Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹² Nebuzaradan, commander of the king’s special guards and servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem on the tenth day of the fifth month. This was in Nebuchadnezzar’s nineteenth year as king of Babylon. ¹³ Nebuzaradan set fire to the Temple of the Lord, the palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every important building was burned. ¹⁴ The whole Babylonian army, led by the commander of the king’s special guards, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. ¹⁵ Nebuzaradan, the commander of the king’s special guards, took captive some of the poorest people, those who were left in Jerusalem, those who had surrendered to the king of Babylon, and the skilled craftsmen who were left in Jerusalem. ¹⁶ But Nebuzaradan left behind some of the poorest people of the land to take care of the vineyards and fields.

¹⁷ The Babylonians broke into pieces the bronze pillars, the bronze stands, and the large bronze bowl, called the Sea, which were in the Temple of the Lord. Then they carried all the bronze pieces to Babylon. ¹⁸ They also took the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, bowls, dishes, and all the bronze objects used to serve in the Temple. ¹⁹ The commander of the king’s special guards took away bowls, pans for carrying hot coals, large bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and bowls used for drink offerings. He took everything that was made of pure gold or silver.

²⁰ There was so much bronze that it could not be weighed: two pillars, the large bronze bowl called the Sea with the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the Temple of the Lord.

²¹ Each of the pillars was about twenty-seven feet high, eighteen feet around, and hollow inside. The wall of each pillar was three inches thick. ²² The bronze capital on top of the one pillar was about seven and one-half feet high. It was decorated with a net design and bronze pomegranates all around it. The other pillar also had pomegranates and was like the first pillar. ²³ There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides of the pillars. There was a total of a hundred pomegranates above the net design.

²⁴ The commander of the king’s special guards took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank, and the three doorkeepers. ²⁵ He also took from the city the officer in charge of the soldiers, seven people who advised the king, the royal secretary who selected people for the army, and sixty other men from Judah who were in the city when it fell. ²⁶ Nebuzaradan, the commander, took these people and brought them to the king of Babylon at the town of Riblah. ²⁷ There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them killed.

So the people of Judah were led away from their country as captives. ²⁸ This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar took away as captives: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; ²⁹ in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem; ³⁰ in Nebuchadnezzar’s twenty-third year, Nebuzaradan, commander of the king’s special guards, took 745 Jews as captives.

In all 4,600 people were taken captive.

To the Church in Pergamum

¹² “Write this to the angel of the church in Pergamum:

“The One who has the sharp, double-edged sword says this: ¹³ I know where you live. It is where Satan has his throne. But you are true to me. You did not refuse to tell about your faith in me even during the time of Antipas, my faithful witness who was killed in your city, where Satan lives.

¹⁴ “But I have a few things against you: You have some there who follow the teaching of Balaam. He taught Balak how to cause the people of Israel to sin by eating food offered to idols and by taking part in sexual sins. ¹⁵ You also have some who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans.^{[a] 16} So change your hearts and lives. If you do not, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword that comes out of my mouth.

¹⁷ “Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

“I will give some of the hidden manna to everyone who wins the victory. I will also give to each one who wins the victory a white stone with a new name written on it. No one knows this new name except the one who receives it.

To the Church in Thyatira

¹⁸ “Write this to the angel of the church in Thyatira:

“The Son of God, who has eyes that blaze like fire and feet like shining bronze, says this: ¹⁹ I know what you do. I know about your love, your faith, your service, and your patience. I know that you are doing more now than you did at first.

²⁰ “But I have this against you: You let that woman Jezebel spread false teachings. She says she is a prophetess, but by her teaching she leads my people to take part in sexual sins and to eat food that is offered to idols. ²¹ I have given her time to change her heart and turn away from her sin, but she does not want to change. ²² So I will throw her on a bed of suffering. And all those who take part in adultery with her will suffer greatly if they do not turn away from the wrongs she does. ²³ I will also kill her followers. Then all the churches will know I am the One who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you for what you have done.

²⁴ “But others of you in Thyatira have not followed her teaching and have not learned what some call Satan’s deep secrets. I say to you that I will not put any other load on you. ²⁵ Only continue in your loyalty until I come.

²⁶ “I will give power over the nations to everyone who wins the victory and continues to be obedient to me until the end.

²⁸ This is the same power I received from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. ²⁹ Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.