Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

He exhorts people to cease from sin, to spend no more time in vice, to be sober, to be fit and ready to pray, to love each other, and to be patient in trouble – and to beware that no one suffer as an evil-doer, but only as Christian; and not to be ashamed.

4 Inasmuch as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. For he who suffers in the flesh, ceases from sin, ² that he henceforward should live as much time as remains in the flesh, not after the lusts or desires of men, but after the will of God. ³ For it is enough for us that we have spent the time that is past of our life after the will of the Gentiles, walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness; in eating, drinking, and in abominable idolatry.

⁴ And it seems to them a strange thing that you run not also with them to the same excess of disorder, and therefore they speak evil of you. ⁵ But they will give accounts to him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead. ⁶ For to this purpose was the gospel preached to the dead: that they should be judged like other men in the flesh, but should live before God in the spirit.

⁷ The end of all things is at hand. Be therefore discreet and sober, so that you may be fit for prayer. ⁸ But above all things, have fervent love among you. For love covers the multitude of sins.

⁵⁷ When the evening was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, which man also was Jesus’ disciple. ⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

⁵⁹ And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and put it in his new tomb, which he had hewn out even in the rock. He rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed. ⁶¹ And there were Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, sitting across from the sepulchre.

⁶² The next day, which followed the day of preparing the Sabbath, the high priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate ⁶³ and said, Sir, we remember what this deceiver said while he was still alive: After three days, I will arise again. ⁶⁴ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come and steal him away, and say to the people that he is risen from the dead, and the last error be worse than the first.

⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, Take watchmen; go and make it as secure as you can. ⁶⁶ And they went and made the sepulchre secure with watchmen, and sealed the stone.

³⁸ After that, Joseph of Arimathea (who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews) asked Pilate if he could take down the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave him permission.

³⁹ And Nicodemus came also, who at the beginning had gone to Jesus by night, and brought myrrh and aloes mingled together, about a hundred pound weight. ⁴⁰ Then they took the body of Jesus and wound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. ⁴¹ And in the place where Jesus was crucified was a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre, in which no man had ever been laid. ⁴² There they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Sabbath eve. For the sepulchre was near at hand.