Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
New Heavens and a New Earth
17 “For behold, I am creating a (A)new heavens and a new earth;
And the (B)former things will not be remembered or come upon the heart.
18 But be (C)joyful and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for joy.
19 I will also (D)rejoice in Jerusalem and be joyful in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of (E)weeping and the voice of crying.
20 No longer will there be [a]in it an infant who lives but a few days,
Or an old man who does (F)not fulfill his days;
For the youth will die at the age of one hundred,
And the [b](G)one who does not reach the age of one hundred
Will be thought accursed.
21 They will (H)build houses and inhabit them;
They will also (I)plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They will not build and (J)another inhabit;
They will not plant and another eat;
For (K)as the [c]lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,
And My chosen ones will (L)wear out the work of their hands.
23 They will (M)not labor in vain,
Or bear children for terror;
For they are the (N)seed of those blessed by Yahweh,
And their offspring with them.
24 And it will be that before they call, I will (O)answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The (P)wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the (Q)lion will eat straw like the ox; and (R)dust will be the serpent’s food. They will (S)do no evil nor act corruptly in all My (T)holy mountain,” says Yahweh.
Yahweh Is My Strength and My Song
12 Then you will say in that day,
“(A)I will give thanks to You, O Yahweh;
For (B)although You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away,
And You comfort me.
2 Behold, (C)God is my salvation,
I will (D)trust and not dread;
For [a](E)Yah—Yahweh Himself—is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.”
3 Therefore you will joyously (F)draw water
From the (G)springs of salvation.
4 And in that day you will (H)say,
“(I)Give thanks to Yahweh, call on His name.
(J)Make known His deeds among the peoples;
[b]Make them remember that His name is exalted.”
5 (K)Praise Yahweh in song, for He has done [c]majestic things;
Let this be known throughout the earth.
6 (L)Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
For (M)great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
6 Now we command you, brothers, (A)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you [a](B)keep away from every brother who walks in an [b](C)unruly manner and not according to (D)the tradition which [c]they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to (E)imitate us, because we did not act in an unruly manner among you, 8 nor did we (F)eat [d]anyone’s bread [e]without paying for it, but with (G)labor and hardship we kept (H)working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; 9 not because we do not have (I)the authority, but in order to offer ourselves (J)as a model for you, so that you would imitate us. 10 For even (K)when we were with you, we used to command this to you: (L)if anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat. 11 For we hear that some among you are (M)walking in an unruly manner, doing no work at all, but acting like (N)busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and (O)exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that (P)working with quietness, they eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, (Q)brothers, (R)do not lose heart in doing good.
5 (A)And while some were talking about the temple, that it had been adorned with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, 6 “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which (B)there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”
7 So they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the [a]sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And He said, “See to it that you are not deceived; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘(C)I am He,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ (D)Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.”
Signs of Christ’s Return
10 Then He continued saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 11 and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be terrors and great [b]signs from heaven.
12 “But before all these things, (E)they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, [c]bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. 13 (F)It will result in [d]an opportunity for your testimony. 14 (G)So set in your hearts not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15 for (H)I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. 16 But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, 17 and you will be hated by all because of My name. 18 Yet (I)not a hair of your head will perish. 19 (J)By your perseverance you will gain your [e]lives.
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