Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Sinful Men
14 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are sinful and their actions are sinful. There is no one who does good. 2 The Lord has looked down from heaven on the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand and look for God. 3 They have all turned aside. Together they have become bad. There is no one who does good, not even one.
4 Will those who sin never learn? They eat up my people like they eat bread. They do not call on the Lord. 5 There they are in much fear. For God is with the people of this day who do what is right and good. 6 You would put to shame the planning of the poor. But the Lord keeps him safe.
7 O, that it would come out of Zion that Israel would be saved! When the Lord returns His people to their land, Jacob will be full of joy and Israel will be glad.
Armies Are All Around Judah
13 See, he comes up like clouds. His war-wagons come like the strong-wind. His horses are faster than eagles. It is bad for us, for we are destroyed!
14 Wash your heart from sin, O Jerusalem, that you may be saved. How long will your sinful thoughts stay within you? 15 For a voice calls out from Dan, and tells of sin from Mount Ephraim. 16 “Tell it to the nations now! Make it known over all Jerusalem, saying, ‘An army is coming from a far country, and they lift up their voices against the cities of Judah. 17 They are against her all around, like watchmen of a field, because she has turned against Me,’ says the Lord. 18 “Your ways and what you do have brought these things to you. This is your sin. How bitter it is! It has touched your very heart!”
Jeremiah Feels Pain for His People
19 My soul, my soul! I am in pain! O, my heart! My heart is beating so hard! It cannot be quiet, for I hear the sound of the horn, telling of the coming war. 20 News of much trouble comes again and again, for the whole land is laid waste. All at once my tents and my curtains are destroyed. 21 How long must I see the flag and hear the sound of the horn?
29 Every city runs as they hear the sound of the horseman and the one who fights with arrows. They go among the trees and the rocks. Every city is left empty, and no one lives in them. 30 And you, O destroyed one, what will you do? Even when you dress in red, and wear objects of gold, and color your eyes to make them look bigger, you make yourself beautiful for nothing. Your lovers hate you, and want to kill you. 31 I heard a cry as of a woman in pain, as if she were giving birth to her first child. It was the cry of the people of Zion, working hard to breathe, holding out hands, and saying, “O, it is bad for me! I am losing strength in front of those who want to kill me.”
Jesus Teaches about the Good Shepherd
11 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 One who is hired to watch the sheep is not the shepherd. He does not own the sheep. He sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep. He runs away while the wolf gets the sheep and makes them run everywhere. 13 The hired man runs away because he is hired. He does not care about the sheep.
14 “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me. 15 I know My Father as My Father knows Me. I give My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep which are not from this sheep-pen. I must bring them also. They will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock with one shepherd.
17 “For this reason My Father loves Me. It is because I give My life that I might take it back again. 18 No one takes my life from Me. I give it by Myself. I have the right and the power to take it back again. My Father has given Me this right and power.”
19 Because of what He said, the Jews did not agree in their thinking. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and is crazy. Why listen to Him?” 21 Others said, “A man who has a demon does not talk this way. Can a demon open the eyes of a blind man?”
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