Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem

122 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” ² Our feet are standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem. ³ Jerusalem is built as a city where people come together. ⁴ That is where the different families go, the families of the Lord. There they give thanks to the name of the Lord, by the Law that was given to Israel. ⁵ For thrones were set there for telling who is guilty or not, the thrones of the house of David.

⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May all go well for those who love you. ⁷ May there be peace within your walls. May all go well within your houses. ⁸ I will now say, “May peace be within you,” for the good of my brothers and my friends. ⁹ Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will pray for your good.

¹¹ Now the earth was sinful in the eyes of God. The earth was filled with people hurting each other. ¹² God looked at the earth and saw how sinful it was. For all who lived on the earth had become sinful in their ways.

¹³ Then God said to Noah, “I have decided to make an end to all the people on the earth. They are the cause of very much trouble. See, I will destroy them as I destroy the earth. ¹⁴ Make a large boat of gopher wood for yourself. Build rooms in the boat. And cover it inside and out with tar. ¹⁵ This is how you are to make it: The boat is to be as long as 150 long steps, as wide as twenty-five long steps, and eight times taller than a man. ¹⁶ Make a window for the boat, that goes down a cubit from the roof. Put a door in the side of the boat. And make it with first, second, and third floors. ¹⁷ See, I will bring a flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh under heaven that has the breath of life. Everything on earth will be destroyed. ¹⁸ But I will make My agreement with you. You will go into the large boat, you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁹ You are to bring into the large boat two of every kind of living thing of all flesh, to keep them alive with you. They will be male and female. ²⁰ Two of all the kinds of birds, and animals, and every thing that moves on the ground are to be with you to keep them alive. ²¹ And take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it. It will be food for you and for them.” ²² Noah did just what God told him to do.

Jesus Tells of the House of God ^(A)

24 Jesus went out of the house of God. On the way His followers came to Him to show Him the buildings of the house of God. ² Jesus said to them, “Do you see all these things? For sure, I tell you, all these stones will be thrown down. Not one will be left standing on another.”

Jesus Teaches on the Mount of Olives

³ Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. The followers came to Him when He was alone and said, “Tell us, when will this happen? What can we look for to show us of Your coming and of the end of the world?”

⁴ Jesus said to them, “Be careful that no one leads you the wrong way. ⁵ Many people will come using My name. They will say, ‘I am Christ.’ They will fool many people and will turn them to the wrong way. ⁶ You will hear of wars and lots of talk about wars, but do not be afraid. These things must happen, but it is not the end yet. ⁷ Nations will have wars with other nations. Countries will fight against countries. There will be no food for people. The earth will shake and break apart in different places. ⁸ These things are the beginning of sorrows and pains.

⁹ “Then they will hand you over to be hurt. They will kill you. You will be hated by all the world because of My name. ¹⁰ Many people will give up and turn away at this time. People will hand over each other. They will hate each other. ¹¹ Many false religious teachers will come. They will fool many people and will turn them to the wrong way. ¹² Because of people breaking the laws and sin being everywhere, the love in the hearts of many people will become cold. ¹³ But the one who stays true to the end will be saved.

¹⁴ “This Good News about the holy nation of God must be preached over all the earth. It must be told to all nations and then the end will come.

Days of Trouble and Pain and Sorrow

¹⁵ “You will see a sinful man-made god standing in the house of God in Jerusalem. It was spoken of by the early preacher Daniel. ^(B) The one who reads this should understand it. ¹⁶ Then those in the country of Judea should run to the mountains. ¹⁷ The man who is on the top of his house should not come down to take anything out of his house. ¹⁸ The man who is in the field should not go back to get his coat. ¹⁹ It will be hard for a woman who will soon be a mother. It will be hard for the ones feeding babies in those days! ²⁰ Pray that you will not have to go in the winter or on the Day of Rest. ²¹ In those days there will be very much trouble and pain and sorrow. It has never been this bad from the beginning of the world and never will be again. ²² If the time had not been made short, no life would have been saved. Because of God’s people, the time will be made short.