Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Watches Over His People
124 “If the Lord had not been on our side,” let Israel say, 2 “If the Lord had not been on our side when men came against us, 3 they would have eaten us up alive. Because their anger burned against us. 4 The waters would have covered us. The river would have passed over our soul. 5 The angry waters would have passed over our soul.”
6 Honor and thanks be to the Lord! He has not let us be torn by their teeth. 7 We have become free like a bird out of a trap. The net is broken and now we are free. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
The Lord Loves Israel
54 “Woman, be happy, you who have had no children. Cry for joy, you who have never had the pains of having a child, for you will have many children. Yes, you will have more children than the one who has a husband,” says the Lord. 2 “Make your tent bigger. Spread out the curtains of your home, and do not hold back. Make your ropes longer and your tie-downs stronger. 3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left. Your children will own nations, and they will fill the destroyed cities with people.
4 “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed. Do not be troubled, for you will not be put to shame. You will forget how you were ashamed when you were young. You will not remember the sorrow of being without a husband any more. 5 Your Maker is your husband. His name is the Lord of All. And the One Who saves you is the Holy One of Israel. He is called the God of All the earth. 6 For the Lord has called you like a wife left alone and filled with sorrow, like a wife who married when young and is left,” says your God. 7 “For a short time I left you, but with much loving-pity I will take you back. 8 When I was very angry I hid My face from you for a short time. But with loving-kindness that lasts forever I will have pity on you,” says the Lord Who bought you and saves you.
9 “For this is like the days of Noah to Me. As I promised that the waters of Noah should not flood the earth again, so I have promised that I will not be angry with you or speak sharp words to you. 10 The mountains may be taken away and the hills may shake, but My loving-kindness will not be taken from you. And My agreement of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord who has loving-pity on you.
The False Religious Teachers
23 “If anyone says to you, ‘See! Here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. 24 People who say they are Christ and false preachers will come. They will do special things for people to see. They will do great things, so that if it can be done, God’s people will be fooled to believe something wrong. 25 Listen! I have told you before it comes. 26 If they tell you, ‘See! He is in the desert,’ do not go to see. Or if they say, ‘See! He is in the inside room,’ do not believe them. 27 The Son of Man will come as fast as lightning shines across the sky from east to west. 28 Birds gather wherever there is a dead body.
Jesus Will Come Again in His Shining-Greatness
29 “As soon as those days of trouble and pain and sorrow are over, the sun will get dark. The moon will not give light. The stars will fall from the sky. The powers in the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then something special will be seen in the sky telling of the Son of Man. All nations of the earth will have sorrow. They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the sky with power and shining-greatness. 31 He will send His angels with the loud sound of a horn. They will gather God’s people together from the four winds. They will come from one end of the heavens to the other.
The Picture-Story of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn something from the fig tree. When the branch begins to grow and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things happen, you know the Son of Man is near, even at the door. 34 For sure, I tell you, the people of this day will not pass away before all these things have happened.
No One Knows When Jesus Will Come Again
35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
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