Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Pledge of Integrity

Psalm 101

⁹ Now it came to pass in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of King Elah of Israel, that King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it, ¹⁰ and at the end of three years they captured it. So Samaria was captured in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel. ¹¹ The king of Assyria deported Israel to Assyria and placed them in Halah and Habor on the Gozan River, and in the towns of the Medes. ¹² For they had not listened to the voice of Adonai their God, but transgressed His covenant—all that Moses the servant of Adonai had commanded—they neither listened nor did it.

Proud Sennacherib Challenges Hezekiah

¹³ Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria marched against all the fortified towns of Judah and seized them. ¹⁴ So King Hezekiah of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria at Lachish saying, “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, whatever you impose on me, I will bear.” So the king of Assyria imposed on King Hezekiah of Judah 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold. ¹⁵ Then Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the House of Adonai as well as in the treasuries of the royal palace. ¹⁶ At that time Hezekiah stripped off the gold from the doors of the Temple of Adonai and from the doorposts that King Hezekiah of Judah had overlaid, and gave them to the king of Assyria.

¹⁷ Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rab-saris and the Rab-shakeh^[a] from Lachish with a great army to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. So they went up and arrived at Jerusalem. Now when they arrived, they stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway of the fuller’s field. ¹⁸ When they had called to the king, Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the royal palace, Shebnah the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, came out to them.

⁶ In pointing out these things to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Messiah Yeshua, nourished in the words of the faith and the sound teaching that you have been following. ⁷ But avoid godless myths and old wives’ tales; instead, train yourself in godliness. ⁸ For physical exercise has some benefit; but godliness is beneficial for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the one to come. ⁹ Trustworthy is the saying and deserving of complete acceptance ¹⁰ (for to this end we work hard and strive): “We have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially those who trust.” ¹¹ Insist on these things and teach them.

¹² Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but become an example of the faithful—in speech, in conduct, in love, in faithfulness, and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to encouragement, and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect the spiritual gift^[a] within you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands of the elders. ¹⁵ Practice these things—be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be clear to all. ¹⁶ Give attention to yourself and your teaching. Persevere in these things, for in doing so you will save yourself^[b] and those who hear you.