Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Prayer for the Nation
80 Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, You Who lead Joseph like a flock! You Who sit on Your throne above the angels, let Your light shine! 2 Stir up Your power in front of Ephraim and Benjamin and Manassah, and come to save us! 3 O God, bring us back to You. Make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.
4 O Lord God of all, how long will You be angry with the prayers of Your people? 5 You have fed them with the bread of tears. And You have made them drink a big amount of tears. 6 You have made us an object of arguing to our neighbors. Those who hate us laugh among themselves. 7 O God of all, bring us back to You. Make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved.
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt. You drove out the nations, and You planted it. 9 You cleared the land for it. And its roots went deep and filled the land. 10 The mountains were covered with its shadow. And the tall trees were covered with its branches. 11 It sent out its branches to the sea, and its new branches to the River. 12 Why have You broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its fruit? 13 The wild pig from among the trees eats it away. And whatever moves in the field eats from it.
14 O God of all, we beg You to return. Look down from heaven and see. Take care of this vine. 15 Take care of the root Your right hand has planted, and the branch that You have raised up for Yourself. 16 They have burned it with fire. It is cut down. May they be lost when they hear Your strong words. 17 Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, the son of man you have made strong for Yourself. 18 Then we will not turn away from You. Give us new life again, and we will call on Your name. 19 O Lord God of all, bring us back to You. Make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved.
New Heavens and a New Earth
17 “For, see, I will make new heavens and a new earth. The past things will not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and have joy forever in what I make. For see, I make Jerusalem for joy, and her people for happiness. 19 I will have joy in Jerusalem and be glad in My people. The voice of crying will no longer be heard in it, or the cry of trouble. 20 No more will there be in it a child who lives only a few days, or an old man who does not live many years. For the child will live to be a hundred years old. And the one who does not live a hundred years will be thought to be cursed. 21 They will build houses and live in them. They will plant grapes and eat their fruit. 22 They will not build a house and another live in it. They will not plant and another eat. For My people will live a long time, like the days of a tree. And for a long time My chosen ones will enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They will not work for nothing, or give birth to children and have trouble. For they will be the children of those who receive good from the Lord, and their children with them. 24 And it will be before they call, I will answer. While they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will eat together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. And dust will be the snake’s food. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,” says the Lord.
Jesus Tells of His Death
18 “I will not leave you without help as children without parents. I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will see Me no more. You will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 When that day comes, you will know that I am in My Father. You will know that you are in Me. You will know that I am in you. 21 The one who loves Me is the one who has My teaching and obeys it. My Father will love whoever loves Me. I will love him and will show Myself to him.”
22 The other Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Why is it You are going to show Yourself to us followers and not to the world?” 23 Jesus said, “The one who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love him. We will come to him and live with him. 24 The one who does not love Me does not obey My teaching. The teaching you are now hearing is not My teaching but it is from My Father Who sent Me.
25 “I have told you these things while I am still with you. 26 The Helper is the Holy Spirit. The Father will send Him in My place. He will teach you everything and help you remember everything I have told you.
Jesus Gives His Followers Peace
27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give peace to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 28 You heard Me say that I am going away. But I am coming back to you. If you love Me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father. The Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you this before it happens. Then when it does happen, you will believe.
30 “I will not talk much more with you. The leader of this world is coming. He has no power over Me. 31 I am doing what the Father told Me to do so the world may know I love the Father. Come, let us be on our way.
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