Jer. 17:1–18

17:1 “The sin of Judah is engraved with an iron chisel

on their stone-hard hearts.

It is inscribed with a diamond point

on the horns of their altars.

2Their children are always thinking about their altars

and their sacred poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah,

set up beside the green trees on the high hills

3and on the mountains and in the fields.

I will give your wealth and all your treasures away as plunder.

I will give it away as the price for the sins you have committed throughout your land.

4You will lose your hold on the land

that I gave to you as a permanent possession.

I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you know nothing about.

For you have made my anger burn like a fire that will never be put out.”

5The Lord says,

“I will put a curse on people

who trust in mere human beings,

who depend on mere flesh and blood for their strength,

and whose hearts have turned away from the Lord.

6They will be like a shrub in the arid rift valley.

They will not experience good things even when they happen.

It will be as though they were growing in the stony wastes in the wilderness,

in a salt land where no one can live.

7My blessing is on those people who trust in me,

who put their confidence in me.

8They will be like a tree planted near a stream

whose roots spread out toward the water.

It has nothing to fear when the heat comes.

Its leaves are always green.

It has no need to be concerned in a year of drought.

It does not stop bearing fruit.

9The human mind is more deceitful than anything else.

It is incurably bad. Who can understand it?

10I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds.

I examine people’s hearts.

I deal with each person according to how he has behaved.

I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.

11The person who gathers wealth by unjust means

is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them.

Before his life is half over, he will lose his ill-gotten gains.

At the end of his life, it will be clear he was a fool.”

12Then I said,

“Lord, from the very beginning

you have been seated on your glorious throne on high.

You are the place where we can find refuge.

13You are the one in whom Israel may find hope.

All who leave you will suffer shame.

Those who turn away from you will be consigned to the netherworld.

For they have rejected you, the Lord, the fountain of life.

14Lord, grant me relief from my suffering

so that I may have some relief;

rescue me from those who persecute me

so that I may be rescued, for you give me reason to praise!

15Listen to what they are saying to me,

‘Where are the things the Lord threatens us with?

May it please happen!’

16But I have not pestered you to bring disaster.

I have not desired the time of irreparable devastation.

You know that.

You are fully aware of every word that I have spoken.

17Do not cause me dismay!

You are my source of safety in times of trouble.

18May those who persecute me be disgraced.

Do not let me be disgraced.

May they be dismayed.

Do not let me be dismayed.

Bring days of disaster on them.

Bring on them the destruction they deserve.”

Ps. 136

136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his loyal love endures.

2Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his loyal love endures.

3Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his loyal love endures.

4To the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself,

for his loyal love endures.

5To the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,

for his loyal love endures.

6To the one who spread out the earth over the water,

for his loyal love endures.

7To the one who made the great lights,

for his loyal love endures,

8the sun to rule by day,

for his loyal love endures,

9the moon and stars to rule by night,

for his loyal love endures.

10To the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

for his loyal love endures,

11and led Israel out from their midst,

for his loyal love endures,

12with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

for his loyal love endures.

13To the one who divided the Red Sea in two,

for his loyal love endures,

14and led Israel through its midst,

for his loyal love endures,

15and tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,

for his loyal love endures.

16To the one who led his people through the wilderness,

for his loyal love endures.

17To the one who struck down great kings,

for his loyal love endures,

18and killed powerful kings,

for his loyal love endures,

19Sihon, king of the Amorites,

for his loyal love endures,

20Og, king of Bashan,

for his loyal love endures,

21and gave their land as an inheritance,

for his loyal love endures,

22as an inheritance to Israel his servant,

for his loyal love endures.

23To the one who remembered us when we were down,

for his loyal love endures,

24and snatched us away from our enemies,

for his loyal love endures.

25To the one who gives food to all living things,

for his loyal love endures.

26Give thanks to the God of heaven,

for his loyal love endures!

Acts 10:24–33

10:24 The following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting anxiously for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25So when Peter came in, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him. 26But Peter helped him up, saying, “Stand up. I too am a mere mortal.” 27Peter continued talking with him as he went in, and he found many people gathered together. 28He said to them, “You know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile, yet God has shown me that I should call no person defiled or ritually unclean. 29Therefore when you sent for me, I came without any objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?” 30Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, and suddenly a man in shining clothing stood before me 31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity have been remembered before God. 32Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’ 33Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. So now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.”