Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁶¹ Rulers make it hard for me for no reason, but my heart honors Your Words with fear. ¹⁶² I am made happy by Your Word, like one who finds great riches. ¹⁶³ I hate what is false, but I love Your Law. ¹⁶⁴ I praise You seven times a day, because Your Law is right. ¹⁶⁵ Those who love Your Law have great peace, and nothing will cause them to be hurt in their spirit. ¹⁶⁶ I hope for Your saving power, O Lord, and I follow Your Word. ¹⁶⁷ I obey Your Law, for I love it very much. ¹⁶⁸ I obey Your Word and Laws, for You know all my ways.

The Pot-Maker and the Clay

18 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, ² “Go down to the pot-maker’s house, and there I will let you hear My words.” ³ So I went down to the pot-maker’s house, and saw him making one on the wheel. ⁴ But the pot he was making of clay did not come out like he wanted it. So the pot-maker used the clay to make another pot that pleased him.

⁵ Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying, ⁶ “O people of Israel, can I not do with you as this potmaker has done?” says the Lord. “Like the clay in the pot-maker’s hand, so are you in My hand, O people of Israel. ⁷ If at any time I speak about a nation, to pull up, and to break down and to destroy, ⁸ and if that nation I spoke against turns from its sin, then I will change My mind about the trouble I planned to bring upon it. ⁹ If at another time I speak about a nation, that I will build and plant it, ¹⁰ and if it does what is sinful in My eyes by not obeying My voice, then I will change My mind about the good I had promised to bring to it. ¹¹ So now speak to the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. Tell them, ‘The Lord says, “See, I am making trouble for you and making a plan against you. So each of you turn from your sinful way. Change your ways and your works.”’

²⁰ Then He began to say strong words against the cities where most of His powerful works were done. He spoke to them because they were not sorry for their sins and did not turn from them. ²¹ “It is bad for you, city of Chorazin! It is bad for you, town of Bethsaida! For if the powerful works which were done in you had been done in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, they would have turned from their sins long ago. They would have shown their sorrow by putting on clothes made from hair and would have sat in ashes. ²² I tell you, it will be better for Tyre and Sidon on the day men stand before God and are told they are guilty, than for you.

²³ “And Capernaum, are you to be lifted up into heaven? You will be taken down to hell. If the powerful works which were done in you had been done in the city of Sodom, it would be here to this day. ²⁴ But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom on the day men stand before God and are told they are guilty, than for you.”