Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Message of Hope
The Lord said:
23 (A) You leaders of my people are like shepherds that kill and scatter the sheep. 2 You were supposed to take care of my people, but instead you chased them away. So now I'll punish you severely and make you pay for your crimes!
3 I will bring the rest of my people home from the lands where I have scattered them, and they will grow into a mighty nation. 4 I promise to choose leaders who will care for them like real shepherds. All of my people will be there, and they will never again be frightened.
5 (B) Someday I will appoint
an honest king
from the family of David,
a king who will be wise
and rule with justice.
6 As long as he is king,
Israel will have peace,
and Judah will be safe.
The name of this king will be
“The Lord Gives Justice.”
(A special song by the clan of Korah and for the music leader.)
God Is Our Mighty Fortress
1 God is our mighty fortress,
always ready to help
in times of trouble.
2 And so, we won't be afraid!
Let the earth tremble
and the mountains tumble
into the deepest sea.
3 Let the ocean roar and foam,
and its raging waves
shake the mountains.
4 A river and its streams
bring joy to the city,
which is the sacred home
of God Most High.
5 God is in that city,
and it won't be shaken.
He will help it at dawn.
6 Nations rage! Kingdoms fall!
But at the voice of God
the earth itself melts.
7 The Lord All-Powerful
is with us.
The God of Jacob
is our fortress.
8 Come! See the fearsome things
the Lord has done on earth.
9 God brings wars to an end
all over the world.
He breaks the arrows,
shatters the spears,
and burns the shields.[a]
10 Our God says, “Calm down,
and learn that I am God!
All nations on earth
will honor me.”
11 The Lord All-Powerful
is with us.
The God of Jacob
is our fortress.
11 His glorious power will make you patient and strong enough to endure anything, and you will be truly happy.
12 I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you[a] have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light. 13 God rescued us from the dark power of Satan and brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son, 14 (A) who forgives our sins and sets us free.
15 (B) Christ is exactly like God,
who cannot be seen.
He is the first-born Son,
superior to all creation.
16 Everything was created by him,
everything in heaven
and on earth,
everything seen and unseen,
including all forces
and powers,
and all rulers
and authorities.
All things were created
by God's Son,
and everything was made
for him.
17 God's Son was before all else,
and by him everything
is held together.
18 (C) He is the head of his body,
which is the church.
He is the very beginning,
the first to be raised
from death,
so that he would be
above all others.
19 God himself was pleased
to live fully in his Son.
20 (D) And God was pleased
for him to make peace
by sacrificing his blood
on the cross,
so that all beings in heaven
and on earth
would be brought back to God.
33 When the soldiers came to the place called “The Skull,”[a] they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus.
34-35 (A) Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don't know what they're doing.”[b]
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God's chosen Messiah!”
36 (B) The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some wine. 37 They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 Above him was a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, “Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”
40 But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don't you fear God? Aren't you getting the same punishment as this man? 41 We got what was coming to us, but he didn't do anything wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!”
43 Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.”[c]
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