Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Shishak Attacks Jerusalem^(A)

12 After Rehoboam’s kingdom was ·set up [secure; consolidated; established] and he became strong, he and the people of Judah ·stopped obeying [abandoned; forsook] the ·teachings [instructions; laws] of the Lord. ² During the fifth year Rehoboam was king, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, because Rehoboam and the people were unfaithful to the Lord. ³ Shishak had twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand ·horsemen [or horses]. He brought troops of ·Libyans [Lubim], Sukkites, and Cushites [^CEthiopians] from Egypt with him, so many they couldn’t be counted. ⁴ Shishak captured the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities of Judah and ·came as far as [advanced on/to] Jerusalem.

⁵ Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the ·leaders [officers; officials] of Judah who had gathered in Jerusalem because they were afraid of Shishak. Shemaiah said to them, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have ·left [abandoned; forsaken] me, so now I will ·leave you to face Shishak alone [abandon/forsake you to Shishak].’”

⁶ Then the ·leaders [officers; officials] of ·Judah [^LIsrael; ^Csometimes the name Israel refers specifically to Judah] and King Rehoboam ·were sorry for what they had done [humbled themselves]. They said, “The Lord ·does what is right [is just/fair/righteous].”

⁷ When the Lord saw they ·were sorry for what they had done [humbled themselves], the Lord spoke his word to Shemaiah, saying, “·The king and the leaders are sorry [They have humbled themselves]. So I will not destroy them but will ·save [rescue; ^Tdeliver] them soon. I will not use Shishak to ·punish Jerusalem in [pour out on Jerusalem] my anger. ⁸ But the people of Jerusalem will become Shishak’s ·servants [subjects; slaves] so they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the ·kings [kingdoms] of other nations.”

⁹ Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took the treasures from the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord and the king’s ·palace [^Lhouse]. He took everything, even the gold shields Solomon had made. ¹⁰ So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to take their place and ·gave [entrusted] them to the ·commanders [officers] of the guards for the ·palace gates [doors of the king’s house]. ¹¹ Whenever the king went to the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord, the guards went with him, carrying the shields. Later, they would put them back in the guardroom.

¹² When Rehoboam ·was sorry for what he had done [humbled himself], the Lord held his anger back and did not ·fully [completely] destroy Rehoboam. ·There was some [or Conditions/Things were] good in Judah.

⁷ Remember your leaders who ·taught [proclaimed; spoke] God’s ·message [word] to you. ·Remember [Consider; Reflect on] ·how they lived and died [or the outcome/result of their way of life], and ·copy [imitate] their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

⁹ Do not let all kinds of strange teachings ·lead you into the wrong way [take you off course; lead you astray]. ·Your hearts should be strengthened by [or Inner strength comes from] God’s grace, not by obeying rules about foods [^Creferring to Jewish dietary laws; Lev. 11; Mark 7:19; Acts 10; Col. 2:16], which ·do not help [or have never benefited] those who ·obey [observe; live by] them.

¹⁰ We have a ·sacrifice [^Laltar], but the priests who serve in the ·Holy Tent [^TTabernacle] ·cannot [^Lhave no authority/right to] eat from it. ¹¹ The high priest carries the blood of animals into the ·Most Holy Place [sanctuary; ^Lholy things; ^THoly of Holies] where he offers this blood for sins. But the bodies of the animals are burned outside the camp [Lev. 6:11]. ¹² So Jesus also suffered outside the ·city [^Lgate] to ·make his people holy [sanctify the people] ·with [through] his own blood. ¹³ So let us go to Jesus outside the camp, ·holding on as he did when we are abused [^Lbearing the abuse/humiliation he bore].

¹⁴ [^LFor] Here on earth we do not have a city that ·lasts forever [endures], but we are ·looking for [seeking] the city that ·we will have in the future [is to come]. ¹⁵ So through Jesus let us ·always [continuously] offer to God our sacrifice of praise, ·coming from [^Lwhich is the fruit of] lips that ·speak [profess; acknowledge] his name. ¹⁶ Do not ·forget [neglect] to do good to others, and share with them, because such sacrifices please God.

¹⁷ ·Obey [or Have confidence in] your leaders and ·act under [or submit to] their authority. [^LFor; Because] They are watching over you, because they ·are responsible [will give an account (to God)] for ·your souls [or you]. ·Obey them [Do this; Act this way] so that they will do this work with joy, not ·sadness [or complaint; groaning], for that would be of no ·benefit [advantage; help] to you.

¹⁸ Pray for us. We are ·sure [convinced] that we have a clear conscience, ·because [or and] we always want to ·do the right thing [act honorably]. ¹⁹ I especially ·beg [urge; exhort] you to pray so that ·God will send me back [^LI may be restored] to you soon.

·I pray that the God of peace will [or May the God of peace] ·give you [equip/prepare you with] every good thing you need so you can do ·what he wants [his will]. This God of peace raised from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep [Ps. 23; John 10:11–18], ·because of [or through; by] the ·blood of his death [^Lblood] ·that began the eternal agreement that God made with his people [^Lof the eternal covenant/contract; 8:1–13]. I pray that God will do in us what ·pleases [is acceptable to] him, through Jesus Christ, and to him be glory forever and ever. Amen.