Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Lamed

Pay Attention to God’s Word

Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Temple

36 In the fourth year of the reign of^[a] Josiah’s son King Jehoiakim of Judah, this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I’ve spoken to you about Israel, about Judah, and about all the nations, since I first spoke to you^[b] in the time of Josiah until the present time. ³ Perhaps the house of Judah will hear about all the calamity that I’m planning to bring on them, and so each of them will turn from his wicked way and I’ll forgive their iniquities and sins.”

⁴ Jeremiah summoned Neriah’s son Baruch and at Jeremiah’s dictation, Baruch wrote on the scroll all the words of the Lord that he had spoken to him.

⁵ Jeremiah instructed Baruch, “I’m confined and can’t go to the Lord’s Temple. ⁶ You go and read the words of the Lord that you wrote at my dictation from the scroll. Read them^[c] to^[d] the people at the Lord’s Temple on the fast day. Also read them to all the people of Judah who are coming from their towns. ⁷ Perhaps their pleas for help will come to the Lord’s attention, and each of them will turn from his evil lifestyle in light of the great anger and wrath that the Lord has declared against this people.” ⁸ So Neriah’s son Baruch did just as Jeremiah the prophet instructed him, reading the words of the Lord from the scroll at the Lord’s Temple.

⁹ In the ninth month of the fifth year of the reign of^[e] Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah, a fast was proclaimed in the Lord’s presence in Jerusalem for all the people of Jerusalem, as well as all the people who were coming from the towns of Judah. ¹⁰ Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll to^[f] all the people at the Lord’s Temple. He did this^[g] from the office of Shaphan’s son Gemariah the scribe, in the upper court at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s Temple.

Prophecy and Languages

14 Keep on pursuing love, and keep on desiring spiritual gifts, especially the ability to prophesy. ² For the person who speaks in a foreign^[a] language is not actually speaking to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands him, because he is talking about secrets by the Spirit.^{[b] 3} But the person who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding, encouragement, and comfort. ⁴ The person who speaks in a foreign language builds himself up, but the person who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵ Now I wish that all of you could speak in foreign languages, but especially that you could prophesy. The person who prophesies is more important than the person who speaks in a foreign language, unless he interprets it so that the church may be built up.

⁶ Indeed, brothers, if I come to you speaking in foreign languages, what good will I be to you unless I speak to you in some revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or teaching? ⁷ In the same way, lifeless instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. But if there’s no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? ⁸ For example, if a bugle doesn’t sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? ⁹ In the same way, unless you speak an intelligible message with your language, how will anyone know what is being said? You’ll be talking into the air!

¹⁰ There are, I suppose, many different languages^[c] in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. ¹¹ If I don’t know the meaning of the language,^[d] I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. ¹² In the same way, since you’re so desirous of spiritual gifts, you must keep on desiring them for building up the church.