Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁶ But godliness is great wealth, if a man is content with what he has. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and it is a plain case that we can carry nothing out. ⁸ When we have food and clothing, let us therewith be content. ⁹ Those who want to be rich fall into temptation and snares, and into many foolish and harmful desires, which drown men in perdition and destruction. ¹⁰ For covetousness is the root of all evil, which, when some followed after, they erred from the faith, and tangled themselves with many sorrows. ¹¹ But you who are the man of God, flee such things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, love, patience, and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, to which you are called and have pledged yourself with a good profession before many witnesses.

¹³ I give you charge in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and before Jesus Christ, who bore faithful witness under Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment, and be without spot and unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ – ¹⁵ which appearing (when the time is come) he will show, who is blessed and sole in dominion, King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, and dwells in light to which no man can attain, whom no man ever saw neither can see: to whom be honour and rule everlasting. Amen.

¹⁷ Charge those who are rich in this world not to be high-minded, and not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us abundantly all things, to enjoy them; ¹⁸ and to do good, and to be rich in good works, and ready to give and distribute, ¹⁹ laying up in store for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, so that they may obtain eternal life.

¹⁹ There was a certain rich man that was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared deliciously every day. ²⁰ And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus who lay at his gate, full of sores, ²¹ longing to be relieved of hunger with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Nevertheless, the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried; ²³ and being in hell, in torments, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ And he cried out and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue! For I am tormented in this flame.

²⁵ But Abraham said to him, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your pleasure, and contrariwise Lazarus pain. Now therefore he is comforted, and you are punished. ²⁶ Beyond all this, between all you and us there is a great space set, so that those who would desire to go from here to you cannot, and none may come from there to us.

²⁷ Then he said, I pray you therefore, Father, send him to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brethren, to warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

²⁹ Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them.

³⁰ And he said, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one came to them from the dead, they would repent.

³¹ He said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe though one rose from death again.