Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Jeremiah: ² The Eternal says that anyone who stays in the city will die by war, famine, or disease; but those who surrender to the Chaldeans will at least have some reward—they’ll keep their own lives. ³ The Eternal has proclaimed that Jerusalem will be handed over to the army of Babylon’s king, who will capture it.

Court Officials (to King Zedekiah): This man is a traitor; he should be put to death! His words border on treason; they are affecting the morale of what troops we still have in the city, as well as all the rest of the people. This man does not have the best interests of this people at heart—only their downfall.

King Zedekiah: ⁵ Look, do what you want with Jeremiah. The king will not interfere.

Ebed-melech: ⁹ My lord the king, do you know what some of your court officials have done? They have done a wicked thing to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a muddy cistern and left him to die, which will surely happen when he, like the rest of the city, runs out of food.

King Zedekiah (to Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian): ¹⁰ Take 30^[a] of my men with you, and rescue Jeremiah the prophet from that cistern before he dies.

Ebed-melech: Put these rags and old clothes under your armpits so the ropes won’t hurt you as we pull you up.

Jesus: Don’t go to the outsiders or to the towns inhabited by Samaritans, a people whose Jewish ancestors married Gentiles. ⁶ Go instead to find and heal the lost sheep of Israel. ⁷ As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse those who have leprosy. Drive out demons from the possessed. You received these gifts freely, so you should give them to others freely. ⁹ Do not take money with you: don’t take gold, silver, or even small, worthless change. ¹⁰ Do not pack a bag with clothes. Do not take sandals or a walking stick. Be fed and sheltered by those who show you hospitality. ¹¹ When you enter a town or village, look for someone who is trustworthy and stay at his house as long as you are visiting that town. ¹² When you enter this home, greet the household kindly. ¹³ And if the home is indeed trustworthy, let your blessing of peace rest upon it; if not, keep your blessing to yourself. ¹⁴ If someone is inhospitable to you or refuses to listen to your testimony, leave that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. ¹⁵ This is the truth: Sodom and Gomorrah, those ancient pits of inhospitality, will fare better on judgment day than towns who ignore you tomorrow or next week.

¹⁶ Listen: I am sending you out to be sheep among wolves. You must be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. ¹⁷ You must be careful. You must be discerning. You must be on your guard. There will be men who try to hand you over to their town councils and have you flogged in their synagogues. ¹⁸ Because of Me, naysayers and doubters will try to make an example out of you by trying you before rulers and kings. ¹⁹ When this happens—when you are arrested, dragged to court—don’t worry about what to say or how to say it. The words you should speak will be given to you. For at that moment, ²⁰ it will not be you speaking; it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

²¹ Your task will be fraught with betrayal: brother will betray brother, even to the point of death; fathers will betray their children, and children will rebel against their fathers, even to the point of death. ^22-23 When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next town. This is the truth: you will not be able to witness to every town in Israel before the Son of Man comes. Everyone will hate you because of Me. But remember: the one who stays on the narrow path until the end will be saved.