Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

BOOK 2

Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.

For the choir director. A ^[a]Maskil of the sons of Korah.

Water from the Temple

47 Then he brought me back to the ^(A)door of the house; and behold, ^(B)water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. ² He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around ^[a]on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side.

³ When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. ⁴ Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. ⁵ Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a ^(C)river that could not be forded. ⁶ He said to me, “Son of man, have you ^(D)seen this?” Then he brought me ^[b]back to the bank of the river. ⁷ Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many ^(E)trees on the one side and on the other. ⁸ Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the ^(F)Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the ^(G)sea, and the waters of the sea become ^[c]fresh. ⁹ It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the ^[d]river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others ^[e]become fresh; so ^(H)everything will live where the river goes. ¹⁰ And it will come about that ^(I)fishermen will stand beside it; from ^(J)Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the ^(K)spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the ^(L)Great Sea, ^(M)very many. ¹¹ But its swamps and marshes will not become ^[f]fresh; they will be ^[g]left for ^(N)salt. ^12 (O)By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of ^(P)trees for food. Their ^(Q)leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their ^(R)leaves for healing.”

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God

¹⁷ But you, ^(A)beloved, ^(B)ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by ^(C)the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁸ that they were saying to you, “^(D)In the last time there will be mockers, ^(E)following after their own ungodly lusts.” ¹⁹ These are the ones who cause divisions, ^[a](F)worldly-minded, ^[b]devoid of the Spirit. ²⁰ But you, ^(G)beloved, ^(H)building yourselves up on your most holy ^(I)faith, ^(J)praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, ^(K)waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. ²² And have mercy on some, who are doubting; ²³ save others, ^(L)snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, ^(M)hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

^24 (N)Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to ^(O)make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with ^(P)great joy, ²⁵ to the ^(Q)only ^(R)God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, ^(S)be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, ^(T)before all time and now and ^[c]forever. Amen.