A reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah.

In those days, the princes said to the king,

Jeremiah ought to be put to death.

He is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city,

and all the people by speaking such things to them. He is not interested in the welfare of our people,

but in their ruin. King Zechadiah answered, he is in your power, for the king could do nothing

with them. And so they took Jeremiah, They threw him into a cistern of Prince

Malchia, which was at the quarters of the guard, letting him down with ropes. There was no water

in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud. Ebid Mellie, a court official, went there from the palace and said to him,

My Lord King, these men have been at fault in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah,

casting him into the sister.

He will die of famine on the spot,

for there is no more food in the city.

Then the king ordered Eben Meelik, the Kushite,

to take three men along with him

and draw the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern

before he should die.

The word of the Lord. Thanks to be to God.

Our sung response will be,

Lord, come to my aid, Lord, come to my aid.

Lord, come to my aid. Lord come to my aid. Lord come to my aid. Lord come to my name. Lord, come to my name.

Lord, come to my name.

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