Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
40 The Lord’s anger burned against his people,
so that he despised his own inheritance.
41 He turned them over to domination by nations
where those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed them,
so that they were humiliated by their power.
43 He delivered them many times,
but they demonstrated rebellion by their evil plans;
therefore they sunk deep in their sins.
44 Yet when he saw their distress
and heard their cries for help,[a]
45 he remembered his covenant with them,
and so relented
according to the greatness of his gracious love.
46 He caused all their captors to show compassion toward them.
47 Deliver us, Lord our God,
gather us from among the nations
so we may praise your holy name
and rejoice in praising you.
48 Blessed are you, Lord God of Israel,
from eternity to eternity;
Let all the people say, “Amen!”
Hallelujah!
The Coming Captivity of Judah
17 You who live under siege,
Gather up your bundle[a] from the ground.[b]
18 For this is what the Lord says:
“I’m going to throw out the inhabitants
of the land at this time,
and I’ll bring distress on them
so they’ll experience[c] it.”
19 Woe is me because of my injury.
My wound is severe.
I said, “Truly this is my sickness,
and I must bear it.
20 My tent is destroyed,
and all my tent cords are broken.
My sons have gone away from me,
they no longer live.
There is no one to pitch my tent again
and set up my curtains.
21 Because the shepherds are stupid[d]
and don’t seek[e] the Lord,
therefore, they don’t prosper,
and their flock is scattered.
22 The sound of a report, it’s coming now!
There is a great commotion from a land in the north
to make the towns of Judah desolate,
a refuge for jackals.”
Jeremiah’s Prayer
23 Lord, I know that a person’s life is not his to control,[f]
nor does a person establish his way in life.[g]
24 Lord, correct me, but with justice,
not with anger.
Otherwise, you’ll bring me to nothing.
25 Pour out your anger on the nations
that don’t acknowledge you,
and on the families that don’t call on your name.
For they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured and consumed him;
they have devastated his habitation.
Jesus Denounces the Scribes(A)
45 While all the people were listening, he told his disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes! They like to walk around in long robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses[a] and say long prayers to cover it up. They will receive greater condemnation!”
The Widow’s Offering(B)
21 Now Jesus[b] looked up and saw rich people dropping their gifts into the offering box.[c] 2 Then he saw a destitute widow drop in two small copper coins.[d] 3 He said, “I tell you with certainty, this destitute widow has dropped in more than all of them, 4 because all the others contributed to the offering[e] out of their surplus, but she, in her poverty, dropped in everything she had to live on.”
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