Readings for January 31, 2021 annotated, lectionary 71

This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks  will take you to additional translations. The entire chapter is included to provide context. 

Information about the meaning the original Hebrew or Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue. They are provided beneath the reading they relate to. 

Excerpts collected in yellow  at the end of this post tell us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. 

Excerpts collected in green  at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us to do. 

Excerpts collected in red  at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us not to do. 

 

Reading I

Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Moses spoke to all the people, saying:
“A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen. This is exactly what you requested of the LORD, your God, at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let us not again hear the voice of the LORD, our God, nor see this great fire any more, lest we die.’ And the LORD said to me, ‘This was well said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.’”

listen = שָׁמַע = shama`

Blue Letter Bible

to hear, listen to, obey;to hear with attention or interest;yield to; to obey, be obedient; to hear and answer; to understand things heard 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9

R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him.

R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 

hear = שָׁמַע = shama`

Blue Letter Bible

to hear, listen to, obey;to hear with attention or interest;yield to; to obey, be obedient; to hear and answer; to understand things heard

Reading II

1 Corinthians 7:32-35

Brothers and sisters:
I should like you to be free of anxieties.
An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord.
But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided.
An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit.
A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 
I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction. 

hear = שָׁמַע = shama`

Blue Letter Bible

to hear, listen to, obey;to hear with attention or interest;yield to; to obey, be obedient; to hear and answer; to understand things heard

 

Alleluia

Matthew 4:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light; on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
 

Gospel

Mark 1:21-28

Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 

In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet!  Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.

All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee. 

teach = διδάσκω = didaskō

Blue Letter Bible

to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them; to impart instruction

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

instruct a person, or teach a thing; explain, show by argument; prove

teaching = διδαχή = didachē

Blue Letter Bible

that which is taught; doctrine, teaching, concerning something; 

What these readings tell us about god/His ways:

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin,
will put my words into his mouth;

the LORD who made us.
he is our God

we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

a great light

light has arisen.

Jesus entered the synagogue and taught

he taught them as one having authority

the Holy One of God

Jesus rebuked him

The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him

 

What these readings tell us to do:

you shall listen.
hear the voice of the LORD

listen to my words 

hear his voice

sing joyfully to the LORD

acclaim the rock of our salvation
come into his presence with thanksgiving

joyfully sing psalms to him
hear his voice

bow down in worship

kneel before the LORD 

hear his voice

hear his voice

hear his voice

be free of anxieties.
please the Lord
adherence to the Lord without distraction.

What these readings tell us not to do:

not listen to my words 

presumes to speak in my name
an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak 

speaks in the name of other gods,

harden not your hearts

harden not your hearts

harden not your hearts
Harden not your hearts 

tempted me

tested

harden not your hearts

Readings for January 24, 2021 annotated, lectionary 68

This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks  will take you to additional translations. The entire chapter is included to provide context. 

Other bolded hyperlinks will take you to collections/analyses of other scriptures addressing similar principles. They are provided beneath the reading they relate to. 

Information about the meaning the original Hebrew or Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue. They are provided beneath the reading they relate to. 

Excerpts collected in yellow  at the end of this post tell us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. 

Excerpts collected in green  at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us to do.  

Reading I

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’S bidding. 

Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it.

Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

***

When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

Turned = שׁוּב = shuwb

Blue Letter Bible

to return, turn back, to restore, refresh, repair; to be converted;

 [Jonah did not like the Ninevites, apparently for good reason; they were a sinful people. But God directed that Jonah extend mercy to them, Jonah eventually did that, and great good came of it. We see a similar principle in the scriptures collected inWisdom Principles—How to Deal With Those Who Do You Wrong. This seems like a timely principle for our present circumstances in the United States.]

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior.

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD, and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O LORD.

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD; thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

shows= יָרָה = yarah

Blue Letter Bible

to point out; to direct, teach, instruct

teaches = דָּרַךְ = darak

Blue Letter Bible

to cause to go, lead, march, tread; guide; 

Scriptures addressing similar principles are collected in:

Wisdom Principles—God Loves and Calls Us to Him, In Spite of our Sin

and

Wisdom Principles: God’s Ways Give Security

and

Wisdom Principles: We Must Make Real Effort/Sacrifice to Receive All that God Offers, But It Is Well Worth It

 

Reading II

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.

 

Alleluia

Mark 1:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Repent = μετανοέω = metanoeō

Blue Letter Bible

to change one's mind or purpose, always, in the NT, involving a change for the better, an amendment;to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction); heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon 

perceive afterwards, concur subsequently; change one's mind or purpose; 

 

Gospel

Mark 1:14-20

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.

