Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 and Psalm 66:1-12
or
2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c and Psalm 111
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Luke 17:11-19
29:1 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent
from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets,
and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
29:4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent
into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:
29:5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce.
29:6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your
daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not
decrease.
29:7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the
LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
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66:1 Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
66:2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise.
66:3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power, your
enemies cringe before you.
66:4 All the earth worships you; they sing praises to you, sing praises to your
name." Selah
66:5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds among mortals.
66:6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There we
rejoiced in him,
66:7 who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations-- let the
rebellious not exalt themselves. Selah
66:8 Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard,
66:9 who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip.
66:10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.
66:11 You brought us into the net; you laid burdens on our backs;
66:12 you let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet
you have brought us out to a spacious place.
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5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man
and in high favor with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The
man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy.
5:2 Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land
of Israel, and she served Naaman's wife.
5:3 She said to her mistress, "If only my lord were with the prophet who is in
Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."
5:7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I
God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?
Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me."
5:8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes,
he sent a message to the king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me,
that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel."
5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha's
house.
5:10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times,
and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean."
5:11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, "I thought that for me he
would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave
his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!
5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of
Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?" He turned and went away in a rage.
5:13 But his servants approached and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had
commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when
all he said to you was, 'Wash, and be clean'?"
5:14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the
word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was
clean.
5:15c Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood
before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in
Israel; please accept a present from your servant."
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111:1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole
heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
111:2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.
111:3 Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures
forever.
111:4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the LORD is gracious and
merciful.
111:5 He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his
covenant.
111:6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the
heritage of the nations.
111:7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are
trustworthy.
111:8 They are established forever and ever, to be performed with
faithfulness and uprightness.
111:9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant
forever. Holy and awesome is his name.
111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who
practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.
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2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of
David--that is my gospel,
2:9 for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
2:10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also
obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
2:11 The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
2:12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us;
2:13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful-- for he cannot deny himself.
2:14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling
over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening.
2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has
no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
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17:11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region
between Samaria and Galilee.
17:12 As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance,
17:13 they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
17:14 When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the
priests." And as they went, they were made clean.
17:15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with
a loud voice.
17:16 He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan.
17:17 Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are
they?
17:18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this
foreigner?"
17:19 Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you
well."
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