FIRST
READING: 2 Kings 24:
8 - 17
8
Jehoi'achin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he
reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nehush'ta
the daughter of Elna'than of Jerusalem.
9
And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all
that his father had done.
10
At that time the servants of Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon came up
to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
11
And Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon came to the city, while his
servants were besieging it;
12
and Jehoi'achin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of
Babylon, himself, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes,
and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in
the eighth year of his reign,
13
and carried off all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the
treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of
gold in the temple of the LORD, which Solomon king of Israel had
made, as the LORD had foretold.
14
He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the
mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and
the smiths; none remained, except the poorest people of the land.
15
And he carried away Jehoi'achin to Babylon; the king's mother, the
king's wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land, he took
into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
16
And the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of
valor, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one
thousand, all of them strong and fit for war.
17
And the king of Babylon made Mattani'ah, Jehoi'achin's uncle, king in
his stead, and changed his name to Zedeki'ah.
PSALM:
Psalms 79: 1 - 5, 8 - 9
1
O God, the heathen have come into thy inheritance; they have defiled
thy holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2
They have given the bodies of thy servants to the birds of the air
for food, the flesh of thy saints to the beasts of the earth.
3
They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem,
and there was none to bury them.
4
We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those
round about us.
5
How long, O LORD? Wilt thou be angry for ever? Will thy jealous wrath
burn like fire?
8
Do not remember against us the iniquities of our forefathers; let thy
compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
9
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; deliver
us, and forgive our sins, for thy name's sake!
GOSPEL:
Matthew 7: 21 - 29
21
"Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in
heaven.
22
On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in
your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works
in your name?'
23
And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me,
you evildoers.'
24
"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will
be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;
25
and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat
upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on
the rock.
26
And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will
be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;
27
and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat
against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."
28
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at
his teaching,
29
for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their
scribes.
