Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Teth

Shishak of Egypt Invades Jerusalem

12 And when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and when he was strengthened, he forsook the law of Yahweh, and all Israel with him. ² And it happened that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam (for they had acted unfaithfully against Yahweh), Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem ³ with one thousand two hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen. And there was no number to the people who came up with him from Egypt—Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites. ⁴ And he took the fortified cities that belonged to Judah, and he came up to Jerusalem.

⁵ Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the princes of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem from before Shishak. And he said to them, “Thus says Yahweh: ‘You yourselves have abandoned me, and I myself have surely abandoned you into the hand of Shishak.’” ⁶ Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “Yahweh is righteous.” ⁷ And when Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy. I will give to them some way of escape, that my anger not be poured out against Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. ⁸ However, they shall be his servants, that they might know my service and the service of the kingdoms of other countries.”

⁹ Then Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and he took the treasures out of the house of Yahweh and the treasures out of the king’s house. He took everything. He also took the small shields of gold that Solomon had made. ¹⁰ And King Rehoboam made small shields of bronze in their place and committed them into the hand of the commanders of the guards who were keeping the entrance of the house of the king. ¹¹ And whenever the king went into the house of Yahweh, the guards came and carried them, and then they returned them to the alcove of the guards. ¹² And when he humbled himself, the anger of Yahweh was turned away from him, so that he did not destroy the city completely. Moreover, matters were well in Judah.

⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you; considering the outcome of their way of life^[a], imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever^[b]. ⁹ Do not be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods by which those who participate have not benefited. ¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who serve in the tabernacle do not have the right to eat. ¹¹ For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sins are burned up outside the camp. ¹² Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, in order that he might sanctify the people by his own blood. ¹³ So we must go out to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. ¹⁴ For here we do not have a permanent city, but we seek the city that is to come. ¹⁵ Therefore through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise continually^[c] to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. ¹⁶ And do not neglect doing good and generosity, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you.

¹⁸ Pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a good conscience, and want to conduct ourselves commendably in every way. ¹⁹ And I especially urge you to do this, so that I may be restored to you more quickly.

Benediction

²⁰ Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, ²¹ equip you with every good thing to do his will, carrying out in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever^[d].^[e] Amen.