Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Righteous King for God’s People
23 “How terrible for the shepherds[a] who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Israel says about the shepherds who are shepherding my people, “You have scattered my flock and driven them away. You haven’t taken care of them, and now I’m about to take care of you[b] because of your evil deeds,” declares the Lord. 3 “I’ll gather the remnant of my flock from all the countries where I’ve driven them, and bring them back to their pasture where they’ll be fruitful and increase in numbers. 4 I’ll raise up shepherds over them, and they’ll shepherd them. My flock[c] will no longer be afraid or terrified, and none will be missing,” declares the Lord.
5 “The time is coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I’ll raise up a righteous branch for David.
He will be a king who rules wisely,
and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
6 In his time[d] Judah will be delivered
and Israel will dwell in safety.
This is the name by which he will be known:
‘The Lord Our Righteousness.’
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.”
11 You are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that you might patiently endure everything with joy 12 and might thank the Father, who has enabled us[a] to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. 13 God[b] has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of the Son whom he loves, 14 through whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The Centrality of Jesus
15 The Son[c] is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
16 For by him all things in heaven and on earth were created,
things visible and invisible,
whether they are kings,[d] lords, rulers, or powers.
All things have been created through him and for him.
17 He himself existed before anything else did,
and he holds all things together.
18 He is also the head of the body,
which is the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
so that he himself might have first place in everything.
19 For God[e] was pleased to have
all of his divine essence[f] inhabit him.
20 Through the Son,[g] God[h] also reconciled all things to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
thereby making peace
through the blood of his cross.
33 When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 Jesus kept saying, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they’re doing.”[a] Then they divided his clothes among them by throwing dice.
35 Meanwhile, the people stood looking on. The leaders were mocking him by saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if he is the Messiah[b] of God, the chosen one!”
36 The soldiers also made fun of Jesus[c] by coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:[d] “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 Now one of the criminals hanging there kept insulting[e] him, “You are the Messiah,[f] aren’t you? Save yourself…and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him, “Aren’t you afraid of God, since you are suffering the same penalty? 41 We have been condemned justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he went on to plead, “Jesus, remember me when you come into[g] your kingdom!”
43 Jesus[h] told him, “I tell you[i] with certainty, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
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