Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁰ Be glad with Jerusalem and have joy in her, all you who love her. Be filled with joy for her, all you who have sorrow for her. ¹¹ Then you will nurse and be filled with her comforting breasts. You will drink and be happy with her greatness.” ¹² For the Lord says, “See, I will give peace to her like a river, and the greatness of the nations like a river flowing over. And you will be nursed. You will be carried at the side and given loving-kindness on the knees. ¹³ I will comfort you as one is comforted by his mother. And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.” ¹⁴ When you see this, your heart will be glad. Your bones will get new strength like the new grass. And the hand of the Lord will be made known to His servants. But He will be angry with those who hate Him.

Song of Praise and Thanks to God

66 Raise the voice of joy to God, all the earth! ² Sing out the honor of His name! Make His praise great! ³ Say to God, “How Your great works make those who hate You afraid! They will have to obey You because of Your great power. ⁴ All the earth will worship You and sing praises to You. They will sing praises to Your name.”

⁵ Come and see what God has done. There is much fear because of His great works toward the children of men. ⁶ He changed the sea into dry land. They passed through the river on foot. There we were full of joy in Him. ⁷ He rules forever by His power. His eyes keep watch over the nations. Do not let those who do not obey You honor themselves.

⁸ Give honor and thanks to God, O people, and let all hear how great He is! ⁹ He keeps us alive, and does not let our feet go out from under us.

Help Other Christians

6 Christian brothers, if a person is found doing some sin, you who are stronger Christians should lead that one back into the right way. Do not be proud as you do it. Watch yourself, because you may be tempted also. ² Help each other in troubles and problems. This is the kind of law Christ asks us to obey. ³ If anyone thinks he is important when he is nothing, he is fooling himself. ⁴ Everyone should look at himself and see how he does his own work. Then he can be happy in what he has done. He should not compare himself with his neighbor. ⁵ Everyone must do his own work.

⁶ He who is taught God’s Word should share the good things he has with his teacher.

⁷ Do not be fooled. You cannot fool God. A man will get back whatever he plants! ⁸ If a man does things to please his sinful old self, his soul will be lost. If a man does things to please the Holy Spirit, he will have life that lasts forever. ⁹ Do not let yourselves get tired of doing good. If we do not give up, we will get what is coming to us at the right time. ¹⁰ Because of this, we should do good to everyone. For sure, we should do good to those who belong to Christ.

The Christian’s Pride Should Be in the Cross

¹¹ See what big letters I make when I write to you with my own hand. ¹² Those men who say you must go through the religious act of becoming a Jew are doing it because they want to make a good show in front of the world. They do this so they will not have to suffer because of following the way of the cross of Christ. ¹³ Those who have gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew do not even keep the Law themselves. But they want you to go through that religious act so they can be proud that you are their followers. ¹⁴ I do not want to be proud of anything except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of the cross, the ways of this world are dead to me, and I am dead to them. ¹⁵ If a person does or does not go through the religious act of becoming a Jew, it is worth nothing. The important thing is to become a new person. ¹⁶ Those who follow this way will have God’s peace and loving-kindness. They are the people of God.

Seventy Are Sent Out

10 After this the Lord chose seventy others. He sent them out two together to every city and place where He would be going later. ² Jesus said to them, “There is much grain ready to gather. But the workmen are few. Pray then to the Lord Who is the Owner of the grain-fields that He will send workmen to gather His grain. ³ Go on your way. Listen! I send you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴ Take no money. Do not take a bag or shoes. Speak to no one along the way. ⁵ When you go into a house, say that you hope peace will come to them. ⁶ If a man who loves peace lives there, your good wishes will come to him. If your good wishes are not received, they will come back to you. ⁷ Stay in the same house. Eat and drink what they give you. The workman should have his thanks. Do not move from house to house.

⁸ “Whenever a city receives you, eat the things that are put before you there. ⁹ Heal the sick. Say to them, ‘The holy nation of God is near.’ ¹⁰ Whatever city does not receive you, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your city that is on our feet we are cleaning off against you. But understand this, the holy nation of God has come near you!’

¹⁶ Whoever listens to you, listens to Me. Whoever has nothing to do with you, has nothing to do with Me. Whoever has nothing to do with Me, has nothing to do with the One Who sent Me.”

The Seventy Came Back

¹⁷ The seventy came back full of joy. They said, “Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we used Your name.” ¹⁸ Jesus said to them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. ¹⁹ Listen! I have given you power to walk on snakes. I have given you power over small animals with a sting of poison. I have given you power over all the power of the one who works against you. Nothing will hurt you. ²⁰ Even so, you should not be happy because the demons obey you but be happy because your names are written in heaven.”