Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
8 You uprooted a vine[a] from Egypt;
you drove out nations and transplanted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;[b]
it took root,[c]
and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered by its shadow,
the highest cedars[d] by its branches.
11 Its branches reached the Mediterranean Sea,[e]
and its shoots the Euphrates River.[f]
12 Why did you break down its walls,[g]
so that all who pass by pluck its fruit?[h]
13 The wild boars of the forest ruin it;[i]
the insects[j] of the field feed on it.
14 O God of Heaven’s Armies,[k] come back.
Look down from heaven and take notice.
Take care of this vine,
15 the root[l] your right hand planted,
the shoot you made to grow.[m]
16 It is burned[n] and cut down.
May those who did this die because you are displeased with them.[o]
17 May you give support to the one you have chosen,[p]
to the one whom you raised up for yourself.[q]
18 Then we will not turn away from you.
Revive us and we will pray to you.[r]
19 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,[s] restore us.
Smile on us.[t] Then we will be delivered.[u]
A Coming Leadership Crisis
3 Look, the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies[a]
is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah
every source of security, including[b]
all the food and water,[c]
2 the mighty men and warriors,
judges and prophets,
omen readers and leaders,[d]
3 captains of groups of fifty,
the respected citizens,[e]
advisers and those skilled in magical arts,[f]
and those who know incantations.
4 The Lord says,[g] “I will make youths their officials;
malicious young men[h] will rule over them.
5 The people will treat each other harshly;
men will oppose each other;
neighbors will fight.[i]
Youths will proudly defy the elderly
and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected.[j]
6 Indeed, a man will grab his brother
right in his father’s house[k] and say,[l]
‘You own a coat—
you be our leader!
This heap of ruins will be under your control.’[m]
7 At that time[n] the brother will shout,[o]
‘I am no doctor,[p]
I have no food or coat in my house;
don’t make me a leader of the people!’”
8 Jerusalem certainly stumbles,
Judah falls,
for their words and their actions offend the Lord;[q]
they rebel against his royal authority.[r]
9 The look on their faces[s] testifies to their guilt;[t]
like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin.[u]
Woe to them![v]
For they bring disaster on themselves.
10 Tell the innocent[w] it will go well with them,[x]
for they will be rewarded for what they have done.[y]
11 Woe to the wicked sinners!
For they will get exactly what they deserve.[z]
12 Oppressors treat my[aa] people cruelly;
creditors rule over them.[ab]
My people, your leaders mislead you;
they give you confusing directions.[ac]
13 The Lord takes his position to judge;
he stands up to pass sentence on his people.[ad]
14 The Lord comes to pronounce judgment
on the leaders of his people and their officials.
He says,[ae] “It is you[af] who have ruined[ag] the vineyard![ah]
You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor.[ai]
15 Why do you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?”[aj]
The Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies[ak] has spoken.
Washing Away Impurity
16 The Lord says,
“The women[al] of Zion are proud.
They walk with their heads high[am]
and flirt with their eyes.
They skip along[an]
and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.[ao]
17 So[ap] the Lord[aq] will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s women[ar] with skin diseases;[as]
the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.”[at]
32 But remember the former days when you endured a harsh conflict of suffering after you were enlightened. 33 At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way. 34 For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison,[a] and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainly[b] had a better and lasting possession. 35 So do not throw away your confidence, because it[c] has great reward. 36 For you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised.[d] 37 For just a little longer[e] and he who is coming will arrive and not delay.[f] 38 But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I[g] take no pleasure in him.[h] 39 But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls.[i]
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