Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

It is not eloquence and glorious painted words of worldly wisdom that can edify and convert souls to Christ, but the plain words of the scripture. For they tell of him and his cross.

2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in gloriousness of words or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. ² Nor did I show myself to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. ³ And I was among you in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my words and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith would not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

⁶ That which we speak of is wisdom among those who are sound: not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world (who come to nothing), ⁷ but we speak the wisdom of God, which is in secret and lies hid, which God ordained before the world for our glory. ⁸ Which wisdom none of the rulers of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. ⁹ But as it is written: The eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love him.

¹⁰ But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yea, the bottom of God’s secrets. ¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of a man which is within him? In the same way, the things of God are known by no man, but by the Spirit of God. ¹² And we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes of God, in order to know the things that are given to us by God –

¹³ which things also we speak, not in the wise words of man’s wisdom, but with the wise words of the Holy Spirit, making spiritual comparisons of spiritual things. ¹⁴ For the natural man does not perceive the things of the Spirit of God. For they are but foolishness to him. Nor can he perceive them, because they are spiritually examined. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual evaluates all things. Yet he himself is judged by no man. ¹⁶ For who knows the mind of the Lord, or who shall inform him? But we understand the mind of Christ.

¹³ You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost her saltness, what can be salted with it? It is thereafter good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden underfoot by men.

¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

¹⁷ Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. No, I have not come to destroy them, but to fulfil them. ¹⁸ For truly I say to you, till heaven and earth perish, not one jot or one tittle of the law shall escape, till all be fulfilled. ¹⁹ Whosoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, he will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever observes and teaches them, the same will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I say to you, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.