Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A King's Promise^[a]

¹⁹ One of the Assyrian officials told them that the emperor wanted to know what made King Hezekiah so confident. ²⁰ He demanded, “Do you think that words can take the place of military skill and might? Who do you think will help you rebel against Assyria? ²¹ You are expecting Egypt to help you, but that would be like using a reed as a walking stick—it would break and jab your hand. That is what the king of Egypt is like when anyone relies on him.”

²² The Assyrian official went on, “Or will you tell me that you are relying on the Lord your God? It was the Lord's shrines and altars that Hezekiah destroyed, when he told the people of Judah and Jerusalem to worship only at the altar in Jerusalem. ²³ I will make a bargain with you in the name of the emperor. I will give you two thousand horses if you can find that many men to ride them! ²⁴ You are no match for even the lowest ranking Assyrian official, and yet you expect the Egyptians to send you chariots and cavalry! ²⁵ Do you think I have attacked your country and destroyed it without the Lord's help? The Lord himself told me to attack it and destroy it.”

The King Asks Isaiah's Advice^(A)

19 As soon as King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes in grief, put on sackcloth, and went to the Temple of the Lord. ² He sent Eliakim, the official in charge of the palace, Shebna, the court secretary, and the senior priests to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. They also were wearing sackcloth. ³ This is the message which he told them to give Isaiah: “Today is a day of suffering; we are being punished and are in disgrace. We are like a woman who is ready to give birth, but is too weak to do it. ⁴ The Assyrian emperor has sent his chief official to insult the living God. May the Lord your God hear these insults and punish those who spoke them. So pray to God for those of our people who survive.”

⁵ When Isaiah received King Hezekiah's message, ⁶ he sent back this answer: “The Lord tells you not to let the Assyrians frighten you with their claims that he cannot save you. ⁷ The Lord will cause the emperor to hear a rumor that will make him go back to his own country, and the Lord will have him killed there.”

The Rich Man^(A)

¹⁸ A Jewish leader asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?”

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. ^20 (B)You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do not accuse anyone falsely; respect your father and your mother.’”

²¹ The man replied, “Ever since I was young, I have obeyed all these commandments.”

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one more thing you need to do. Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.” ²³ But when the man heard this, he became very sad, because he was very rich.

²⁴ Jesus saw that he was sad and said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”

²⁶ The people who heard him asked, “Who, then, can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus answered, “What is humanly impossible is possible for God.”

²⁸ Then Peter said, “Look! We have left our homes to follow you.”

²⁹ “Yes,” Jesus said to them, “and I assure you that anyone who leaves home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God ³⁰ will receive much more in this present age and eternal life in the age to come.”