Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
161 Leaders attack me for no reason.
But I fear your law in my heart.
162 I am as happy over your promises
as if I had found a great treasure.
163 I hate and despise lies.
But I love your teachings.
164 Seven times a day I praise you
for your fair laws.
165 Those who love your teachings will find true peace.
Nothing will defeat them.
166 I am waiting for you to save me, Lord.
I will obey your commands.
167 I keep your rules.
I love them very much.
168 I keep your orders and rules.
You know everything I do.
The Potter and the Clay
18 This is the word the Lord spoke to Jeremiah: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house. I will give you my message there.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house. I saw him working at the potter’s wheel. 4 He was making a pot from clay. But something went wrong with it. So the potter used that clay to make another pot. He used his hands to shape the pot the way that he wanted it to be.
5 Then the Lord spoke his word to me: 6 “Family of Israel, can’t I do the same thing with you?” says the Lord. “You are like the clay in the potter’s hands. 7 There may come a time when I will speak about a nation or a kingdom. I might say I will pull that nation up by its roots. Or I might say I will pull that nation down and destroy it. 8 But if the people of that nation are sorry for the evil they have done, I would change my mind. I would not carry out my plans to bring disaster to them. 9 There may come another time when I will speak about a nation. I might say that I will build up and plant that nation. 10 But if I see it doing evil by not obeying me, I would change my mind. I would not carry out my plans to do good for them.
11 “So, say this to the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am preparing disaster for you right now. I am making plans against you. So stop doing the evil you are doing. Change your ways and do what is right.’
Jesus Warns Unbelievers
20 Then Jesus criticized the cities where he did most of his miracles. He criticized them because the people there did not change their lives and stop sinning. 21 Jesus said, “How terrible for you, Korazin! How terrible for you, Bethsaida! I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Tyre and Sidon,[a] then the people there would have changed their lives a long time ago. They would have worn rough cloth and put ashes on themselves to show that they had changed. 22 But I tell you, on the Judgment Day it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon. 23 And you, Capernaum,[b] will you be lifted up to heaven? No. You will be thrown down to the depths. I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Sodom,[c] its people would have stopped sinning, and it would still be a city today. 24 But I tell you it will be worse for you on the Judgment Day than for Sodom.”
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.