Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁶⁵ Thou hast dealt well with Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word.

⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I have believed Thy commandments.

⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept Thy word.

⁶⁸ Thou art good, and doest good; teach me Thy statutes.

⁶⁹ The proud have forged a lie against me, but I will keep Thy precepts with my whole heart.

⁷⁰ Their heart is as fat as grease, but I delight in Thy law.

⁷¹ It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Thy statutes.

⁷² The law of Thy mouth is better for me than thousands of gold and silver.

12 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.

² And it came to pass that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,

³ with twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen; and the people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

⁴ And he took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

⁵ Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, “Thus saith the Lord: ‘Ye have forsaken Me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.’”

⁶ Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves, and they said, “The Lord is righteous.”

⁷ And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves. Therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and My wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

⁸ Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know My service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”

⁹ So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house. He took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

¹⁰ In their stead King Rehoboam made shields of brass and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, who kept the entrance of the king’s house.

¹¹ And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.

¹² And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that He would not destroy him altogether; and also in Judah things went well.

⁷ Remember those who have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God. Follow their faith, considering the outcome of their manner of living.

⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

⁹ Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with meats which have not profited those who have been occupied therewith.

¹⁰ We have an altar from which they have no right to eat, who serve the tabernacle.

¹¹ For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

¹² Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

¹³ Let us go forth therefore unto Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

¹⁴ For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

¹⁵ By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.

¹⁶ But to do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

¹⁷ Obey those who have the rule over you and submit yourselves, for they keep watch over your souls as ones who must give an account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.

¹⁸ Pray for us, for we trust we have a good conscience in all things, willing to live honestly.

¹⁹ But I beseech you the more earnestly to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

²⁰ Now the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

²¹ make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.