Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Jeremiah Goes to the Pottery Shop

18 The Lord told me, ² “Jeremiah, go to the pottery shop, and when you get there, I will tell you what to say to the people.”

³ I went there and saw the potter making clay pots on his pottery wheel. ⁴ And whenever the clay would not take the shape he wanted, he would change his mind and form it into some other shape.

⁵ Then the Lord told me to say:

⁶ People of Israel, I, the Lord, have power over you, just as a potter has power over clay. ⁷ If I threaten to uproot and shatter an evil nation, ⁸ and that nation turns from its evil, I will change my mind.

⁹ If I promise to make a nation strong, ¹⁰ but its people start disobeying me and doing evil, then I will change my mind and not help them at all.

¹¹ So listen to me, people of Judah and Jerusalem! I have decided to strike you with disaster, and I won't change my mind unless you stop sinning and start living right.

The Unbelieving Towns

(Luke 10.13-15)

²⁰ In the towns where Jesus had worked most of his miracles, the people refused to turn to God. So Jesus was upset with them and said:

^21 (A) You people of Chorazin are in for trouble! You people of Bethsaida are in for trouble too! If the miracles that took place here had happened in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have turned to God long ago. They would have dressed in sackcloth and put ashes on their heads.^{[a] 22} I tell you on the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will.

^23 (B) People of Capernaum, do you think you will be honored in heaven? You will go down to hell! If the miracles that took place in your town had happened in Sodom, it would still be standing. ^24 (C) So I tell you on the day of judgment the people of Sodom will get off easier than you.