Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
68 “Praise the Lord God of Israel!
He has come to take care of his people
and to set them free.
69 He has raised up a mighty Savior for us
in the family of his servant David.
70 He made this promise through his holy prophets long ago.
71 He promised to save us from our enemies
and from the power of all who hate us.
72 He has shown his mercy to our ancestors
and remembered his holy promise,[a]
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.
74 He promised to rescue us from our enemies’ power
so that we could serve him without fear
75 by being holy and honorable as long as we live.
76 “You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way.
77 You will make his people know that they can be saved
through the forgiveness of their sins.
78 A new day will dawn on us from above
because our God is loving and merciful.
79 He will give light to those who live in the dark
and in death’s shadow.
He will guide us into the way of peace.”
18 This is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim, son of Judah’s King Josiah:
People won’t mourn for him and say,
“How horrible it is for my brother and sister!”
They won’t mourn for him and say,
“How horrible it is for my master and his splendor!”
19 He will receive a donkey’s burial.
He will be dragged off and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.
20 “Go to Lebanon and cry! Raise your voice in Bashan!
Cry out from Abarim, because all your lovers are defeated.”
21 I spoke to you when you were prosperous,
but you said that you wouldn’t listen.
This is how you’ve been ever since you were young.
You don’t listen to me.
22 The wind will blow away all your shepherds,
and your lovers will go into captivity.
Then you will be ashamed and disgraced by all your wickedness.
23 You live in Lebanon and have your nest in the cedars.
But you will groan when pain strikes you,
pain like a woman giving birth to a child.
24 “As I live,” declares the Lord, “even though you, Jehoiakin,[a] son of Judah’s King Jehoiakim, are the signet ring on my right hand, I will pull you off my hand. 25 I will hand you over to those who want to kill you, those you fear—King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonians. 26 I will throw you and your mother into another land. You weren’t born there, but you will die there. 27 You will want to return to this land, but you won’t be allowed to come home.”
28 This Jehoiakin is like a rejected and broken pot that no one wants.
Is that why he and his descendants will be thrown out
and cast into another land they’ve never heard of?
29 O land, land, land!
Listen to the Lord’s word.
30 This is what the Lord says:
Write this about Jehoiakin: He will be childless.
He won’t prosper in his lifetime.
None of his descendants will succeed him as king.
They won’t sit on David’s throne and rule Judah again.
Jesus Blesses Children(A)
15 Some people brought infants to Jesus to have him hold them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people not to do that.
16 But Jesus called the infants to him and said, “Don’t stop the children from coming to me! Children like these are part of God’s kingdom. 17 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever doesn’t receive God’s kingdom as a little child receives it will never enter it.”
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