Tuesday, February 19, 2019

The Daily Lectionary for WEDNESDAY, February 20, 2019

Jesus Denounces Pharisees and Lawyers
Luke 11:37-52

The Daily Lectionary
WEDNESDAY, February 20, 2019
(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 120
Prayer for Deliverance from Slanderers
A Song of Ascents.
1  In my distress I cry to the Lord,
     that he may answer me:
2  “Deliver me, O Lord,
     from lying lips,
     from a deceitful tongue.”

3  What shall be given to you?
     And what more shall be done to you,
     you deceitful tongue?
4  A warrior’s sharp arrows,
     with glowing coals of the broom tree!

5  Woe is me, that I am an alien in Meshech,
     that I must live among the tents of Kedar.
6  Too long have I had my dwelling
     among those who hate peace.
7  I am for peace;
     but when I speak,
     they are for war.

Jeremiah 22:11-17
Message to the Sons of Josiah
22:11 For thus says the Lord concerning Shallum son of King Josiah of Judah, who succeeded his father Josiah, and who went away from this place: He shall return here no more, 12 but in the place where they have carried him captive he shall die, and he shall never see this land again.

13 Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness,
     and his upper rooms by injustice;
   who makes his neighbors work for nothing,
     and does not give them their wages;
14 who says, “I will build myself a spacious house
     with large upper rooms,”
   and who cuts out windows for it,
     paneling it with cedar,
     and painting it with vermilion.
15 Are you a king
     because you compete in cedar?
   Did not your father eat and drink
     and do justice and righteousness?
     Then it was well with him.
16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
     then it was well.
   Is not this to know me?
     says the Lord.
17 But your eyes and heart
     are only on your dishonest gain,
   for shedding innocent blood,
     and for practicing oppression and violence.

Luke 11:37-52
Jesus Denounces Pharisees and Lawyers
11:37 While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. 38 The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you.

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.”

45 One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.” 46 And he said, “Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. 48 So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year C. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2019, we will be in Year A. The year which ended at Advent 2018 was Year B. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
Woe to you Pharisees and Lawyers! For you ...

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