Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

12 And when the kingdom of Roboam was strengthened and fortified, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.

² And in the fifth year of the reign of Roboam, Sesac king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem (because they had sinned against the Lord)

³ With twelve hundred chariots and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt, to wit, Libyans, and Troglodites, and Ethiopians.

⁴ And he took the strongest cities in Juda, and came to Jerusalem.

⁵ And Semeias the prophet came to Roboam, and to the princes of Juda, that were gathered together in Jerusalem, fleeing from Sesac, and he said to them: Thus saith the Lord: You have left me, and I have left you in the hand of Sesac.

⁶ And the princes of Israel, and the king, being in a consternation, said: The Lord is just.

⁷ And when the Lord saw that they were humbled, the word of the Lord came to Semeias, saying: Because they are humbled, I will not destroy them, and I will give them a little help, and my wrath shall not fall upon Jerusalem by the hand of Sesac.

⁸ But yet they shall serve him, that they may know the difference between my service, and the service of a kingdom of the earth.

⁹ So Sesac king of Egypt departed from Jerusalem, taking away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king's house, and he took all with him, and the golden shields that Solomon had made,

¹⁰ Instead of which the king made brazen ones, and delivered them to the captains of the shieldbearers, who guarded the entrance of the palace.

¹¹ And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the shieldbearers came and took them, and brought them back again to their armoury.

¹² But yet because they were humbled, the wrath of the Lord turned away from them, and they were not utterly destroyed: for even in Juda there were found good works.

⁷ Remember your prelates who have spoken the word of God to you; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation,

⁸ Jesus Christ, yesterday, and to day; and the same for ever.

⁹ Be not led away with various and strange doctrines. For it is best that the heart be established with grace, not with meats; which have not profited those that walk in them.

¹⁰ We have an altar, whereof they have no power to eat who serve the tabernacle.

¹¹ For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the holies by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

¹² Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate.

¹³ Let us go forth therefore to him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

¹⁴ For we have not here a lasting city, but we seek one that is to come.

¹⁵ By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God, that is to say, the fruit of lips confessing to his name.

¹⁶ And do not forget to do good, and to impart; for by such sacrifices God's favour is obtained.

¹⁷ Obey your prelates, and be subject to them. For they watch as being to render an account of your souls; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief. For this is not expedient for you.

¹⁸ Pray for us. For we trust we have a good conscience, being willing to behave ourselves well in all things.

¹⁹ And I beseech you the more to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

²⁰ And may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great pastor of the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the blood of the everlasting testament,

²¹ Fit you in all goodness, that you may do his will; doing in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom is glory for ever and ever. Amen.