Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Since we have been delivered from sin through Christ, we must fashion ourselves to live as the servants of God, not following our own desires. The different rewards of righteousness and sin.

6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, so that there may be an abundance of grace? ² God forbid. How can we, who are dead as regards sin, live any longer in it? ³ Do you not remember that all we who are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, are baptized to die with him? ⁴ We are buried with him by baptism in order to die, so that in the same way as Christ was raised up from death by the glory of the Father, we also may walk in a new life. ⁵ For if we are grafted in death like him, so also must we be in the resurrection. ⁶ We must remember that our old man is crucified with him also, so that the body of sin may utterly be destroyed, to the intent that henceforth we will not be servants of sin. ⁷ For he who is dead, is justified from sin.

⁸ And so if we are dead with Christ, we believe that we are to live with him – ⁹ remembering that Christ, once raised from death, dies no more. Death no longer has power over him. ¹⁰ For concerning that he died, he died as to sin once. And concerning that he lives, he lives unto God. ¹¹ Think of yourselves also in the same way: that you are dead concerning sin, but are alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

²⁴ The disciple is not above his teacher, nor yet the servant above his lord. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple to be as his teacher is, and that the servant be as his lord is. If they have called the Lord of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household so? ²⁶ Fear them not therefore. There is nothing so closed that it will not be opened, and nothing so hid that it will not be known.

²⁷ What I tell you in darkness, that speak in light. And what you hear in the ear, that preach on the house tops. ²⁸ And fear not those who kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body into hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And yet none of them lights on the ground without your Father. ³⁰ And now all the hairs of your heads are numbered. ³¹ Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.

³² Whosoever therefore acknowledges me before men, him will I acknowledge also before my Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whosoever denies me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.

³⁴ Think not that I have come to send peace into the earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶ And a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.

³⁷ He who loves his father or mother more than me, is not meet for me. And he who loves his son or daughter more than me, is not meet for me. ³⁸ And he who does not take up his cross and follow me, is not meet for me. ³⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake, will find it.