Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

26 In the beginning of the reign of Joakim the son of Josias king of Juda, came this word from the Lord, saying:

² Thus saith the Lord: Stand in the court of the house of the Lord, and speak to all the cities of Juda, out of which they come, to adore in the house of the Lord, all the words which I have commanded thee to to speak unto them: leave not out one word.

³ If so be they will hearken and be converted every one from his evil way; that I may repent me of the evil that I think to do unto them for the wickedness of their doings.

⁴ And thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord: If you will not hearken to me to walk in my law, which I have given to you:

⁵ To give ear to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent to you rising up early: and sending, and you have not hearkened:

⁶ I will make this house like Silo: and I will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

⁷ And the priests, and the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremias speaking these words in the house of the Lord.

⁸ And when Jeremias made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests, and the prophets, and all the people laid hold on him, saying: Let him be put to death.

⁹ Why hath he prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying: This house shall be like Silo; and this city shall be made desolate, without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered together against Jeremias in the house of the Lord.

¹⁰ And the princes of Juda heard these words: and they went up from the king's house into the house of the Lord, and sat in the entry of the new gate of the house of the Lord.

¹¹ And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes, and to all the people, saying: The judgement of death is for this man: because he hath prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.

¹² Then Jeremias spoke to all the princes, and to all the people, saying: The Lord sent me to prophesy concerning this house, and concerning this city all the words that you have heard.

¹³ Now therefore amend your ways, and your doings, and hearken to the voice of the Lord your God: and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath spoken against you.

¹⁴ But as for me, behold I am in your hands: do with me what is good and right in your eyes:

¹⁵ But know ye, and understand, that if you put me to death, you will shed innocent blood against your own selves, and against this city, and the inhabitants thereof. For in truth the Lord sent me to you, to speak all these words in your hearing.

²² But Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious.

²³ For passing by, and seeing your idols, I found an altar also, on which was written: To the unknown God. What therefore you worship, without knowing it, that I preach to you:

²⁴ God, who made the world, and all things therein; he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

²⁵ Neither is he served with men's hands, as though he needed any thing; seeing it is he who giveth to all life, and breath, and all things:

²⁶ And hath made of one, all mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, determining appointed times, and the limits of their habitation.

²⁷ That they should seek God, if happily they may feel after him or find him, although he be not far from every one of us:

²⁸ For in him we live, and move, and are; as some also of your own poets said: For we are also his offspring.

²⁹ Being therefore the offspring of God, we must not suppose the divinity to be like unto gold, or silver, or stone, the graving of art, and device of man.

³⁰ And God indeed having winked at the times of this ignorance, now declareth unto men, that all should everywhere do penance.

³¹ Because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in equity, by the man whom he hath appointed; giving faith to all, by raising him up from the dead.

³² And when they had heard of the resurrection of the dead, some indeed mocked, but others said: We will hear thee again concerning this matter.

³³ So Paul went out from among them.

³⁴ But certain men adhering to him, did believe; among whom was also Dionysius, the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.