Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Consider the Way of the Blameless

Of David. A Psalm.

⁹ Now in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, ^(A)Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. ¹⁰ And at the end of three years they captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was ^(B)the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was captured. ¹¹ Then the king of Assyria took Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in ^(C)Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, ¹² because they ^(D)did not listen to the voice of Yahweh their God, but trespassed against His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded; they would neither listen nor do it.

Sennacherib Comes Up Against Judah

^13 (E)Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. ¹⁴ Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “^(F)I have done wrong. Turn away from me; whatever penalty you give to me I will bear.” So the king of Assyria set a penalty on Hezekiah king of Judah ^[a]three hundred talents of silver and ^[b]thirty talents of gold. ^15 (G)Thus Hezekiah gave him all the silver which was found in the house of Yahweh and in the treasuries of the king’s house. ¹⁶ At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of Yahweh and from the doorposts, which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

¹⁷ Then the king of Assyria sent ^(H)Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a heavy military force to Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they went up, they came and stood by the ^(I)conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway of the ^[c]fuller’s field. ¹⁸ Then they called to the king, and ^(J)Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and ^(K)Shebnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came out to them.

A Good Minister’s Discipline

⁶ In pointing out these things to ^(A)the brothers, you will be a good ^(B)servant of Christ Jesus, being nourished on the words of the faith and of the ^[a](C)sound doctrine which you ^(D)have been following. ⁷ But refuse ^(E)godless ^(F)myths fit only for old women. On the other hand, train yourself for the purpose of ^(G)godliness, ⁸ for ^(H)bodily training is only of little profit, but ^(I)godliness is profitable for all things, since it ^(J)holds promise for the ^(K)present life and also for the life to come. ^9 (L)It is a trustworthy saying and deserving full acceptance. ¹⁰ For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed ^(M)our hope on ^(N)the living God, who is ^(O)the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

^11 (P)Command and teach these things. ^12 (Q)Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but show yourself as ^(R)a model to those who believe in word, conduct, ^(S)love, faith, and purity. ^13 (T)Until I come, give attention to the public ^(U)reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift within you, which was given to you through ^(V)prophetic utterance with ^(W)the laying on of hands by the ^(X)council of elders. ¹⁵ Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. ^16 (Y)Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ^(Z)save both yourself and those who hear you.