Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A New Universe
17 Take notice! I’m about to create new heavens
and a new earth;
the former things won’t be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad[a] and rejoice[b] forever
in what I am creating,
for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
and its people as a delight.
19 I’ll rejoice over Jerusalem,
and take delight in my people;
no longer will the sound of weeping be heard in it,
nor the cry of distress.
20 “And[c] there will no longer be in it
a young boy[d] who lives only a few days,
or an old person who does not live out his days;
for one who dies at a hundred years will be thought a mere youth,
and one who falls short of a hundred years will be considered accursed.
21 People[e] will build houses and live in them;
They’ll plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They won’t build for others to inhabit;
they won’t plant for others to eat—
for like the lifetime[f] of a tree,[g] so will the lifetime[h] of my people be,
and my chosen ones will long enjoy[i] the work of their hands.
23 They won’t toil in vain
nor bear children doomed to misfortune,
for they will be offspring blessed[j] by the Lord,
they and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call, I will answer,
while they are still speaking, I’ll hear.
25 “The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox;
but as for the serpent—
its food will be dust!
They won’t harm or destroy
on my entire holy mountain,”
says the Lord.
Israel’s Praise to the Lord
12 At that time,[a] you will say:
“I will praise you, Lord,
for although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away,
and you have comforted me.
2 “Look! God—yes God—is[b] my salvation;
I will trust, and not be afraid.
For the Lord[c] is my strength and my song,[d]
and he has become my salvation.”
3 You will draw water joyfully from the wells of salvation. And you will say at that time:[e]
4 “Give thanks to the Lord;
call on his name.
Make known his actions
among the nations.
Proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 “Sing praises to the Lord,[f]
because he has acted gloriously,
being made[g] known in all the world.
6 Shout aloud, and sing for joy,
you who live in Zion,
because great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel.”
6 In the name of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[a] we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is living in idleness[b] and not living[c] according to the tradition that they received[d] from us. 7 For you yourselves know what you must do to imitate us. We never lived in idleness[e] among you. 8 We did not eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, with toil and labor we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you. 9 It is not as though we did not have that right, but we wanted[f] to give you an example to follow. 10 While we were with you, we gave this order: “If anyone doesn’t want to work, he shouldn’t eat.”
11 We hear that some of you are living in idleness.[g] You are not busy working[h]—you are busy interfering[i] in other people’s lives! 12 We order and encourage such people by the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[j] to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers, do not get tired of doing what is right.
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple(A)
5 Now while some people were talking about the Temple—how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God—he said, 6 “As for these things that you’re seeing, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another that won’t be completely demolished.”
The Coming Wars and Revolutions(B)
7 Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things happen, and what is to be the sign when these things are about to take place?”
8 He said, “See to it that you aren’t deceived, because many will come in my name, proclaiming, ‘I AM,’ and, ‘The time has come.’ Don’t follow them. 9 But when you hear of wars and revolutions, don’t ever be terrified, because these sorts of things must take place first, but the end won’t come right away.”
10 Then he went on to say to them, “Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 In addition there will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places, as well as terrifying events, including significant signs from heaven.”
Future Persecutions(C)
12 “But before all these things, people[a] will arrest you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake, 13 in order to give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So purpose in your hearts not to prepare your defense ahead of time, 15 because I will give you the ability to speak, along with wisdom, that none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated continuously by everyone on account of my name. 18 And yet not a hair on your head will be lost. 19 But the person who endures to the end will be saved.”
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