Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A Prayer for Understanding

The Corroded Cooking Pot

24 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of our exile, the Lord spoke to me. ^2 (A)“Mortal man,” he said, “write down today's date, because this is the day that the king of Babylonia is beginning the siege of Jerusalem. ³ Tell my rebellious people this parable that I, the Sovereign Lord, have for them:

⁶ This is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: “The city of murderers is doomed! It is like a corroded pot that is never cleaned. Piece after piece of meat is taken out, and not one is left. ⁷ There was murder in the city, but the blood was not spilled on the ground where the dust could hide it; it was spilled on a bare rock. ⁸ I have left the blood there, where it cannot be hidden, where it demands angry revenge.”

⁹ This is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: “The city of murderers is doomed! I myself will pile up the firewood. ¹⁰ Bring more wood! Fan the flames! Cook the meat! Boil away the broth!^[b] Burn up the bones! ¹¹ Now set the empty bronze pot on the coals and let it get red-hot. Then the pot will be ritually pure again after the corrosion is burned off, ¹² although all that corrosion will not disappear in the flames.^{[c] 13} Jerusalem, your immoral actions have defiled you. Although I tried to purify you, you remained defiled. You will not be pure again until you have felt the full force of my anger. ¹⁴ I, the Lord, have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not ignore your sins or show pity or be merciful. You will be punished for what you have done.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.

Paul's Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I am acting like a fool—but you have made me do it. You are the ones who ought to show your approval of me. For even if I am nothing, I am in no way inferior to those very special “apostles” of yours. ¹² The many miracles and wonders that prove that I am an apostle were performed among you with much patience. ¹³ How were you treated any worse than the other churches, except that I did not bother you for financial help? Please forgive me for being so unfair!

¹⁴ This is now the third time that I am ready to come to visit you—and I will not make any demands on you. It is you I want, not your money. After all, children should not have to provide for their parents, but parents should provide for their children. ¹⁵ I will be glad to spend all I have, and myself as well, in order to help you. Will you love me less because I love you so much?

¹⁶ You will agree, then, that I was not a burden to you. But someone will say that I was tricky, and trapped you with lies. ¹⁷ How? Did I take advantage of you through any of the messengers I sent? ¹⁸ I begged Titus to go, and I sent the other believer with him. Would you say that Titus took advantage of you? Do not he and I act from the very same motives and behave in the same way?

¹⁹ Perhaps you think that all along we have been trying to defend ourselves before you. No! We speak as Christ would have us speak in the presence of God, and everything we do, dear friends, is done to help you. ²⁰ I am afraid that when I get there I will find you different from what I would like you to be and you will find me different from what you would like me to be. I am afraid that I will find quarreling and jealousy, hot tempers and selfishness, insults and gossip, pride and disorder. ²¹ I am afraid that the next time I come my God will humiliate me in your presence, and I shall weep over many who sinned in the past and have not repented of the immoral things they have done—their lust and their sexual sins.