Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁷ My brothers, do as I do, all of you. Look at the people who live the way we have lived.

¹⁸ Many people live as if they hated the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them, and I tell you now with tears.

¹⁹ They will be lost for ever. Their belly is the god they worship. They boast about things they should be ashamed of. They think only about things of this world.

²⁰ But we belong to heaven. And we are waiting for the Saviour to come from heaven. He is the Lord Jesus Christ.

²¹ He will change our body which was made for this world. He will make it like his own wonderful body. He will do this by his power to make all things obey him.

4 And so, my brothers, I love you and want very much to be with you. I am very happy about you. And you are like a prize I have won in a race. My dear people, keep on standing firm and strong in the Lord.

³¹ At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus. They said to him, `Go away from here. Herod wants to kill you.'

³² He said, `Go and tell that fox, "I drive bad spirits out of people and heal people. I do it today and tomorrow. On the third day I will finish what I am doing."

³³ But I must go on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day. A prophet of God cannot be killed outside of Jerusalem.

³⁴ `O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets of God. You throw stones to kill men who are sent to you. How often I have wanted to gather your people together as a mother hen gathers her little ones under her wings. But you would not come!

³⁵ Now you are left alone in your house. I tell you this. You will not see me again until the time when you say, "God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord." '

²⁸ About eight days after saying these things, Jesus went up on a hill to talk with God. He took Peter, John, and James with him.

²⁹ As he was talking with God, he was changed. His face was different. His clothes became very white and shining.

³⁰ And then two men were talking with Jesus. They were Moses and Elijah.

³¹ Light was shining from them. They talked about his leaving this world. That would happen when he was in Jerusalem.

³² Peter and the others were very sleepy. They woke up and saw the light shining from Jesus. And they saw the two men standing with him.

³³ When the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, `Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three places here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' Peter did not know what he was saying.

³⁴ As he said this, a cloud came over them. They were very much afraid when the cloud came around them.

³⁵ A voice in the cloud said, `This is my dear Son. Listen to him!'

³⁶ The talking stopped. Then Jesus was left alone. The disciples did not say anything. They did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

³⁷ The next day they came down the hill. Many people met him.

³⁸ One man among them called out, `Teacher, I beg you, look at my son. He is my only child.

³⁹ A bad spirit takes hold of him and he screams. It throws him around and makes him foam at his mouth. It beats him badly and does not want to leave him.

⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to drive the bad spirit out, but they could not do it.'

⁴¹ Jesus said, `You people today do not believe. You have turned away from God. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.'

⁴² While he was coming, the bad spirit knocked him down and threw him around. Jesus told the spirit to stop. He healed the boy and gave him back to his father.

⁴³ All the people were surprised to see that God has so much power. While the people were wondering about everything Jesus did, he talked to his disciples.