Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel!
He has taken care of his people and has set them free.
69 He has raised up a mighty Savior[a] for us
from the family of his servant David,
70 just as he promised long ago
through the mouth of his holy prophets
71 that he would save us from our enemies
and from the grip of all who hate us.
72 He has shown mercy to our ancestors
and remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.
He granted us 74 deliverance from our enemies’ grip
so that we could serve him without fear
75 and be holy and righteous before him all of our days.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,
because you will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way
77 and to give his people knowledge of salvation
through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
his light[b] from on high has visited us,
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and in death’s shadow,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
18 Therefore, this is what the Lord says about Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
“They won’t lament for him with these words:[a]
‘How terrible, my brother,
How terrible, my sister!’
They won’t lament for him with these words:[b]
‘How terrible, lord,
How terrible, your[c] majesty!’
19 He will receive[d] a donkey’s burial,
dragged out and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.”
An Oracle against Jerusalem
20 Go up to Lebanon and cry out,
to Bashan and lift up your voice.
Cry out from Abarim, for all your lovers[e]
have been crushed.
21 I spoke to you when you were secure,[f]
but you said, “I won’t listen!”
This has been your way since your youth,
for you haven’t obeyed me.
22 The wind will shepherd[g] all your shepherds,[h]
and your lovers[i] will go into exile.
Indeed, you will then be ashamed and humiliated
because of all your wickedness.
23 You who live in Lebanon,
who build your nest in the cedars,
how you will groan when pains come upon you,
pain like that of a woman giving birth.
An Oracle against Jehoiachin
24 “As certainly as I’m alive and living,” declares the Lord, “even if Jehoiakim’s son King Jehoiachin[j] of Judah were a signet ring on my right hand, I would pull you off 25 and give you to those who are trying to kill you, whom you fear—that is, to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Chaldeans. 26 I’ll hurl you and the mother who gave birth to you into another land where you were not born, and there you will die. 27 As for the land to which you[k] want to return, you[l] won’t return there!
28 “Is this man Jehoiachin[m] a despised and shattered jar,
a vessel no one wants?
Why were he and his descendants hurled away,
thrown into a land that they didn’t know?
29 Land, land, land,
listen to this message from the Lord!
30 This is what the Lord says:
‘Write this man off as childless,
a man who does not prosper in his lifetime.[n]
None of his descendants will succeed
in sitting on the throne of David,
or ever ruling in Judah again.’”
Jesus Blesses the Little Children(A)
15 Now some people[a] were even bringing their infants to Jesus[b] to have him touch them. But when the disciples saw this, they sternly told the people[c] not to do that. 16 Jesus, however, called for the children[d] and said, “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom of God belongs to people like these. 17 I tell all of you[e] with certainty, whoever doesn’t receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never get into it at all.”
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