Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Song of Joy
14 Sing, O people of Zion! Call out, O Israel! Have joy and be happy with all your heart, O people of Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away your punishment. He has taken away those who hate you. The King of Israel, the Lord, is with you. You will not be afraid of trouble any more. 16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, O Zion. Do not let your hands lose their strength. 17 The Lord your God is with you, a Powerful One Who wins the battle. He will have much joy over you. With His love He will give you new life. He will have joy over you with loud singing. 18 I will gather those who have sorrow for the special days, and take away their shame. 19 At that time I will punish all those who made it hard for you. I will save those who cannot walk and gather those who have been driven away. And I will turn their shame into praise. They will be known all over the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you together. I will make you known all over the earth, and all the nations will praise you, when I return your riches before your eyes,” says the Lord.
2 See, God saves me. I will trust and not be afraid. For the Lord God is my strength and song. And He has become the One Who saves me.” 3 As water from a well brings joy to the thirsty, so people have joy when He saves them. 4 In that day you will say, “Give thanks to the Lord. Call on His name. Make known His works among the people. Help them remember that His name is honored.” 5 Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done great things. Let this be known in all the earth. 6 Call out and sing for joy, O people of Zion. For the Holy One of Israel is great among you.
4 Be full of joy always because you belong to the Lord. Again I say, be full of joy! 5 Let all people see how gentle you are. The Lord is coming again soon. 6 Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need. 7 The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
7 John said to the people who came to be baptized by him, “You family of snakes! Who told you how to keep from the anger of God that is coming? 8 Do something to let me see that you have turned from your sins. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you, God can make children for Abraham out of these stones. 9 Even now the ax is on the root of the trees. Every tree that does not give good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10 The people asked him, “Then what should we do?” 11 He answered them, “If you have two coats, give one to him who has none. If you have food, you must share some.” 12 Tax-gatherers came to be baptized also. They asked him, “Teacher, what are we to do?” 13 He said to them, “Do not take more money from people than you should.” 14 Also soldiers asked him, “What are we to do?” He answered them, “Take no money from anyone by using your own strength. Do not lie about anyone. Be happy with the pay you get.”
15 The people were looking for something to happen. They were thinking in their hearts about John the Baptist. They wondered if he might be the Christ. 16 But John said to all of them, “I baptize you with water. There is One coming Who is greater than I. I am not good enough to get down and help Him take off His shoes. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 He comes ready to clean the grain. He will gather the grain and clean it all. He will put the clean grain into a building. But He will burn that which is no good with a fire that cannot be put out.”
John the Baptist Is Put in Prison (A)
18 John spoke much more as he preached the Good News to the people.
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