Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
29 Following is the text of the letter Yirmeyahu the prophet sent from Yerushalayim to the leaders remaining in exile, as well as to the cohanim, the prophets and all the people N’vukhadnetzar had carried off captive from Yerushalayim to Bavel.
4 “Here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says to all those in exile, whom I have caused to be carried off captive from Yerushalayim to Bavel: 5 ‘Build yourselves houses, and live in them. Plant gardens, and eat what they produce. 6 Choose women to marry, and have sons and daughters. Choose wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage to men, so that they can have sons and daughters — increase your numbers there, don’t decrease. 7 Seek the welfare of the city to which I have caused you to go in exile, and pray to Adonai on its behalf; for your welfare is bound up in its welfare.’
66 (0) For the leader. A song. A psalm:
(1) Shout to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name,
make his praise glorious.
3 Tell God, “How awesome are your deeds!
At your great power, your enemies cringe.
4 All the earth bows down to you,
sings praises to you, sings praises to your name.” (Selah)
5 Come and see what God has done,
his awesome dealings with humankind.
6 He turned the sea into dry land.
They passed through the river on foot;
there we rejoiced in him.
7 With his power he rules forever;
his eyes keep watch on the nations.
Let no rebel arise to challenge him. (Selah)
8 Bless our God, you peoples!
Let the sound of his praise be heard!
9 He preserves our lives
and keeps our feet from stumbling.
10 For you, God, have tested us,
refined us as silver is refined.
11 You brought us into the net
and bound our bodies fast.
12 You made men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water.
But you brought us out
to a place of plenty.
8 Remember Yeshua the Messiah, who was raised from the dead, who was a descendant of David. This is the Good News I proclaim, 9 and for which I am suffering to the point of being bound in chains — but the Word of God is not bound in chains! 10 Why do I persevere through it all? For the sake of those who have been chosen, so that they too may obtain the deliverance that comes through the Messiah Yeshua, with eternal glory. 11 Here is a statement you can trust:
If we have died with him,
we will also live with him.
12 If we persevere,
we will also rule with him
If we disown him,
he will also disown us.
13 If we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
14 Keep reminding people of this, and charge them solemnly before the Lord not to engage in word-battles. They accomplish nothing useful and are a catastrophe for the hearers! 15 Do all you can to present yourself to God as someone worthy of his approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals straightforwardly with the Word of the Truth.
11 On his way to Yerushalayim, Yeshua passed along the border country between Shomron and the Galil. 12 As he entered one of the villages, ten men afflicted with tzara‘at met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out, “Yeshua! Rabbi! Have pity on us!” 14 On seeing them, he said, “Go and let the cohanim examine you!” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, as soon as he noticed that he had been healed, returned shouting praises to God, 16 and fell on his face at Yeshua’s feet to thank him. Now he was from Shomron. 17 Yeshua said, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found coming back to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And to the man from Shomron he said, “Get up, you may go; your trust has saved you.”
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.