Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A psalm for giving grateful praise.
100 Shout for joy to the Lord, everyone on earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come to him with songs of joy.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
He made us, and we belong to him.
We are his people.
We are the sheep belonging to his flock.
4 Give thanks as you enter the gates of his temple.
Give praise as you enter its courtyards.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 The Lord is good. His faithful love continues forever.
It will last for all time to come.
The Godly Branch
23 “How terrible it will be for the shepherds who lead my people astray!” announces the Lord. “They are destroying and scattering the sheep that belong to my flock.” 2 So the Lord, the God of Israel, speaks to the shepherds who take care of my people. He tells them, “You have scattered my sheep. You have driven them away. You have not taken good care of them. So I will punish you for the evil things you have done,” announces the Lord. 3 “I myself will gather together those who are left alive in my flock. I will gather them out of all the countries where I have driven them. And I will bring them back to their own land. There my sheep will have many lambs. There will be many more of them. 4 I will place shepherds over them who will take good care of them. My sheep will not be afraid or terrified anymore. And none of them will be missing,” announces the Lord.
5 “A new day is coming,” announces the Lord.
“At that time I will raise up for David’s royal line
a godly Branch.
He will be a King who will rule wisely.
He will do what is fair and right in the land.
6 In his days Judah will be saved.
Israel will live in safety.
And the Branch will be called
The Lord Who Makes Us Right With Himself.
7 Other days are also coming,” announces the Lord. “At that time people will no longer say, ‘The Lord brought the Israelites up out of Egypt. And that’s just as sure as he is alive.’ 8 Instead, they will say, ‘The Lord brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north. He gathered them out of all the countries where he had forced them to go. And that’s just as sure as he is alive.’ Then they will live in their own land.”
Jesus Speaks a Third Time About His Coming Death
17 Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took his 12 disciples to one side to talk to them. 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said. “The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will sentence him to death. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles. The people will make fun of him and whip him. They will nail him to a cross. On the third day, he will rise from the dead!”
A Mother Asks a Favor of Jesus
20 The mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus. Her sons came with her. Getting on her knees, she asked a favor of him.
21 “What do you want?” Jesus asked.
She said, “Promise me that one of my two sons may sit at your right hand in your kingdom. Promise that the other one may sit at your left hand.”
22 “You don’t know what you’re asking for,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup of suffering I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will certainly drink from my cup. But it is not for me to say who will sit at my right or left hand. These places belong to those my Father has prepared them for.”
24 The other ten disciples heard about this. They became angry at the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together. He said, “You know about the rulers of the Gentiles. They hold power over their people. Their high officials order them around. 26 Don’t be like that. Instead, anyone who wants to be important among you must be your servant. 27 And anyone who wants to be first must be your slave. 28 Be like the Son of Man. He did not come to be served. Instead, he came to serve others. He came to give his life as the price for setting many people free.”
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