12 He[z] is like a lion[aa] that wants to tear its prey to bits,[ab]
like a young lion crouching[ac] in hidden places.
13 Rise up, Lord!
Confront him.[ad] Knock him down.[ae]
Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man.[af]
14 Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers,[ag]
from the murderers of this world.[ah]
They enjoy prosperity;[ai]
you overwhelm them with the riches they desire.[aj]
They have many children,
and leave their wealth to their offspring.[ak]
15 As for me, because I am innocent I will see your face;[al]
when I awake you will reveal yourself to me.[am]
I. The Prologue (1:1-2:13)
Job’s Good Life[a]
1 [b] There was a man[c] in the land of Uz[d] whose[e] name was Job.[f] And that man was blameless[g] and upright,[h] one who feared God and turned away from evil.[i] 2 Seven[j] sons and three daughters were born to him.[k] 3 His possessions[l] included[m] 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys; in addition he had a very great household.[n] Thus he[o] was the greatest of all the people in the east.[p]
4 Now his sons used to go[q] and hold[r] a feast in the house of each one in turn,[s] and they would send and invite[t] their three[u] sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 When[v] the days of their feasting were finished,[w] Job would send[x] for them and sanctify[y] them; he would get up early[z] in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to[aa] the number of them all. For Job thought, “Perhaps[ab] my children[ac] have sinned and cursed[ad] God in their hearts.” This was Job’s customary practice.[ae]
Satan’s Accusation of Job[af]
6 Now the day came when[ag] the sons of God[ah] came to present themselves before[ai] the Lord—and Satan[aj] also arrived among them. 7 The Lord said[ak] to Satan, “Where have you come from?”[al] And Satan answered the Lord,[am] “From roving about[an] on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”[ao] 8 So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered[ap] my servant Job? There is no[aq] one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away[ar] from evil.”
9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God?[as] 10 Have you[at] not made a hedge[au] around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed[av] the work of his hands, and his livestock[aw] have increased[ax] in the land. 11 But[ay] extend your hand and strike[az] everything he has, and he will no doubt[ba] curse you[bb] to your face!”
12 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then,[bc] everything he has is[bd] in your power.[be] Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!”[bf] So Satan went out[bg] from the presence of the Lord.[bh]
Job’s Integrity in Adversity[bi]
13 Now the day[bj] came when Job’s[bk] sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and a messenger came to Job, saying, “The oxen were plowing[bl] and the donkeys were grazing beside them, 15 and the Sabeans[bm] swooped down[bn] and carried them all away, and they killed[bo] the servants with the sword![bp] And I—only I alone[bq]—escaped to tell you!”
16 While this one was still speaking,[br] another messenger arrived[bs] and said, “The fire of God[bt] has fallen from heaven[bu] and has burned up the sheep and the servants—it has consumed them! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
17 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans[bv] formed three bands and made a raid[bw] on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword![bx] And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
18 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly[by] a great wind[bz] swept across[ca] the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
20 Then Job got up[cb] and tore his robe.[cc] He shaved his head,[cd] and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground.[ce] 21 He said, “Naked[cf] I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there.[cg] The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.[ch] May the name of the Lord[ci] be blessed!” 22 In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety.[cj]
Be Ready!
34 “But be on your guard[a] so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.[b] 35 For[c] it will overtake[d] all who live on the face of the whole earth.[e] 36 But stay alert at all times,[f] praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must[g] happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 So[h] every day Jesus[i] was teaching in the temple courts,[j] but at night he went and stayed[k] on the Mount of Olives.[l] 38 And all the people[m] came to him early in the morning to listen to him in the temple courts.[n]
Judas’ Decision to Betray Jesus
22 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread,[o] which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2 The[p] chief priests and the experts in the law[q] were trying to find some way[r] to execute[s] Jesus,[t] for they were afraid of the people.[u]
3 Then[v] Satan[w] entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve.[x] 4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard[y] how he might[z] betray Jesus,[aa] handing him over to them.[ab] 5 They[ac] were delighted[ad] and arranged to give him money.[ae] 6 So[af] Judas[ag] agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus[ah] when no crowd was present.[ai]
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