Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Security of Those Who Trust in the Lord, and Insecurity of the Wicked.

A Psalm of David.

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

18 Now it came about ^(A)in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that ^(B)Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. ² He was ^(C)twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. ^3 (D)He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father David had done. ^4 (E)He removed the high places and smashed the memorial stones to pieces, and cut down the ^[a]Asherah. He also crushed to pieces ^(F)the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called ^[b]Nehushtan. ^5 (G)He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; and ^(H)after him there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who came before him. ⁶ For he ^(I)clung to the Lord; he did not desist from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.

Hezekiah Victorious

^7 (J)And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he was successful. And ^(K)he revolted against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. ^8 (L)He ^[c]defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from ^(M)watchtower to fortified city.

²⁸ Then Rabshakeh stood up and shouted with a loud voice in Judean, ^[a]saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! ²⁹ This is what the king says: ‘^(A)Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to save you from ^[b]my hand. ³⁰ And do not let Hezekiah lead you to trust in the Lord by saying, “The Lord will certainly save us, and this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” ³¹ Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: “Make ^[c]your peace with me and come out to me, and eat, ^(B)each one, from his vine and each from his fig tree, and drink, each one, the waters of his own cistern, ³² until I come and take you ^(C)to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees producing oil, and of honey, so that you will live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah, because he misleads you by saying, “The Lord will save us.” ^33 (D)Has any of the gods of the nations actually saved his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? ^34 (E)Where are the gods of Hamath and ^(F)Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and ^[d](G)Ivvah? Have they saved Samaria from my hand? ³⁵ Who among all the gods of the lands are there who have saved their land from my hand, ^(H)that the Lord would save Jerusalem from my hand?’”

³⁶ But the people were silent and did not answer him with even a word, because it was the king’s ^[e]command: “Do not answer him.”

Message to Smyrna

⁸ “And to the angel of the church in ^(A)Smyrna write:

^(B)The first and the last, who ^[a](C)was dead, and has come to life, says this:

⁹ ‘I know your ^(D)tribulation and your ^(E)poverty (but you are ^(F)rich), and the ^[b]slander by those who ^(G)say they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of ^(H)Satan. ¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you will be ^(I)tested, and you will have tribulation ^(J)for ten days. ^[c]Be ^(K)faithful until death, and I will give you ^(L)the crown of life. ^11 (M)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ^(N)The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the ^(O)second death.’