Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 120

A Cry for Truth and Peace

A song of ascents.

Judah’s King Zedekiah

¹⁸ Zedekiah^(A) was twenty-one years old when he became king,^(B) and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal^(C) daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. ¹⁹ Zedekiah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight just as Jehoiakim had done.^{(D) 20} Because of the Lord’s anger,^(E) it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he finally banished them from his presence.^(F) Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.^(G)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Siege of Jerusalem

25 In the ninth year^(H) of Zedekiah’s reign,^(I) on the tenth day of the tenth month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem with his entire army.^(J) They laid siege to the city and built a siege wall against it all around.^{(K) 2} The city was under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.

³ By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that the common people had no food.^{(L) 4} Then the city was broken into,^(M) and all the warriors fled^(N) at night by way of the city gate between the two walls near the king’s garden,^(O) even though the Chaldeans surrounded the city. As the king made his way along the route to the Arabah,^{(P) 5} the Chaldean army pursued him and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. Zedekiah’s entire army left him and scattered.^{(Q) 6} The Chaldeans seized the king^(R) and brought him up to the king of Babylon^(S) at Riblah,^(T) and they passed sentence on him. ⁷ They slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes. Finally, the king of Babylon blinded Zedekiah, bound him in bronze chains, and took him to Babylon.^(U)

Jerusalem Destroyed

⁸ On^(V) the seventh day of the fifth month—which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.^{(W) 9} He burned the Lord’s temple,^(X) the king’s palace,^(Y) and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down^(Z) all the great houses. ¹⁰ The whole Chaldean army with the captain of the guards tore down the walls^(AA) surrounding Jerusalem. ¹¹ Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, deported the rest of the people who remained in the city, the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population.^{(AB) 12} But the captain of the guards left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.^(AC)

¹³ Now^(AD) the Chaldeans broke into pieces the bronze pillars^(AE) of the Lord’s temple, the water carts, and the bronze basin,^[a](AF) which were in the Lord’s temple, and carried the bronze to Babylon.^{(AG) 14} They also took the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes, and all the bronze articles used in the priests’ service.^{(AH) 15} The captain of the guards took away the firepans and sprinkling basins—whatever was gold or silver.^(AI)

¹⁶ As for the two pillars, the one basin, and the water carts that Solomon had made for the Lord’s temple, the weight of the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure.^{(AJ) 17} One pillar was twenty-seven feet^[b] tall and had a bronze capital on top of it. The capital, encircled by a grating and pomegranates of bronze, stood five feet^[c] high. The second pillar was the same, with its own grating.^(AK)

¹⁸ The captain of the guards^(AL) also took away Seraiah^(AM) the chief priest, Zephaniah^(AN) the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers. ¹⁹ From the city he took a court official^[d] who had been appointed over the warriors; five trusted royal aides^[e](AO) found in the city; the secretary of the commander of the army, who enlisted the people of the land for military duty; and sixty men from the common people^[f] who were found within the city. ²⁰ Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.^{(AP) 21} The king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah went into exile from its land.^(AQ)

Christ’s Resurrection Guarantees Ours

²⁰ But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits^(A) of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death^(B) came through a man,^(C) the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man.^{(D) 22} For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.^(E)

²³ But each in his own order:^(F) Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end,^(G) when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father,^(H) when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power.^{(I) 25} For he must reign^(J) until he puts all his enemies under his feet.^{(K) 26} The last enemy to be abolished is death.^{(L) 27} For God has put everything under his feet.^[a](M) Now when it says “everything” is put under him, it is obvious that he who puts everything under him is the exception. ²⁸ When everything is subject to Christ, then the Son^(N) himself will also be subject to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.^(O)

Resurrection Supported by Christian Experience

²⁹ Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead?^[b] If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptized for them?^{[c] 30} Why are we in danger every hour? ³¹ I face death every day,^(P) as surely as I may boast about you, brothers and sisters, in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³² If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus^(Q) as a mere man, what good did that do me?^(R) If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.^{[d](S) 33} Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” ³⁴ Come to your senses^[e](T) and stop sinning; for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame.^(U)