Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 78
Lessons from Israel’s Past
A Maskil of Asaph.(A)
1 My people, hear my instruction;
listen to the words from my mouth.(B)
2 I will declare wise sayings;
I will speak mysteries from the past(C)—
3 things we have heard and known
and that our ancestors have passed down to us.(D)
4 We will not hide them from their children,
but will tell a future generation
the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
his might, and the wondrous works
he has performed.(E)
5 He established a testimony in Jacob
and set up a law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach to their children(F)
6 so that a future generation—
children yet to be born—might know.
They were to rise and tell their children(G)
7 so that they might put their confidence in God
and not forget God’s works,
but keep his commands.(H)
Cities of Refuge
20 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, 2 “Tell the Israelites: Select your cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,(A) 3 so that a person who kills someone unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.(B) 4 When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before the elders of that city, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them.(C) 5 And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not hand the one who committed manslaughter over to him, for he killed his neighbor accidentally and did not hate him beforehand. 6 He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time.(D) Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to his own city from which he fled.”
7 So they designated Kedesh in the hill country of Naphtali in Galilee,(E) Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.(F) 8 Across the Jordan east of Jericho, they selected Bezer on the wilderness plateau from Reuben’s tribe, Ramoth in Gilead from Gad’s tribe, and Golan in Bashan from Manasseh’s tribe.
9 These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and the aliens residing among them,(G) so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die at the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the assembly.
Destruction of the Temple Predicted
24 As Jesus left and was going out of the temple,(A) his disciples(B) came up and called his attention to its buildings. 2 He replied to them, “Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down.”
Signs of the End of the Age
3 While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (C)
4 Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives(D) you. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.(E) 6 You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines[a](F) and earthquakes in various places.(G) 8 All these events are the beginning of labor pains.(H)
Persecutions Predicted
9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.(I) 10 Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets(J) will rise up and deceive many. 12 Because lawlessness(K) will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world[b] as a testimony to all nations,(L) and then the end will come.(M)
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