Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
7 You have left us to be fought over by our neighbors;
our enemies deride us.(A)
8 O God of hosts, restore us;
light up your face and we shall be saved.
III
9 You brought a vine[a] out of Egypt;
you drove out nations and planted it.
10 You cleared out what was before it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
11 The mountains were covered by its shadow,
the cedars of God by its branches.
12 It sent out its boughs as far as the sea,[b]
its shoots as far as the river.
13 Why have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?(B)
14 The boar from the forest strips the vine;
the beast of the field feeds upon it.(C)
15 Turn back again, God of hosts;
look down from heaven and see;
Visit this vine,
14 Is Israel a slave, a house-born servant?[a]
Why then has he become plunder?
15 Against him lions roar,
they raise their voices.
They have turned his land into a waste;
his cities are charred ruins, without an inhabitant.(A)
16 Yes, the people of Memphis[b] and Tahpanhes
shave the crown of your head.
17 Has not forsaking the Lord, your God,
done this to you?(B)
18 And now, why go to Egypt,[c]
to drink the waters of the Nile?
Why go to Assyria,
to drink the waters of the River?
19 Your own wickedness chastises you,
your own infidelities punish you.
Know then, and see, how evil and bitter
is your forsaking the Lord, your God,
And your showing no fear of me,
oracle of the Lord, the God of hosts.(C)
20 Long ago you broke your yoke,(D)
you tore off your bonds.
You said, “I will not serve.”
On every high hill, under every green tree,
you sprawled and served as a prostitute.[d]
21 But I had planted you as a choice vine,
all pedigreed stock;
How could you turn out so obnoxious to me,
a spurious vine?(E)
22 Even if you scour it with lye,
and use much soap,
The stain of your guilt is still before me,
oracle of the Lord God.(F)
Practices Contrary to Faith. 16 (A)Let no one, then, pass judgment on you in matters of food and drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or sabbath.[a] 17 These are shadows of things to come; the reality belongs to Christ.(B) 18 Let no one disqualify you, delighting in self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions,[b] inflated without reason by his fleshly mind,(C) 19 and not holding closely to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and bonds, achieves the growth that comes from God.(D)
20 If you died with Christ to the elemental powers of the world, why do you submit to regulations as if you were still living in the world? 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” 22 These are all things destined to perish with use; they accord with human precepts and teachings.(E) 23 While they have a semblance of wisdom in rigor of devotion and self-abasement [and] severity to the body, they are of no value against gratification of the flesh.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.