Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
40 So the Lord became angry with his people
and ·hated [was disgusted with] his own ·children [L inheritance].
41 He ·handed them over to [L gave them over to the hand/power of] other nations
and let ·their enemies [L those who hated them] ·rule over [dominate] them.
42 Their enemies ·were cruel to [oppressed] them
and ·kept them [they were brought into subjection] under their ·power [L hand].
43 The Lord ·saved [rescued] his people many times,
but they continued to ·turn [rebel] against him.
So they ·became even more wicked [L were brought low by their iniquity].
44 But God saw their ·misery [distress]
when he heard their cry.
45 He remembered his ·agreement [treaty; covenant] with them,
and he felt ·sorry [compassion] for them because of his great ·love [loyalty].
46 He caused them to be ·pitied [shown mercy/compassion]
by those who held them captive.
47 Lord our God, ·save us [give us victory]
and ·bring us back [gather us] from other nations [C perhaps from the exile].
Then we will ·thank [praise] ·you [L your holy name]
and will ·gladly praise you [glory in your praise].
48 ·Praise [Bless] the Lord, the God of Israel.
He ·always was and always will be [is from everlasting to everlasting].
Let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the Lord!
Destruction Is Coming
17 ·Get everything you own [L Gather your goods] ·and prepare to leave [or from the ground],
you people who are ·trapped by your enemies [L under siege].
18 This is what the Lord says:
“At this time I will ·throw [L sling] out the people who live in this land.
I will bring ·trouble [distress] to them
so that they may be ·captured [L squeezed].”
19 ·How terrible it will be for me [Woe to me] because of my ·injury [fracture].
My wound ·cannot be healed [is severe].
Yet I told myself,
“This is my ·sickness [or punishment]; I must ·suffer through [endure] it.”
20 My tent is ·ruined [destroyed; desolated],
and all its ropes are broken.
My children have gone away and left me.
No one is left to ·put up [stretch out] my tent again
or to set up ·a shelter for me [L my curtains].
21 The shepherds are stupid
and don’t ·ask the Lord for advice [L seek the Lord].
So they do not have success,
and all their flocks are scattered.
22 Listen! The news is coming.
A ·loud noise [great commotion] comes from the north [C the Babylonian army]
to make the towns of Judah an ·empty desert [desolation]
and a ·home [haunt] for wild dogs [jackals]!
Jeremiah’s Prayer
23 Lord, I know that ·our lives don’t really belong to us [L his way/path does not belong to people].
·We can’t control our own lives [L People as they walk cannot establish their steps].
24 Lord, ·correct [teach; instruct] me, but be ·fair [just].
Don’t punish me in your anger,
or you will ·destroy me [L make me dwindle].
25 Pour out your anger on other nations
that do not know you
and do not pray to you.
Those nations have ·destroyed [consumed] the people of Jacob.
They have ·eaten [consumed] them up completely
and ·destroyed [desolated] their homeland.
Jesus Accuses Some Leaders(A)
45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his ·followers [disciples], 46 “Beware of the ·teachers of the law [scribes]. They like to walk around wearing ·fancy clothes [or flowing robes], and they love for people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces. They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues [11:43] and [the place of highest honor] at ·feasts [banquets]. 47 But they ·cheat widows and steal their houses [L devour widows’ homes] and ·then try to make themselves look good by saying [L with false motives pray] long prayers. They will receive a greater ·punishment [condemnation].”
True Giving(B)
21 As Jesus looked up, he saw some rich people putting their gifts into the Temple ·money box [or treasury; C one of thirteen trumpet-shaped receptacles used to collect offerings]. 2 Then he saw a poor widow putting two small copper coins [C Greek: lepta; worth only 1/128 of a denarius, the daily wage of a worker] into the box. 3 He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. 4 [L For] They gave ·only what they did not need [out of their surplus/abundance]. ·This woman is very poor, but she gave [L But she, out of her poverty, gave] all she had to live on.”
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