Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Jeremiah’s Prayer and God’s Answer
15 (A)You know, Lord;
Remember me, take notice of me,
And (B)take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away;
Know that (C)for Your sake I endure reproach.
16 Your words were found and I (D)ate them,
And Your (E)words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart;
For I have been (F)called by Your name,
Lord God of armies.
17 I (G)did not sit in a circle of revelers and celebrate.
Because of Your hand upon me I sat (H)alone,
For You (I)filled me with indignation.
18 Why has my pain been endless
And my (J)wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
Will You indeed be to me (K)like a deceptive stream
With water that is unreliable?
19 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
“(L)If you return, then I will restore you—
(M)You will stand before Me;
And (N)if you extract the precious from the worthless,
You will become [a]My spokesman.
They, for their part, may turn to you,
But as for you, you are not to turn to them.
20 Then I will (O)make you to this people
A fortified wall of bronze;
And though they fight against you,
They will not prevail over you;
For (P)I am with you to save you
And rescue you,” declares the Lord.
21 “So I will (Q)rescue you from the hand of the wicked,
And I will (R)redeem you from the [b]grasp of the violent.”
Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.
A Psalm of David.
26 [a](A)Vindicate me, Lord, for I have (B)walked in my integrity,
And I have (C)trusted in the Lord [b](D)without wavering.
2 (E)Examine me, Lord, and put me to the test;
(F)Refine my [c]mind and my heart.
3 For Your (G)[d]goodness is before my eyes,
And I have (H)walked in Your truth.
4 I do not (I)sit with [e]deceitful people,
Nor will I go with [f](J)pretenders.
5 I (K)hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will (L)wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go around (M)Your altar, Lord,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of (N)thanksgiving
And declare all Your [g]wonders.
9 [a](A)Love must be free of hypocrisy. (B)Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be (C)devoted to one another in brotherly love; [b]give preference to one another (D)in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, (E)fervent in spirit, (F)serving the Lord; 12 (G)rejoicing in hope, (H)persevering in tribulation, (I)devoted to prayer, 13 (J)contributing to the needs of the [c]saints, [d](K)practicing hospitality.
14 (L)Bless those who persecute [e]you; bless and do not curse. 15 (M)Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 (N)Be of the same mind toward one another; (O)do not be [f]haughty in mind, but [g]associate with the lowly. (P)Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 (Q)Never repay evil for evil to anyone. [h](R)Respect what is right in the sight of all people. 18 If possible, (S)so far as it depends on you, (T)be at peace with all people. 19 (U)Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [i]leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “(V)Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “(W)But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Jesus Foretells His Death
21 (A)From that time [a]Jesus began to [b]point out to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem and to (B)suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day. 22 And yet Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “[c]God forbid it, Lord! This shall never [d]happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, (C)Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on [e]God’s purposes, but men’s.”
Discipleship Is Costly
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, (D)take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For (E)whoever wants to save his [f]life will lose it; but whoever loses his [g]life for My sake will find it. 26 For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but [h]forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the (F)Son of Man (G)is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and (H)will then repay every person according to his [i]deeds.
28 “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the (I)Son of Man (J)coming in His kingdom.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.