Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Nations and God’s Anointed
2 Why are the nations in an uproar,
and their people involved in a vain plot?
2 As the kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and his anointed one, they say,[a]
3 “Let us tear off their shackles from us,[b]
and cast off their chains.”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 In his anger he rebukes them,
and in his wrath he terrifies them:
6 “I have set my king on Zion,
my holy mountain.”
The Anointed King Speaks
7 Let me announce the decree of the Lord
that he told me:
“You are my son,
today I have become your father.
8 Ask of me, and I will give you
the nations as your inheritance,
the ends of the earth as your possession.
9 You will break them with an iron rod,
you will shatter them like pottery.”
10 Therefore, kings, act wisely!
Earthly rulers, be warned!
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss[c] the son before he becomes[d] angry,
and you die where you stand.[e]
Indeed, his wrath can flare up quickly.
How blessed are those who take refuge in him.
The Lesson of the Broken Jug
19 This is what the Lord says: “Go and buy a potter’s clay jug. Take along[a] some of the elders of the people and some of the elders of the priests. 2 Go out to the Valley of Hinnom[b] at the entrance to the Potsherd Gate, and there proclaim the words that I’m telling you.
3 “You are to say, ‘Hear this message from the Lord, you kings of Judah and residents of Jerusalem!
“‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “I’m about to bring a disaster on this place that will make the ears of all who hear about it tingle. 4 For they have forsaken me and have treated this place as foreign. In it they have burned incense to other gods that neither they, their ancestors, nor the kings of Judah knew. They have also filled this place with the blood of innocent people. 5 They built the high places[c] for Baal to burn their children in the fire as a burnt offering to Baal—something I didn’t command, didn’t say, nor did it ever enter my mind!
6 “‘“Therefore, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this place will no longer be called Topheth, or the Valley of Hinnom, but rather the Valley of Slaughter. 7 I’ll shatter[d] the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place, and I’ll make them fall by the sword before their enemies and at the hands of those seeking their lives. I’ll give their dead bodies as food to the birds of the sky and to the animals of the land. 8 I’ll make this city into a desolate place and an object of scorn.[e] All who pass by it will be astonished and will scoff[f] because of all its wounds. 9 I’ll cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and daughters,[g] and people will eat the flesh of their neighbors in the siege and in the distress to which their enemies and those seeking their lives will subject them.”’”
10 “Then you are to break the jug in front of the men who have come with you, 11 and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “In this same way I’ll break this people and this city, just as someone breaks a potter’s vessel which he then cannot put back together again. They’ll bury corpses[h] in Topheth until there is no more room to bury anyone.[i] 12 This is what I’ll do to this place and its residents,” declares the Lord, “making this city like Topheth. 13 The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be polluted like Topheth, as will be all the houses on whose roofs people[j] burned incense to all the host of heaven and poured out liquid offerings to other gods.”’”
14 Then Jeremiah went from Topheth where the Lord had sent him to prophesy. He stood in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple, saying to all the people, 15 “This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘I’m about to bring on this city and all its towns all the disaster that I declared against it because they were determined[k] not to obey my message.’”
How to be a Good Servant of the Messiah Jesus
6 If you continue to point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good servant of the Messiah[a] Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the healthy teaching that you have followed closely. 7 Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly. 8 Physical exercise is of limited value, but
Godliness is very dear,
a pledge of life, both there and here.
9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves complete acceptance.[b] 10 To this end we work hard and struggle,[c] because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, that is, of those who believe.
11 These are the things you must insist on and teach. 12 Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for other believers in your speech, behavior, love, faithfulness,[d] and purity. 13 Until I arrive, give your full concentration to the public reading of Scripture,[e] to exhorting, and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect[f] the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy when the elders laid their hands on you. 15 Think on these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress. 16 Pay close attention to your life and your teaching. Persevere in these things, because if you do so, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.