The Call of Jeremiah

⁴ The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

⁶ “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak;^(F) I am too young.”^(G)

⁷ But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸ Do not be afraid^(H) of them, for I am with you^(I) and will rescue^(J) you,” declares the Lord.^(K)

⁹ Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched^(L) my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.^{(M) 10} See, today I appoint you over nations^(N) and kingdoms to uproot^(O) and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”^(P)

¹⁷ “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say^(A) to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified^(B) by them, or I will terrify you before them. ¹⁸ Today I have made you^(C) a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. ¹⁹ They will fight against you but will not overcome^(D) you, for I am with you^(E) and will rescue^(F) you,” declares the Lord.

Psalm 71^(A)

³¹ Now eagerly desire^(A) the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

13 If I speak in the tongues^[a](B) of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy^(C) and can fathom all mysteries^(D) and all knowledge,^(E) and if I have a faith^(F) that can move mountains,^(G) but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor^(H) and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b](I) but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient,^(J) love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.^{(K) 5} It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,^(L) it is not easily angered,^(M) it keeps no record of wrongs.^{(N) 6} Love does not delight in evil^(O) but rejoices with the truth.^{(P) 7} It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.^(Q)

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,^(R) they will cease; where there are tongues,^(S) they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part^(T) and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes,^(U) what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood^(V) behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;^(W) then we shall see face to face.^(X) Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.^(Y)

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.^(Z) But the greatest of these is love.^(AA)

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit^(A)

³¹ Then he went down to Capernaum,^(B) a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. ³² They were amazed at his teaching,^(C) because his words had authority.^(D)

³³ In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, ³⁴ “Go away! What do you want with us,^(E) Jesus of Nazareth?^(F) Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are^(G)—the Holy One of God!”^(H)

³⁵ “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly.^(I) “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

³⁶ All the people were amazed^(J) and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority^(K) and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” ³⁷ And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.^(L)

Jesus Heals Many^(M)(N)

³⁸ Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. ³⁹ So he bent over her and rebuked^(O) the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

⁴⁰ At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one,^(P) he healed them.^{(Q) 41} Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!”^(R) But he rebuked^(S) them and would not allow them to speak,^(T) because they knew he was the Messiah.

⁴² At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. ⁴³ But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God^(U) to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴ And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.^(V)