Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Hope of Relief in God’s Mercy

The Fall of Jerusalem

52 ^(A)Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was ^[a](B)Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of ^(C)Libnah. ² He did ^(D)evil in the sight of the Lord like all that ^(E)Jehoiakim had done. ³ For through the ^(F)anger of the Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence. And Zedekiah ^(G)rebelled against the king of Babylon. ^4 (H)Now it came about in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and built a ^(I)siege wall all around ^[b]it. ^5 (J)So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. ⁶ On the ninth day of the ^(K)fourth month the ^(L)famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. ⁷ Then the city was ^(M)broken into, and all the ^(N)men of war fled and went forth from the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls which was by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were ^[c](O)all around the city. And they went by way of the Arabah. ⁸ But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and ^(P)overtook Zedekiah in the ^[d]plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. ⁹ Then they captured the king and ^(Q)brought him up to the king of Babylon at ^(R)Riblah in the land of ^(S)Hamath, and he ^[e]passed sentence on him. ¹⁰ The king of Babylon ^(T)slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also slaughtered all the ^[f]princes of Judah in Riblah. ¹¹ Then he ^(U)blinded the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon and put him in prison until the day of his death.

Message to Smyrna

⁸ “And to the angel of the church in ^(A)Smyrna write:

^(B)The first and the last, who ^[a](C)was dead, and has come to life, says this:

⁹ ‘I know your ^(D)tribulation and your ^(E)poverty (but you are ^(F)rich), and the blasphemy by those who ^(G)say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of ^(H)Satan. ¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be ^(I)tested, and you will have tribulation ^(J)for ten days. ^[b]Be ^(K)faithful until death, and I will give you ^(L)the crown of life. ^11 (M)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ^(N)He who overcomes will not be hurt by the ^(O)second death.’