Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
To the Director: A song. A Psalm.
A Song of Praise
66 Shout praise to God all the earth!
2 Sing praise about the glory of his name.[a]
Make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God: “How awesome are your works!
Because of your great strength
your enemies cringe before you.”
4 The whole earth worships you.
They sing praise to you.
They sing praise to your name.
5 Come and see the awesome works of God
on behalf of human beings:
6 He turned the sea into dry land.
Israel[b] crossed the river on foot;
let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules by his power forever,
his eyes watching over the nations.
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.
8 Bless our God, people,
and let the sound of his praise be heard.
9 He gives us life
and does not permit our feet to slip.
10 For you, God, tested us,
to purify us like fine silver.
11 You have led us into a trap[c]
and set burdens on our backs.
12 You caused men to ride over us.[d]
You brought us through fire and water,
but you led us to abundance.
The Irrevocable Judgment on Judah
25 This message from the Lord came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah. (This was also the first year of the reign of[a] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.) 2 This is what Jeremiah the prophet told all the people of Judah and all the residents of Jerusalem: 3 “From the thirteenth year of the reign of[b] Ammon’s son Josiah, the king of Judah, until the present time, for 23 years this message from the Lord has come to me, and I’ve spoken to you again and again,[c] but you haven’t listened. 4 Again and again,[d] the Lord sent all his servants, the prophets, to you, but you wouldn’t listen or even turn your ears in my direction to hear. 5 They said, ‘Turn, each one of you, from your[e] evil habits[f] and evil deeds, and live in the land that the Lord gave to you and your ancestors forever and ever. 6 Don’t follow other gods to serve and worship them. Don’t provoke me with the idols[g] you make with your hands, and I won’t bring disaster on you.’ 7 But you didn’t listen to me,” declares the Lord, “so as to provoke me with the idols[h] you make with your hands to your own harm.
8 “Therefore, this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: ‘Because you haven’t listened to my message, 9 I’m now sending for all the tribes from the north, declares the Lord, and for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I’ll bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I’ll utterly destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn,[i] and an everlasting desolation. 10 I’ll destroy the sounds of gladness and rejoicing from them, the sounds of the bridegroom and the bride, the sound of the hand mill and also the light of the lamp. 11 This entire land will be a desolation and a waste, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.
12 ‘Then when the seventy years have passed, I’ll judge the king of Babylon and that nation, declares the Lord, I’ll judge[j] the land of the Chaldeans for their iniquity and I’ll make it a desolation forever. 13 I’ll bring on that land all the things I spoke against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied about the nations. 14 Indeed many nations and great kings will make slaves even of them, and I’ll repay them according to their deeds, according to what they have done.’”
13 Hold on to the pattern of healthy teachings that you have heard from me, along with the faith and love that are in the Messiah[a] Jesus. 14 With the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, protect the good treasure that has been entrusted to you.
News about Paul’s Helpers
15 You know that everyone in Asia has abandoned me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, for he often took care of[b] me and was not ashamed that I was a prisoner. 17 Instead, when he arrived in Rome he searched diligently for me and found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he finds mercy on the day he comes again.[c] You know very well how much he assisted me in Ephesus.
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