Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Thanksgiving for God’s Goodness

A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day [Ex. 20:8–11; Deut. 5:12–15].

Amaziah King of Judah^(A)

14 Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah during the second year Jehoash son of Jehoahaz was king of Israel. ² Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jehoaddin, and she was from Jerusalem. ³ Amaziah did ·what the Lord said was right [^Lright in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. He did everything his father Joash had done, but he did not do as his ·ancestor [father] David had done. ⁴ The ·places where gods were worshiped [^Lhigh places; 12:3] were not removed, so the people still sacrificed and burned incense there.

⁵ As soon as Amaziah took control of the kingdom, he executed the ·officers [officials] who had ·murdered [assassinated] his father the king. ⁶ But he did not put to death the ·children [sons] of the ·murderers [assassins] because of the rule written in the Book of the ·Teachings [Law; ^Ltorah] of Moses. The Lord had commanded: “·Parents [Fathers] must not be put to death ·when their children do wrong [^Lfor their sons], and ·children [sons] must not be put to death ·when their parents do wrong [^Lfor their fathers]. Each must ·die [put to death] for his own sins [Deut. 24:16].”

⁷ In battle Amaziah killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He also took the city of Sela. He called it Joktheel, as it is still called today.

⁸ Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel. They said, “Come, let’s meet face to face [^Ceither a call for negotiations or a challenge to battle, but taken by Jehoash as the latter].”

⁹ Then Jehoash king of Israel answered Amaziah king of Judah, “A thornbush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree in Lebanon. It said, ‘Let your daughter marry my son.’ But then a wild ·animal [beast] from Lebanon came by, ·walking [trampling] on and crushing the thornbush. ¹⁰ You have defeated Edom, ·but [and now] you have become ·proud [arrogant]. Stay at home and ·brag [or enjoy your victory/glory]. Don’t ·ask for [stir up] trouble, or you and Judah will ·be defeated [fall].”

¹¹ But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel went ·to attack [^Lup]. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other in battle at Beth Shemesh in Judah. ¹² Israel ·defeated [routed] Judah, and every man of Judah ·ran away [fled] to his ·home [^Ltent]. ¹³ At Beth Shemesh Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah. (Amaziah was the son of Joash, who was the son of Ahaziah.) Jehoash went up to Jerusalem and ·broke down [demolished] the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, which was about ·six hundred feet [^Lfour hundred cubits]. ¹⁴ He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils found in the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord, and he took the treasuries of the ·palace [^Lking’s house] and some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

A Story About Planting Seed^(A)

4 Again Jesus began teaching by the lake [^Cthe Sea of Galilee]. A great crowd gathered around him, so he sat down in a boat near the shore. All the people stayed on the shore close to the water. ² Jesus taught them many things, using ·stories [parables; see 3:23]. He said, ³ “Listen! A ·farmer [sower] went out to ·plant [sow] his seed. ⁴ While he was ·planting [sowing], some seed fell ·by the road [along the path], and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t much dirt. That seed ·grew [sprang up] very fast, because the ground was not deep. ⁶ But when the sun rose, the plants ·dried up [were scorched and withered] because they did not have deep roots. ⁷ Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants. So those plants did not produce ·a crop [grain]. ⁸ Some other seed fell on good ground and began to grow. It got taller and produced ·a crop [grain]. Some plants made thirty times more, some made sixty times more, and some made a hundred times more.”

⁹ Then Jesus said, ·“Let those with ears use them and listen!” [^L“Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”]

Jesus Tells Why He Used Stories^(B)

¹⁰ Later, when Jesus was alone, the twelve apostles and others around him asked him about the ·stories [parables; see 3:23].

¹¹ Jesus said, “·You can know [To you has been given] the secret about the kingdom of God. But to ·other people [outsiders] I tell everything by using ·stories [parables] ¹² so that:

Jesus Explains the Seed Story^(C)

¹³ Then Jesus said to ·his followers [^Lthem], “Don’t you understand this ·story [parable]? If you don’t, how will you understand any ·story [parable; see 3:23]? ¹⁴ ·The farmer plants God’s message in people [^LThe sower sows the word]. ¹⁵ Sometimes the ·teaching [word; message] falls ·on the road [along the path]. This is like the people who hear the ·teaching of God [word; message], but Satan quickly comes and takes away the ·teaching [word; message] that was ·planted [sown] in them. ¹⁶ Others are like the seed ·planted [sown] on rocky ground. They hear the ·teaching [word; message] and quickly accept it with joy. ¹⁷ ·But since they don’t allow the teaching to go deep into their lives [^LBut since they have no root in themselves], they keep it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the ·teaching they accepted [word; message], they quickly ·give up [fall away; stumble]. ¹⁸ Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the ·teaching [word; message], ¹⁹ but the worries of this ·life [world; age], the ·temptation [deceitfulness; seduction] of wealth, and ·many other evil desires [desires for other things] ·keep the teaching from growing and producing fruit in their lives [^Lcome in and choke the word, making it unfruitful]. ²⁰ Others are like the seed ·planted [sown] in the good ground. They hear the ·teaching [word; message] and accept it. Then they grow and produce ·fruit [a crop]—sometimes thirty times more, sometimes sixty times more, and sometimes a hundred times more.”