Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 63[a]
A psalm of David, written when he was in the Judean wilderness.[b]
63 O God, you are my God. I long for you.[c]
My soul thirsts[d] for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched[e] land where there is no water.
2 Yes,[f] in the sanctuary I have seen you,[g]
and witnessed[h] your power and splendor.
3 Because[i] experiencing[j] your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.
4 For this reason[k] I will praise you while I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.[l]
5 As with choice meat[m] you satisfy my soul.[n]
My mouth joyfully praises you,[o]
6 whenever[p] I remember you on my bed,
and think about you during the nighttime hours.
7 For you are my deliverer;[q]
under your wings[r] I rejoice.
8 My soul[s] pursues you;[t]
your right hand upholds me.
The Spies’ Instructions
17 When Moses sent[a] them to investigate the land of Canaan, he told them, “Go up through the Negev,[b] and then go up into the hill country 18 and see[c] what the land is like,[d] and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, few or many, 19 and whether the land they live in is good or bad, and whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or fortified cities, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether or not there are forests in it. And be brave,[e] and bring back some of the fruit of the land.” Now it was the time of year[f] for the first ripe grapes.[g]
The Spies’ Activities
21 So they went up and investigated the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob,[h] at Lebo Hamath. 22 When they went up through the Negev, they[i] came[j] to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai,[k] descendants of Anak, were living. (Now Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan[l] in Egypt.) 23 When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a staff[m] between two men, as well as some of the pomegranates and the figs. 24 That place was called[n] the Eshcol Valley,[o] because of the cluster[p] of grapes that the Israelites cut from there. 25 They returned from investigating the land after forty days.
The Spies’ Reports
26 They came back[q] to Moses and Aaron and to the whole community of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran at Kadesh.[r] They reported[s] to the whole community and showed the fruit of the land. 27 They told Moses,[t] “We went to the land where you sent us.[u] It is indeed flowing with milk and honey,[v] and this is its fruit. 28 But[w] the inhabitants[x] are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the land of the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the banks[y] of the Jordan.”[z]
30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses, saying, “Let us go up[aa] and occupy it,[ab] for we are well able to conquer it.”[ac] 31 But the men[ad] who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against these people, because they are stronger than we are!” 32 Then they presented the Israelites with a discouraging report[ae] of the land they had investigated, saying, “The land that we passed through[af] to investigate is a land that devours[ag] its inhabitants.[ah] All the people we saw there[ai] are of great stature. 33 We even saw the Nephilim[aj] there (the descendants of Anak came from the Nephilim), and we seemed like grasshoppers both to ourselves[ak] and to them.”[al]
The Israelites Respond in Unbelief
14 [am] Then all the community raised a loud cry,[an] and the people wept[ao] that night. 2 And all the Israelites murmured[ap] against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died[aq] in the land of Egypt, or if only we had perished[ar] in this wilderness! 3 Why has the Lord brought us into this land only to be killed by the sword, that our wives and our children should become plunder? Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another,[as] “Let’s appoint[at] a leader[au] and return[av] to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell down with their faces to the ground[aw] before the whole assembled community[ax] of the Israelites. 6 And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of those who had investigated the land, tore their garments. 7 They said to the whole community of the Israelites, “The land we passed through to investigate is an exceedingly[ay] good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land that is flowing with milk and honey.[az] 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us.[ba] Their protection[bb] has turned aside from them, but the Lord is with us. Do not fear them!”
Second Prediction of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
22 When[a] they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.[b] 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they became greatly distressed.
The Temple Tax
24 After[c] they arrived in Capernaum,[d] the collectors of the temple tax[e] came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?” 25 He said, “Yes.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first,[f] “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes—from their sons[g] or from foreigners?” 26 After he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons[h] are free. 27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin.[i] Take that and give it to them for me and you.”
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