Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the director of music. A song. A psalm.
66 Shout to God for joy, everyone on earth!
2 Sing about the glory of his name!
Give him glorious praise!
3 Say to God, “What wonderful things you do!
Your power is so great
that your enemies bow down to you in fear.
4 Everyone on earth bows down to you.
They sing praise to you.
They sing the praises of your name.”
5 Come and see what God has done.
See what wonderful things he has done for people!
6 He turned the Red Sea into dry land.
The people of Israel passed through the waters on foot.
Come, let us be full of joy because of what he did.
7 He rules by his power forever.
His eyes watch the nations.
Let no one who refuses to obey him rise up against him.
8 Praise our God, all you nations.
Let the sound of the praise you give him be heard.
9 He has kept us alive.
He has kept our feet from slipping.
10 God, you have tested us.
You put us through fire to make us like silver.
11 You put us in prison.
You placed heavy loads on our backs.
12 You let our enemies ride their chariots over our heads.
We went through fire and water.
But you brought us to a place
where we have everything we need.
The False Prophet Hananiah Opposes Jeremiah
28 The false prophet Hananiah spoke to me, Jeremiah, in the Lord’s house. Hananiah was from Gibeon. He was the son of Azzur. It was shortly after Zedekiah became king of Judah. It was in the fifth month of his fourth year. In front of the priests and all the people Hananiah spoke to me. He said, 2 “The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, removed all the objects that belong to my house. He took them to Babylon. Before two years are over, I will bring them back to this place. 4 I will also bring King Jehoiachin back. He is the son of Jehoiakim. And I will bring back all the others who were taken from Judah to Babylon,’ announces the Lord. ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ ”
5 Then Jeremiah the prophet replied to the false prophet Hananiah. Jeremiah spoke to him in front of the priests and all the people. They were standing in the Lord’s house. 6 Jeremiah said, “Amen, Hananiah! May the Lord do those things! May he make the words you have prophesied come true. May he bring back from Babylon the objects that belong to the Lord’s house. May he bring back to this place all the people who were taken away. 7 But listen to what I have to say. I want you and all the people to hear it. 8 There have been prophets long before you and I were ever born. They have prophesied against many countries and great kingdoms. They have spoken about war, trouble and plague. 9 But what if a prophet says peace will come? And suppose peace really does come? Only then will he be recognized as a prophet truly sent by the Lord.”
10 The false prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet. Then Hananiah broke the yoke. 11 In front of all the people he said, “The Lord says, ‘In the same way, I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. Before two years are over, I will remove it from the necks of all the nations.’ ” When Jeremiah the prophet heard this, he went on his way.
12 A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. It was after the false prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck. The message said, 13 “Go. Tell Hananiah, ‘The Lord says, “You have broken a wooden yoke. But in its place you will get an iron yoke.” 14 The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, “I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations. I will make them serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. So they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.” ’ ”
15 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke to the false prophet Hananiah. Jeremiah said, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord hasn’t sent you. But you have tricked these people. Now they trust in lies. 16 So the Lord says, ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. Before this year is over, you will die. You have taught the people to turn against me.’ ”
17 In the seventh month of that very year, the false prophet Hananiah died.
Jesus Heals a Man Who Had a Skin Disease
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along. He had a skin disease all over his body. When he saw Jesus, the man fell with his face to the ground. He begged him, “Lord, if you are willing to make me ‘clean,’ you can do it.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing to do it,” he said. “Be ‘clean’!” Right away the disease left him.
14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone. Go and show yourself to the priest. Offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded. It will be a witness to the priest and the people that you are ‘clean.’ ”
15 But the news about Jesus spread even more. So crowds of people came to hear him. They also came to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often went away to be by himself and pray.
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