Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Lord Reminds Them of the Unfaithfulness of Their Ancestors
4 Now listen to the Lord’s message, you descendants[a] of Jacob,
all you family groups from the nation[b] of Israel.
5 This is what the Lord says:
“What fault could your ancestors[c] have possibly found in me
that they strayed so far from me?[d]
They paid allegiance to[e] worthless idols, and so became worthless to me.[f]
6 They did not ask,
‘Where is the Lord who delivered us out of Egypt,
who brought us through the wilderness,
through a land of valleys and gorges,[g]
through a land of desert and deep darkness,[h]
through a land in which no one travels,
and where no one lives?’[i]
7 I brought you[j] into a fertile land
so you could enjoy[k] its fruits and its rich bounty.
But when you entered my land, you defiled it;[l]
you made the land I call my own[m] loathsome to me.
8 Your priests[n] did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’[o]
Those responsible for teaching my law[p] did not really know me.[q]
Your rulers rebelled against me.
Your prophets prophesied in the name of the god Baal.[r]
They all worshiped idols that could not help them.[s]
The Lord Charges Contemporary Israel with Spiritual Adultery
9 “So, once more I will state my case[t] against you,” says the Lord.
“I will also state it against your children and grandchildren.[u]
10 Go west[v] across the sea to the coasts of Cyprus[w] and see.
Send someone east to Kedar[x] and have them look carefully.
See if such a thing as this has ever happened:
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods
(even though they are not really gods at all)?
But my people have exchanged me, their glorious God,[y]
for a god that cannot help them at all![z]
12 Be amazed at this, O heavens.[aa]
Be shocked and utterly dumbfounded,”
says the Lord.
13 “Do so because my people have committed a double wrong:
They have rejected me,
the fountain of life-giving water,[ab]
and they have dug cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns that cannot even hold water.
10 I am the Lord, your God,
the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.’
11 But my people did not obey me;[a]
Israel did not submit to me.[b]
12 I gave them over to their stubborn desires;[c]
they did what seemed right to them.[d]
13 If only my people would obey me![e]
If only Israel would keep my commands![f]
14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,
and attack[g] their adversaries.”
15 (May those who hate the Lord[h] cower in fear[i] before him.
May they be permanently humiliated.)[j]
16 “I would feed Israel the best wheat,[k]
and would satisfy your appetite[l] with honey from the rocky cliffs.”[m]
Final Exhortations
13 Brotherly love must continue. 2 Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it.[a] 3 Remember those in prison as though you were in prison with them,[b] and those ill-treated as though you too felt their torment.[c] 4 Marriage must be honored among all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers. 5 Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.”[d] 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, and[e] I will not be afraid. What can people do to me?”[f] 7 Remember your leaders, who spoke God’s message to you; reflect on the outcome of their lives and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name. 16 And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have,[a] for God is pleased with such sacrifices.
On Seeking Seats of Honor
7 Then[a] when Jesus[b] noticed how the guests[c] chose the places of honor,[d] he told them a parable. He said to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast,[e] do not take[f] the place of honor, because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host.[g] 9 So[h] the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then, ashamed,[i] you will begin to move to the least important[j] place. 10 But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host[k] approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’[l] Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but[m] the one who humbles[n] himself will be exalted.”
12 He[o] said also to the man[p] who had invited him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet,[q] don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid. 13 But when you host an elaborate meal,[r] invite the poor, the crippled,[s] the lame, and[t] the blind.[u] 14 Then[v] you will be blessed,[w] because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid[x] at the resurrection of the righteous.”
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