Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Davidic Kingdom

¹⁴ ‘Behold, ^(A)days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will ^(B)fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵ In those days and at that time I will make a ^(C)righteous Branch of David sprout; and He shall execute ^(D)justice and righteousness on the earth. ¹⁶ In those days ^(E)Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety; and this is the name by which it will be called: the ^(F)Lord is our righteousness.’

Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon.

A Psalm of David.

⁹ For ^(A)what thanks can we give to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice because of you before our God, ¹⁰ as we ^(B)keep praying most earnestly night and day that we may ^(C)see your faces, and may ^(D)complete what is lacking in your faith?

^11 (E)Now may ^(F)our God and Father ^(G)Himself, and our Lord Jesus, ^(H)direct our way to you; ¹² and may the Lord cause you to increase and ^(I)overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; ¹³ so that He may ^(J)establish your hearts ^(K)blameless in holiness before ^(L)our God and Father at the ^[a](M)coming of our Lord Jesus ^(N)with all His ^[b]saints.

The Return of Christ

²⁵ “There will be ^[a]signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, ²⁶ people fainting from fear and the expectation of the things that are coming upon the ^[b]world; for the powers of ^[c]the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And ^(A)then they will see ^(B)the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because ^(C)your redemption is drawing near.”

²⁹ And He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees: ³⁰ as soon as they put forth leaves, you see for yourselves and ^(D)know that summer is now near. ³¹ So you too, when you see these things happening, ^[d]recognize that ^(E)the kingdom of God is near. ³² Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. ^33 (F)Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

³⁴ “But ^(G)be on your guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that ^[e]this day will not come on you suddenly, like a trap; ³⁵ for it will come upon all those who live on the face of all the earth. ³⁶ But ^(H)stay alert at all times, praying that you will have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to ^(I)stand before the Son of Man.”