Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord:
(A)“What injustice have your fathers found in Me,
That they have gone far from Me,
(B)Have followed [a]idols,
And have become idolaters?
6 Neither did they say, ‘Where is the Lord,
Who (C)brought us up out of the land of Egypt,
Who led us through (D)the wilderness,
Through a land of deserts and pits,
Through a land of drought and the shadow of death,
Through a land that no one crossed
And where no one dwelt?’
7 I brought you into (E)a bountiful country,
To eat its fruit and its goodness.
But when you entered, you (F)defiled My land
And made My heritage an abomination.
8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’
And those who handle the (G)law did not know Me;
The rulers also transgressed against Me;
(H)The prophets prophesied by Baal,
And walked after things that do not profit.
9 “Therefore (I)I will yet [b]bring charges against you,” says the Lord,
“And against your children’s children I will bring charges.
10 For pass beyond the coasts of [c]Cyprus and see,
Send to [d]Kedar and consider diligently,
And see if there has been such a (J)thing.
11 (K)Has a nation changed its gods,
Which are (L)not gods?
(M)But My people have changed their Glory
For what does not profit.
12 Be astonished, O heavens, at this,
And be horribly afraid;
Be very desolate,” says the Lord.
13 “For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the (N)fountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.
10 (A)I am the Lord your God,
Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
(B)Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But My people would not heed My voice,
And Israel would have (C)none of Me.
12 (D)So I gave them over to [a]their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.
13 “Oh,(E) that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies,
And turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 (F)The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him,
But their [b]fate would endure forever.
16 He would (G)have fed them also with [c]the finest of wheat;
And with honey (H)from the rock I would have satisfied you.”
Concluding Moral Directions
13 Let (A)brotherly love continue. 2 (B)Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing (C)some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3 (D)Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.
4 (E)Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; (F)but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, (G)“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say:
(H)“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”
Concluding Religious Directions
7 Remember those who [a]rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 8 Jesus Christ is (I)the same yesterday, today, and forever.
A Man with Dropsy Healed on the Sabbath
14 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.
Take the Lowly Place
7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: 8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 (A)But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 (B)For whoever exalts himself will be [a]humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite (C)the poor, the [b]maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 And you will be (D)blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.