Daily Readings - 25/06/2026

^24:8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem.

^24:9 He did what is displeasing to Yahweh, just as his father had done.

^24:10 At that time the troops of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched on Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.

^24:11 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon himself came to attack the city while his troops were besieging it.

^24:12 Then Jehoiachin king of Judah surrendered to the king of Babylon, he, his mother, his officers, his nobles and his eunuchs, and the king of Babylon took them prisoner. This was in the eighth year of King Nebuchadnezzar.

^24:13 The latter carried off all the treasures of the Temple of Yahweh and the treasures of the royal palace, and broke up all the golden furnishings that Solomon king of Israel had made for the sanctuary of Yahweh, as Yahweh had foretold.

^24:14 He carried off all Jerusalem into exile, all the nobles and all the notables, ten thousand of these were exiled, with all the blacksmiths and metalworkers; only the poorest people in the country were left behind.

^24:15 He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon, as also the king’s mother, his eunuchs and the nobility of the country; he made them all leave Jerusalem for exile in Babylon.

^24:16 All the men of distinction, seven thousand of them, the blacksmiths and metalworkers, one thousand of them, all of them men capable of bearing arms, were led into exile in Babylon by the king of Babylon.

^24:17 The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in succession to him, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

^79:1 God, the pagans have invaded your heritage, they have desecrated your holy Temple; they have reduced Jerusalem to a pile of ruins,

^79:2 they have left the corpses of your servants to the birds of the air for food, and the flesh of your devout to the beasts of the earth.

^79:3 They have shed blood like water throughout Jerusalem, not a gravedigger left!

^79:4 we are now insulted by our neighbours, butt and laughing-stock of all those around us.

^79:5 How much longer will you be angry, Yahweh? For ever? Is your jealousy to go on smouldering like a fire?

^79:6 Pour out your anger on the pagans, who do not acknowledge you, and on those kingdoms that do not call on your name,

^79:7 for they have devoured Jacob and reduced his home to desolation.

^79:8 Do not hold our ancestors’ crimes against us, in tenderness quickly intervene, we can hardly be crushed lower;

^79:9 help us, God our saviour, for the honour of your name; Yahweh, blot out our sins, rescue us for the sake of your name.

^79:10 Why should the pagans ask, ‘Where is their God?’ May we soon see the pagans learning what vengeance you exact for your servants’ blood shed here!

^79:11 May the groans of the captive reach you; by your mighty arm rescue those doomed to die!

^79:12 Pay our neighbours sevenfold, strike to the heart for the monstrous insult proffered to you, Lord!

^79:13 And we your people, the flock that you pasture, giving you everlasting thanks, will recite your praises for ever and ever.

^7:21 ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord”, who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.

^7:22 When the day[*c] comes many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?”

^7:23 Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men!’

^7:24 ‘Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock.

^7:25 Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock.

^7:26 But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand.

^7:27 Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

^7:28 Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and his teaching made a deep impression on the people

^7:29 because he taught them with authority, and not like their own scribes.[*d]