Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A Promise to Rule Well

A psalm of David.

The Assyrians Capture Samaria

⁹ Shalmaneser king of Assyria surrounded Samaria and attacked it in the fourth year Hezekiah was king. This was the seventh year Hoshea son of Elah was king of Israel. ¹⁰ After three years the Assyrians captured Samaria. This was in the sixth year Hezekiah was king, which was Hoshea’s ninth year as king of Israel. ¹¹ The king of Assyria took the Israelites away to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes. ¹² This happened because they did not obey the Lord their God. They broke his agreement and did not obey all that Moses, the Lord’s servant, had commanded. They would not listen to the commands or do them.

Assyria Attacks Judah

¹³ During Hezekiah’s fourteenth year as king, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the strong, walled cities of Judah and captured them. ¹⁴ Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent a message to the king of Assyria at Lachish. He said, “I have done wrong. Leave me alone, and I will pay anything you ask.” So the king of Assyria made Hezekiah pay about twenty-two thousand pounds of silver and two thousand pounds of gold. ¹⁵ Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was in the Temple of the Lord and in the palace treasuries. ¹⁶ Hezekiah stripped all the gold that covered the doors and doorposts of the Temple of the Lord. Hezekiah had put gold on these doors himself, but he gave it all to the king of Assyria.

¹⁷ The king of Assyria sent out his supreme commander, his chief officer, and his field commander. They went with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. When they came near the waterway from the upper pool on the road where people do their laundry, they stopped. ¹⁸ They called for the king, so the king sent Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah out to meet them. Eliakim son of Hilkiah was the palace manager, Shebna was the royal secretary, and Joah son of Asaph was the recorder.

Be a Good Servant of Christ

⁶ By telling these things to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus. You will be made strong by the words of the faith and the good teaching which you have been following. ⁷ But do not follow foolish stories that disagree with God’s truth, but train yourself to serve God. ⁸ Training your body helps you in some ways, but serving God helps you in every way by bringing you blessings in this life and in the future life, too. ⁹ What I say is true, and you should fully accept it. ¹⁰ This is why we work and struggle:^[a] We hope in the living God who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Do not let anyone treat you as if you are unimportant because you are young. Instead, be an example to the believers with your words, your actions, your love, your faith, and your pure life. ¹³ Until I come, continue to read the Scriptures to the people, strengthen them, and teach them. ¹⁴ Use the gift you have, which was given to you through prophecy when the group of elders laid their hands on^[b] you. ¹⁵ Continue to do those things; give your life to doing them so your progress may be seen by everyone. ¹⁶ Be careful in your life and in your teaching. If you continue to live and teach rightly, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.