Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.
2 Why are (A)the [a]nations in an uproar
And the peoples (B)devising a vain thing?
2 The (C)kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
(D)Against the Lord and against His [b](E)Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us (F)tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”
4 He who [c]sits in the heavens (G)laughs,
The Lord (H)scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His (I)anger
And (J)terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have [d]installed (K)My King
Upon Zion, (L)My holy mountain.”
7 “I will surely tell of the [e]decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are (M)My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and (N)I will surely give (O)the [f]nations as Your inheritance,
And the very (P)ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall [g](Q)break them with a [h]rod of iron,
You shall (R)shatter them like [i]earthenware.’”
10 Now therefore, O kings, (S)show discernment;
Take warning, O [j]judges of the earth.
11 [k]Worship the Lord with [l](T)reverence
And rejoice with (U)trembling.
12 [m]Do homage to (V)the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For (W)His wrath may [n]soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who (X)take refuge in Him!
The Broken Jar
19 Thus says the Lord, “Go and buy a (A)potter’s earthenware (B)jar, and take some of the (C)elders of the people and some of the [a](D)senior priests. 2 Then go out to the (E)valley of Ben-hinnom, which is by the entrance of the potsherd gate, and (F)proclaim there the words that I tell you, 3 and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O (G)kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold I am about to bring a (H)calamity upon this place, at which the (I)ears of everyone that hears of it will tingle. 4 Because they have (J)forsaken Me and have (K)made this an alien place and have burned [b]sacrifices in it to (L)other gods, that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the (M)blood of the innocent 5 and have built the (N)high places of Baal to burn their (O)sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter My [c]mind; 6 therefore, behold, (P)days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this place will no longer be called (Q)Topheth or (R)the valley of Ben-hinnom, but rather the valley of Slaughter. 7 I will (S)make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place, and (T)I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hand of those who seek their life; and I will give over their (U)carcasses as food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. 8 I will also make this city a (V)desolation and an object of hissing; (W)everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss because of all its [d]disasters. 9 I will make them (X)eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life will distress them.”’
10 “Then you are to break the (Y)jar in the sight of the men who accompany you 11 and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Just so will I (Z)break this people and this city, even as one breaks a potter’s vessel, which cannot again be repaired; and they will (AA)bury in Topheth [e]because there is no other place for burial. 12 This is how I will treat this place and its inhabitants,” declares the Lord, “so as to make this city like Topheth. 13 The (AB)houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be (AC)defiled like the place Topheth, because of all the (AD)houses on whose rooftops they burned [f]sacrifices to (AE)all the heavenly host and (AF)poured out drink offerings to other gods.”’”
14 Then Jeremiah came from Topheth, where the Lord had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the (AG)court of the Lord’s house and said to all the people: 15 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to bring on this city and all its towns the entire calamity that I have declared against it, because they have (AH)stiffened their necks so (AI)as not to heed My words.’”
A Good Minister’s Discipline
6 In pointing out these things to (A)the brethren, you will be a good (B)servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the [a](C)sound doctrine which you (D)have been following. 7 But [b]have nothing to do with (E)worldly (F)fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of (G)godliness; 8 for (H)bodily discipline is only of little profit, but (I)godliness is profitable for all things, since it (J)holds promise for the (K)present life and also for the life to come. 9 (L)It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed (M)our hope on (N)the living God, who is (O)the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
11 [c](P)Prescribe and teach these things. 12 (Q)Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, (R)love, faith and purity, show yourself (S)an example [d]of those who believe. 13 (T)Until I come, give attention to the public (U)reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through (V)prophetic utterance with (W)the laying on of hands by the [e](X)presbytery. 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 (Y)Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will [f](Z)ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
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