He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

came = ἔρχομαι = erchomai

Blue Letter Bible

to come, or to go; to come from one place to another, and used both of persons arriving and of those returning 

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

set out; come or go; to go a journey

saw = ὁράω = horaō

Blue Letter Bible

to see with the eyes; to see with the mind, to perceive, know; to take heed, beware; to care for, pay heed to; to attend to

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon 

Take, pay, or give heed; behold, perceive, observe; look out for, provide

Call = καλέω = kaleō

Blue Letter Bible

to bid, in the sense of invite; summon; to call out, call forth from; to select; to rouse

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

Summon; call by name

 

Additional insights from this reading might (or might not) be gleaned from:

What we can learn from Jesus calling His first disciples, part 1—the “when" of God’s calls

and

 

What we can learn from Jesus calling His first disciples, part 2—the “where" of God’s calls

 

What these readings tell us about God/His ways

The word of the LORD came to Jonah

When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them

your ways.
Your ways

your paths
your truth

you are God my savior

your ways

your compassion

your love

your kindness

your goodness

your ways.
Good and upright is the LORD

he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice

teaches the humble his way
your ways

time is running out.
the world in its present form is passing away.

The kingdom of God is at hand

Jesus came to Galilee

The kingdom of God is at hand

he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea

Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you

saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets

he called them

 

What these readings tell us to do:

made ready and went...according to the LORD’S bidding

Repent and believe in the Gospel

Repent

believe in the gospel

followed him

followed him

Readings for January 17, 2021 annotated, lectionary 65

This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks  will take you to additional translations. The entire chapter is included to provide context. 

Other bolded hyperlinks will take you to collections/analyses of other scriptures addressing similar principles. They are provided beneath the reading they relate to. 

Information about the meaning the original Hebrew or Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue. They are provided beneath the reading they relate to. 

Excerpts collected in yellow  at the end of this post tell us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. 

Excerpts collected in green  at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us to do. 

 

Reading I

1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19

Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was. 

The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.” Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am.  You called me.” “I did not call you,” Eli said.  “Go back to sleep.” So he went back to sleep.

Again, the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said.  “You called me.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son.  Go back to sleep.”

At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD, because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.

The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am.  You called me.”

Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth. So he said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.”

When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 

***

Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.

 

called, calling = קָרָא= qara'

Blue Letter Bible

to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim;to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow;to be ... summoned; be called out, be chosen, bidden; invite

listening = שָׁמַע= shama`

Blue Letter Bible

to hear, listen to, obey; to hear with attention or interest, listen to; give heed; yield to; to obey, be obedient; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.); give ear; understand; to attend to; hear and answer

  

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10

R.(8a, 9a)Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God. 

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or offering you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.”

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

 Come =חָפֵץ= chaphets

Blue Letter Bible

to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with;to move, bend down; to incline to; by implication (literally but rarely) to bend; figuratively, to be pleased with, desire

Scriptures addressing similar principles are collected in Wisdom Principles—True Piety

 

Reading II

1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20

Brothers and sisters:
The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body; God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him.

***

Avoid immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the immoral person sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body. 

 

joined = μέλος = melos

Blue Letter Bible

a member, limb: a member of the human body

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon 

Limb; within [a] bodily frame; music to which a song is set, tune

 

glorify = δοξάζω = doxazō

Blue Letter Bible

to magnify, extol, praise; to do honor to, to make glorious; to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate; to make renowned, render illustrious; to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged; adorn with luster; to exalt to a glorious rank or condition 

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

magnify, extol;  to be distinguished, held in honour, magnified.
 

Alleluia

John 1:41, 17

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We have found the Messiah: Jesus Christ, who brings us truth and grace.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel

John 1:35-42

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.

Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi” — which translated means Teacher — “where are you staying?”

He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”

So they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” — which is translated Christ. Then he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” — which is translated Peter.

 

followed, following = ἀκολουθέω = akoloutheō

Blue Letter Bible

to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him; to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple; to be in the same way with, i.e. to accompany (specially, as a disciple); to cleave steadfastly to one, conform wholly to his example

 

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon  

follow one, go after or with him, freq. of soldiers and slaves; be guided by

 

Additional insights from this reading might (or might not) be gleaned from:

What we can learn from Jesus calling His first disciples, part 1—the “when" of God’s calls

and

What we can learn from Jesus calling His first disciples, part 2—the “where" of God’s calls

What these readings tell us about God and His ways:

The LORD called 

the LORD called 

The LORD called [] again, for the third time

the LORD came and revealed his presence,

he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
he put a new song into my mouth

ears open to obedience you gave me.

to do your will, O my God, is my delight

The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord

the Lord is for the body; God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power

your bodies are members of Christ

whoever is joined to the Lordbecomes one Spirit with him.
the immoral person sins against his own body

your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you

you are not your own

you have been purchased at a price

the Messiah: Jesus Christ, who brings us truth and grace.

the Lamb of God

Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

Come, and you will see

Jesus looked at him

 

What these readings tell us to do:

answered, “Here I am”

“Here I am.  You called me”

“Here I am,” he said.  “You called me”

if you are called, reply, Speak, LORD, for your servant is listeningSamuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will
I have waited, waited for the LORD

Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will
ears open to obedience 

Behold I come
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will
to do your will, O my God, is my delight

Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will
I announced your justice 

Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will

joined to the Lord

Avoid immorality

glorify God in your body

Behold, the Lamb of God

heard

followed Jesus.

Come

So they went 

they stayed with him that day

heard

followed Jesus