Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Potter and the Clay

18 This is the word the Lord spoke to Jeremiah: ² “Get up and go down to the potter’s house, and I will ·give you my message there [^Lmake you hear my words].” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working at the potter’s wheel. ⁴ He was using his hands to make a pot from clay, but something went wrong with it. So he used that clay to make another pot the way he wanted it to be.

⁵ Then the Lord spoke his word to me: ⁶ “·Family [^LHouse] of Israel, can’t I do the same thing with you?” says the Lord. “You are in my hands like the clay in the potter’s hands. ⁷ There may come a time when I will ·speak about [declare concerning] a nation or a kingdom that I will ·pull [pluck] up by its roots or that I will ·pull [tear] down to destroy it [1:10]. ⁸ But if the people of that nation ·stop doing the evil they have done [turn back/repent from its evil concerning which I have spoken], I will ·change my mind [repent] and not carry out my plans to bring ·disaster to [evil on] them. ⁹ There may come another time when I will ·speak about a [declare concerning that] nation that I will build up and plant. ¹⁰ But if ·I see it doing evil [^Lit does evil in my eyes] by not ·obeying [listening to] me, I will ·change my mind [repent] and not carry out my plans to do good for them.

¹¹ “·So [Now], say this to the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am ·preparing [shaping] ·disaster [evil] for you and making plans against you. ·So stop doing evil [^LTurn away from your evil way/path]. ·Change [Improve/Amend] your ·ways [paths] and ·do what is right [^Lyour actions].’

Jesus Warns Unbelievers^(A)

²⁰ Then Jesus began to ·criticize [denounce; reproach] the cities where he did ·most [so many] of his ·miracles [powerful deeds], because the people did not ·change their lives and stop sinning [repent]. ²¹ He said, “·How terrible for [^LWoe to] you, Korazin! ·How terrible for [^LWoe to] you, Bethsaida! If the same ·miracles [powerful deeds] ·I did [^Lthat occurred] in you had happened in Tyre and Sidon [^Ccities in Phoenicia notorious for their wickedness], those people would have ·changed their lives [repented] a long time ago. ·They would have worn rough cloth and put ashes on themselves to show they had changed [^L…in sackcloth/burlap and ashes; ^Csigns of sorrow and deep remorse]. ²² But I tell you, on the judgment day it will be ·better [more bearable/tolerable] for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum [^Ca town in Galilee where Jesus lived and ministered], will you be ·lifted up to [honored/exalted in] heaven? No! you will be thrown down to ·the depths [the place of the dead; ^LHades; Is. 14:13, 15]. If the ·miracles [powerful deeds] ·I did [^Lthat occurred] in you had happened in Sodom [^Ca city God destroyed because the people were so evil; Gen. 19], it would ·still be a city [^Lhave remained until] today [^Cbecause its people would have repented and judgment averted]. ²⁴ But I tell you, on the judgment day it will be ·better [more bearable/tolerable] for [^Lthe region/land of] Sodom than for you.”