Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Day of the Lord Brings Judgment

4 ^[a]“Certainly the day is coming! It will burn like a furnace. All arrogant people and all evildoers will be ⌞like⌟ straw. The day that is coming will burn them up completely,” says the Lord of Armies. “It won’t leave a single root or branch.

² “The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings for you people who fear my name. You will go out and leap like calves let out of a stall.

A psalm.

⁶ Brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we order you not to associate with any believer who doesn’t live a disciplined life and doesn’t follow the tradition you received from us. ⁷ You know what you must do to imitate us. We lived a disciplined life among you. ⁸ We didn’t eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, we worked hard and struggled night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you. ⁹ It’s not as though we didn’t have a right to receive support. Rather, we wanted to set an example for you to follow. ¹⁰ While we were with you, we gave you the order: “Whoever doesn’t want to work shouldn’t be allowed to eat.”

¹¹ We hear that some of you are not living disciplined lives. You’re not working, so you go around interfering in other people’s lives. ¹² We order and encourage such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to pay attention to their own work so they can support themselves. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, we can’t allow ourselves to get tired of doing what is right.

Jesus Teaches His Disciples^(A)

⁵ Some ⌞of the disciples⌟ were talking about the temple complex. They noted that it was built with fine stones and decorated with beautiful gifts. So Jesus said, ⁶ “About these buildings that you see—the time will come when not one of these stones will be left on top of another. Each one will be torn down.”

⁷ The disciples asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will occur?”

⁸ Jesus said, “Be careful that you are not deceived. Many will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am he!’ and ‘The time is near.’ Don’t follow them!

⁹ “When you hear of wars and revolutions, don’t be terrified! These things must happen first, but the end will not come immediately.”

¹⁰ Then Jesus continued, “Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹ There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and dreadful diseases in various places. Terrifying sights and miraculous signs will come from the sky.

¹² “Before all these things happen, people will arrest and persecute you. They will hand you over to their synagogues and put you into their prisons. They will drag you in front of kings and governors because of my name. ¹³ It will be your opportunity to testify to them. ¹⁴ So make up your minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. ¹⁵ I will give you words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to oppose or prove wrong.

¹⁶ “Even parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will betray you and kill some of you. ¹⁷ Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me. ¹⁸ But not a hair on your head will be lost. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will save your life.