Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A psalm of David.
101 I will sing about your love and fairness.
Lord, I will sing praise to you.
2 I will be careful to lead a life
that is without blame.
When will you come and help me?
In my own home I will lead a life
that is without blame.
3 I won’t look at anything that is evil and call it good.
I hate the acts of people who aren’t faithful to you.
I won’t have anything to do with those things.
4 I will stay away from those whose hearts are twisted.
I won’t have anything to do with what is evil.
5 I will get rid of anyone
who tells lies about their neighbor in secret.
I won’t put up with anyone
whose eyes and heart are proud.
6 I will look with favor on the faithful people in the land.
They will live with me.
Those whose lives are without blame will serve me.
7 No one who lies and cheats
will live in my house.
No one who tells lies
will serve me.
8 Every morning I will get rid of
all the sinful people in the land.
I will remove from the city of the Lord
everyone who does what is evil.
19 The field commander said to them, “Give Hezekiah this message. Tell him,
“ ‘Sennacherib is the great king of Assyria. He says, “Why are you putting your faith in what your king says? 20 You say you have a military plan. You say you have a strong army. But your words don’t mean anything. Who are you depending on? Why don’t you want to stay under my control? 21 Look, I know you are depending on Egypt. Why are you doing that? Egypt is nothing but a broken papyrus stem. Try leaning on it. It will only cut your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is just like that to everyone who depends on him. 22 But suppose you say to me, ‘We are depending on the Lord our God.’ Didn’t Hezekiah remove your god’s high places and altars? Didn’t Hezekiah say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship at the altar in Jerusalem’?
23 “ ‘ “Go ahead and make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I’ll give you 2,000 horses. But only if you can put riders on them! 24 You are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen. You can’t drive away even the least important officer among my master’s officials. 25 Besides, do you think I’ve come without receiving a message from the Lord? Have I come to attack and destroy this place without a message from him? The Lord himself told me to march out against your country. He told me to destroy it.” ’ ”
Isaiah Prophesies That Jerusalem Will Be Saved
19 When King Hezekiah heard what the field commander had said, he tore his clothes. He put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. Then he went into the Lord’s temple. 2 Hezekiah sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, to Isaiah the prophet. Isaiah was the son of Amoz. Hezekiah also sent to Isaiah the leading priests and Shebna the secretary. All of them were wearing the same rough clothing. 3 They told Isaiah, “Hezekiah says, ‘Today we’re in great trouble. The Lord is warning us. He’s bringing shame on us. Sometimes babies come to the moment when they should be born. But their mothers aren’t strong enough to allow them to be born. Today we are like those mothers. We aren’t strong enough to save ourselves. 4 Perhaps the Lord your God will hear everything the field commander has said. His master, the king of Assyria, has sent him to make fun of the living God. Maybe the Lord your God will punish him for what he has heard him say. So pray for the remaining people who are still alive here.’ ”
5 King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah. 6 Then Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘The Lord says, “Do not be afraid of what you have heard. The officers of the king of Assyria have spoken evil things against me. 7 Listen! I will send him news from his own country. It will make him want to return home. There I will have him killed by a sword.” ’ ”
Rich People and the Kingdom of God
18 A certain ruler asked Jesus a question. “Good teacher,” he said, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good except God. 20 You know what the commandments say. ‘Do not commit adultery. Do not commit murder. Do not steal. Do not be a false witness. Honor your father and mother.’ ” (Exodus 20:12–16; Deuteronomy 5:16–20)
21 “I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy,” the ruler said.
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You are still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
23 When the ruler heard this, he became very sad. He was very rich. 24 Jesus looked at him. Then he said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom! 25 Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for someone who is rich to enter God’s kingdom!”
26 Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus replied, “Things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
28 Peter said to him, “We have left everything we had in order to follow you!”
29 “What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus said to them. “Has anyone left home or wife or husband or brothers or sisters or parents or children for God’s kingdom? 30 They will receive many times as much in this world. In the world to come they will receive eternal life.”
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