First Reading

Reading from the second Book of Kings

2 Kings 24, 8-17

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother was named Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem. Jehoiachin did what was displeasing to the Lord, just as his father had done.

At that time, the army of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, marched against Jerusalem and besieged the city. Nebuchadnezzar himself arrived at the city while his troops were besieging it. Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother, his servants, his officials, and his palace officials, surrendered to the king of Babylon, who took them prisoner. It was the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.

Nebuchadnezzar carried off to Babylon all the treasures of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace. He broke up all the gold vessels that Solomon, king of Israel, had made for the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had foretold.

He deported to Babylon all Jerusalem: all the officers and men of substance, ten thousand in number, together with all the craftsmen and smiths; only the poorest people of the land were left behind. He also deported Jehoiachin to Babylon, along with the king’s mother, his wives, his officials, and the prominent men of the land; he also led captive to Babylon all the soldiers, seven thousand in number, and a thousand craftsmen and smiths, all of them trained for war.

In place of Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king, changing his name to Zedekiah.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 7, 21-29

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do many mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, because he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.