Psalm 79:5–9; Genesis 4; Mark 2:18–28

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Psalm 79:5–9

iHow long, O Lord? Will you be angry jforever?

Will your kjealousy lburn like fire?

mPour out your anger on the nations

that ndo not know you,

and on the kingdoms

that odo not call upon your name!

For they have devoured Jacob

and laid waste his habitation.

pDo not remember against us qour former iniquities;1

let your compassion come speedily to meet us,

for we are rbrought very low.

sHelp us, O God of our salvation,

for the glory of your name;

deliver us, and tatone for our sins,

for your uname’s sake!


Genesis 4

Cain and Abel

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, I have gotten1 a man with the help of the Lord. And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of uthe fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of vthe firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord whad regard for Abel and his offering, but xfor Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? yIf you do well, will you not be accepted?2 And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. zIts desire is for3 you, and you must rule over it.

Cain spoke to Abel his brother.4 And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and akilled him. Then the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? He said, bI do not know; am I my brother’s keeper? 10 And the Lord said, What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cis crying to me from the ground. 11 And now dyou are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. 13 Cain said to the Lord, My epunishment is greater than I can bear.5 14 Behold, fyou have driven me today away from the ground, and gfrom your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, hand whoever finds me will kill me. 15 Then the Lord said to him, Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him isevenfold. And the Lord jput a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod,6 east of Eden.

17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives:

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

24  kIf Cain’s revenge is sevenfold,

then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.

25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, God has appointed7 for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him. 26 To lSeth also a son was born, and he called his name mEnosh. At that time people began nto call upon the name of the Lord.


Mark 2:18–28

A Question About Fasting

18 Now kJohn’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, lWhy do John’s disciples and mthe disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast? 19 And Jesus said to them, nCan the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 oThe days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and pthen they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old qwineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skinsand the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.1

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

23 rOne Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples sbegan to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, Look, twhy are they doing uwhat is not lawful on the Sabbath? 25 And he said to them, vHave you never read wwhat David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of2 xAbiathar the high priest, and ate ythe bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him? 27 And he said to them, zThe Sabbath was made for man, anot man for the Sabbath. 28 So bthe Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.