Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

MEM.

⁹⁷ ¶ O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

⁹⁸ ¶ Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies, for they are eternal unto me.

⁹⁹ I have more understanding than all my teachers, for thy testimonies have been my meditation.

¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the elders because I keep thy precepts.

¹⁰¹ ¶ I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

¹⁰² ¶ I have not departed from thy judgments, for thou hast taught me.

¹⁰³ ¶ How sweet have been thy spoken words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

¹⁰⁴ Through thy precepts I have obtained understanding; therefore I have hated every false way.

¹⁶ ¶ Then the princes and all the people said unto the priests and to the prophets: This man is not worthy to die, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

¹⁷ Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the congregation of the people, saying,

¹⁸ Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the temple mount as the high places of a forest.

¹⁹ Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? Did he not fear the LORD and besought the LORD, and the LORD himself repented of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Shall we commit such great evil against our souls?

²⁰ There was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:

²¹ And Jehoiakim the king heard his words and all his mighty men and all the princes, and the king sought to put him to death, but when Urijah understood it, he was afraid and fled and went into Egypt.

²² And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him into Egypt;

²³ and they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

²⁴ Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

¹⁴ ¶ Counsel these things, charging them before the Lord. Strive not in words that profit nothing, but rather subvert the hearers.

¹⁵ Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that has nothing to be ashamed of, rightly dividing the word of truth.

¹⁶ But avoid profane and vain wordiness, for it will develop into ungodliness.

¹⁷ And that word will eat away as gangrene, of whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

¹⁸ who have erred from the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past and have overthrown the faith of some.

¹⁹ ¶ Nevertheless, the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows those that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

²⁰ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay, and likewise some to honour, and some to dishonour.

²¹ If a man, therefore, purges himself from these things, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and profitable for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

²² ¶ Flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

²³ But foolish and unwise questions refuse, knowing that they do beget contentions.

²⁴ That the slave of the Lord should not be contentious, but be meek unto everyone, apt to teach, patient,

²⁵ that with meekness they might teach those that resist, if God peradventure will grant unto them that they might repent and know the truth,

²⁶ and that they may become converted out of the snare of the devil, in which they are captive to do his will.