Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
2 The Prophet David rejoiceth, that notwithstanding his enemies’ rage, yet God will continue his kingdom forever, and advance it even to the end of the world, 10 and therefore exhorteth kings and rulers, that they would humbly submit themselves under God’s yoke, because it is in vain to resist God. Herein is figured Christ’s kingdom.
1 Why do the [a]heathen (A)rage, and the people murmur in vain.
2 The kings of the earth band themselves, and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord, and against his [b]Christ.
3 [c]Let us break their bands, and cast their cords from us.
4 (B)But he that dwelleth in the heaven shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 [d]Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure, saying,
6 Even I have set my King upon Zion mine holy mountain.
7 I will declare the [e]decree: that is, the Lord hath said unto me, (C)Thou art my son; this [f]day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the [g]ends of the earth for thy possession.
9 (D)Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of iron, and break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 [h]Be wise now therefore, ye kings: be learned ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in trembling.
12 [i]Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye [j]perish in the way, when his wrath shall suddenly burn. Blessed are all that trust in him.
19 He prophesieth the destruction of Jerusalem for the contempt and despising of the word of God.
1 Thus saith the Lord, Go, and buy an earthen bottle of a potter, and take of the ancients for the people, and of the ancients of the Priests,
2 And go forth unto the valley of Ben-Hinnom, which is by the entry of the [a]East gate: and thou shalt preach there the words, that I shall tell thee,
3 And shalt say, Hear ye the word of the Lord, O [b]Kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring a plague upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall [c]tingle.
4 Because they have forsaken me, and profaned this place, and have burnt incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they, nor their fathers have known, nor the Kings of Judah (they have filled this place also with the blood of innocents,
5 And they have built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I [d]commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind)
6 Therefore behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called [e]Topheth, nor the valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter.
7 And I will bring the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem to nought in this place, and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of them that seek their lives: and their carcasses will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the field.
8 (A)And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing, so that everyone that passeth thereby, shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.
9 (B)And I will feed them with the flesh of their sons, and with the flesh of their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies that seek their lives, shall hold them strait.
10 Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,
11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a [f]potter’s vessel, that cannot be made whole again, and they shall bury them in Topheth till there be no place to bury.
12 Thus will I do unto this place, saith the Lord, and to the inhabitants thereof, and I will make this city like Topheth.
13 For the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the Kings of Judah shall be defiled as the place of Topheth, because of all the [g]houses upon whose [h]roofs they have burnt incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.
14 Then came Jeremiah from Topheth, where the Lord had sent him to prophesy, and he stood in the court of the Lord’s house, and said to all the people,
15 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring upon this city, and upon all her towns, all the plagues that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, and would not hear my words.
6 [a]If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, which hast been nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine which thou hast continually [b]followed.
7 [c]But cast away profane, and old wives’ fables, [d]and exercise thyself unto [e]godliness.
8 [f]For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come.
9 [g]This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received.
10 For therefore we labor and are rebuked, because we trust in the living God, which is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.
11 These things warn and teach.
12 [h]Let no man despise thy youth, but be unto them that believe, an ensample, in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith and in pureness.
13 [i]Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine.
14 Despise not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the company of the Eldership.
15 These things exercise, and give thyself unto them, that it may be seen how thou profitest among all men.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto learning: continue therein: for in doing this thou shalt both [j]save thyself, and them that hear thee.
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