Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
An instruction[a]. By Ethan, the Ezrahite
God’s Covenant with David
89 I will sing forever about the gracious love of the Lord;
from generation to generation
I will declare your faithfulness with my mouth.
2 I will declare that your gracious love was established forever;
in the heavens itself, you have established your faithfulness.
3 I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have made a promise to David, my servant.
4 “I will establish your dynasty forever,
and I will lift up one who will build[b] your throne
from generation to generation.”
15 How happy are the people who can worship joyfully![a]
Lord, they walk in the light of your presence.
16 In your name they rejoice all day long;
they exult in your justice.[b]
17 For you are their strength’s grandeur;
by your favor you exalted our power.[c]
18 Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord,
and our king to the Holy One of Israel.
The Irrevocable Judgment on Judah
25 This message from the Lord came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah. (This was also the first year of the reign of[a] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.) 2 This is what Jeremiah the prophet told all the people of Judah and all the residents of Jerusalem: 3 “From the thirteenth year of the reign of[b] Ammon’s son Josiah, the king of Judah, until the present time, for 23 years this message from the Lord has come to me, and I’ve spoken to you again and again,[c] but you haven’t listened. 4 Again and again,[d] the Lord sent all his servants, the prophets, to you, but you wouldn’t listen or even turn your ears in my direction to hear. 5 They said, ‘Turn, each one of you, from your[e] evil habits[f] and evil deeds, and live in the land that the Lord gave to you and your ancestors forever and ever. 6 Don’t follow other gods to serve and worship them. Don’t provoke me with the idols[g] you make with your hands, and I won’t bring disaster on you.’ 7 But you didn’t listen to me,” declares the Lord, “so as to provoke me with the idols[h] you make with your hands to your own harm.
2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, the Messiah[a] will be of no benefit to you. 3 Again, I insist[b] that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire Law. 4 Those of you who are trying to be justified by the Law have been cut off from the Messiah.[c] You have fallen away from grace.
5 Through the Spirit by faith we confidently await the fulfillment of our righteous hope, 6 for in union with the Messiah[d] Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. What matters is faith[e] expressed through love.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.