Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

129 “They have oftentimes afflicted me from my youth.” (may Israel now say)

² “They have oftentimes afflicted me from my youth. But they could not prevail against me.

³ “The plowers plowed upon my back and made long furrows.

⁴ “The righteous LORD has cut the cords of the wicked.

⁵ “Those who hate Zion shall be all ashamed and turned backward.

⁶ “They shall be as the grass on the housetops which withers before it comes forth.

⁷ “Of which the mower does not fill his hand, nor the gleaner his lap.

⁸ “Nor do those who pass by say, ‘The blessing of the LORD be upon you!’ or, ‘We bless you in the Name of the LORD!’” A song of degrees

39 In the ninth year of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, and all his army against Jerusalem. And they besieged it.

² In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was breached.

³ And all the princes of the king of Babel came in and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babel.

⁴ And when Zedekiah, the king of Judah, saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled and went out of the city by night, through the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went toward the wilderness.

⁵ But the Chaldean’s army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the desert of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, to Riblah, in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.

⁶ Then the king of Babel killed the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes. Also, the king of Babel killed all the nobles of Judah.

⁷ Moreover, he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in chains, to carry him to Babel.

⁸ And the Chaldeans burnt the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

⁹ Then Nebuzaradan, the chief steward, carried away captive into Babel the remnant of the people who remained in the city, and those who had fled and fallen to him, with the rest of the people who remained.

¹⁰ But Nebuzaradan, the chief steward, left the poor who had nothing in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at that same time.

¹¹ Now Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, gave orders concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan, the chief steward, saying,

¹² “Take him and look after him and do him no harm. But do to him just as he shall say to you.”

¹³ So Nebuzaradan, the chief steward, sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sharezar, Rabmag, and all the king of Babel’s princes.

¹⁴ Then they sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, so that he would carry him home. So he dwelt among the people.

¹⁵ Now the Word of the LORD came to Jeremiah while he was detained in the court of the prison, saying,

¹⁶ “Go and speak to Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My Words upon this city for misery, and not for prosperity. And they shall be accomplished before you on that day.

¹⁷ “But I will deliver you on that day,” says the LORD, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men whom you fear.

¹⁸ “For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword. But your life shall be as a prize for you because you have put your trust in Me,” says the LORD.’”

⁷ Therefore brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth (and has long patience for it) until he receives the early and the late rain.

⁸ Therefore, you also be patient, and settle your hearts. For the coming of the Lord draws near.

⁹ Do not groan against one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Behold, the judge stands before the door.

¹⁰ My brothers, take the Prophets as an example of suffering adversity and of long patience, who have spoken in the Name of the Lord.

¹¹ Behold, we count those blessed who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job and have known what end the Lord made. For the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

¹² But before all things, my brothers, do not swear - not by Heaven, nor by Earth, nor by any other oath. But let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’, ‘no’, lest you fall into condemnation.