Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Security of Those Who Trust in the Lord, and Insecurity of the Wicked.

A Psalm of David.

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

18 Now it came about ^(A)in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that ^(B)Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. ² He was ^(C)twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. ^3 (D)He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. ^4 (E)He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the ^[a]Asherah. He also broke in pieces ^(F)the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called ^[b]Nehushtan. ^5 (G)He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; ^(H)so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. ⁶ For he ^(I)clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.

Hezekiah Victorious

^7 (J)And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And ^(K)he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. ^8 (L)He ^[c]defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from ^(M)watchtower to fortified city.

²⁸ Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean, ^[a]saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. ²⁹ Thus says the king, ‘^(A)Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from ^[b]my hand; ³⁰ nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ³¹ Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, “^[c]Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat ^(B)each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, ³² until I come and take you away ^(C)to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey, that you may live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you, saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” ^33 (D)Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? ^34 (E)Where are the gods of Hamath and ^(F)Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and ^[d](G)Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? ³⁵ Who among all the gods of the lands ^[e]have delivered their land from my hand, ^(H)that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’”

³⁶ But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.”

Message to Smyrna

⁸ “And to the angel of the church in ^(A)Smyrna write:

^(B)The first and the last, who ^[a](C)was dead, and has come to life, says this:

⁹ ‘I know your ^(D)tribulation and your ^(E)poverty (but you are ^(F)rich), and the blasphemy by those who ^(G)say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of ^(H)Satan. ¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be ^(I)tested, and you will have tribulation ^(J)for ten days. ^[b]Be ^(K)faithful until death, and I will give you ^(L)the crown of life. ^11 (M)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ^(N)He who overcomes will not be hurt by the ^(O)second death.’