Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
68 [a]“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited and brought redemption to his people.(A)
69 [b]He has raised up a horn for our salvation
within the house of David his servant,(B)
70 even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,(C)
72 to show mercy to our fathers(D)
and to be mindful of his holy covenant(E)
73 and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father,(F)
and to grant us that, 74 rescued from the hand of enemies,
without fear we might worship him 75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.(G)
76 And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord[c] to prepare his ways,(H)
77 to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God(I)
by which the daybreak from on high[d] will visit us(J)
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Chapter 22
1 Thus says the Lord: Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and there deliver this word: 2 You shall say: Listen to the word of the Lord, king of Judah, who sit on the throne of David, you, your ministers, and your people who enter by these gates!(A) 3 Thus says the Lord: Do what is right and just. Rescue the victims from the hand of their oppressors. Do not wrong or oppress the resident alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.(B) 4 If you carry out these commands, kings who succeed to the throne of David will continue to enter the gates of this house, riding in chariots or mounted on horses, with their ministers, and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these commands, I swear by myself—oracle of the Lord: this house shall become rubble. 6 For thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah:
Though you be to me like Gilead,
like the peak of Lebanon,
I swear I shall turn you into a waste,
with cities uninhabited.
7 Against you I will send destroyers,
each with their tools:
They shall cut down your choice cedars,
and cast them into the fire.(C)
8 Many nations will pass by this city and ask one another: “Why has the Lord done this to so great a city?”(D) 9 And they will be told: “Because they have deserted their covenant with the Lord, their God, by worshiping and serving other gods.”(E)
Jehoahaz
10 Do not weep for him who is dead,[a]
nor mourn for him!
Weep rather for him who is going away;
never again to see
the land of his birth.(F)
11 Thus says the Lord concerning Shallum,[b] son of Josiah, king of Judah, his father’s successor, who left this place: He shall never return, 12 but in the place where they exiled him, there he shall die; he shall never see this land again.
Jehoiakim
13 Woe to him who builds his house on wrongdoing,
his roof-chambers on injustice;
Who works his neighbors without pay,[c]
and gives them no wages.(G)
14 Who says, “I will build myself a spacious house,
with airy rooms,”
Who cuts out windows for it,
panels it with cedar,
and paints it with vermilion.
15 Must you prove your rank among kings[d]
by competing with them in cedar?
Did not your father eat and drink,
And act justly and righteously?
Then he prospered.(H)
16 Because he dispensed justice to the weak and the poor,
he prospered.
Is this not to know me?—
oracle of the Lord.(I)
17 But your eyes and heart are set on nothing
except your own gain,
On shedding innocent blood
and practicing oppression and extortion.(J)
II. The Gift and Call of God in Baptism
Blessing. 3 [a]Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,(A) 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you(B) 5 who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. 6 [b]In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials,(C) 7 so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.(D) 8 Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,(E) 9 as you attain the goal of [your] faith, the salvation of your souls.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.