Lectionary 20, Year C

²³ “Am I a God at hand,” says the LORD, “and not a God afar off? ²⁴ Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I can’t see him?” says the LORD. “Don’t I fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD. ²⁵ “I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ ²⁶ How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? ²⁷ They intend to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they each tell his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name because of Baal. ²⁸ The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat?” says the LORD. ²⁹ “Isn’t my word like fire?” says the LORD; “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

¹ God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods. ² “How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?” ³ “Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. ⁴ Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.” ⁵ They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken. ⁶ I said, “You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High. ⁷ Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the rulers.” ⁸ Arise, God, judge the earth, for you inherit all of the nations.

Chapter 11

²⁹ By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up. ³⁰ By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith, Rahab the prostitute didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace. ³² What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, ³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee. ³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth. ³⁹ These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, didn’t receive the promise, ⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Chapter 12

¹ Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.