Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Child-Like Trust in the Lord

131 O Lord, my heart is not proud. My eyes are not filled with pride. And I do not trouble myself with important things or in things too great for me. ² For sure I have made my soul quiet like a child who no longer nurses while he is with his mother. My soul within me is like a child who no longer nurses. ³ O Israel, hope in the Lord, now and forever.

The Linen Belt

13 The Lord said to me, “Go and buy a linen belt, and put it around yourself. But do not put it in water.” ² So I bought the belt as the Lord had said and put it around me. ³ Then the Word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, ⁴ “Take the belt that you have bought and are wearing, get up, and go to the Euphrates. Hide it there in a hole in the rock.” ⁵ So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord had told me. ⁶ After many days the Lord said to me, “Get up and go to the Euphrates and get the belt which I told you to hide there.” ⁷ Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the belt from the place where I had hidden it. And I saw that the belt was worth nothing.

⁸ Then the Word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁹ “This is what the Lord says: ‘In this way I will destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. ¹⁰ These sinful people would not listen to My words. They walk in the strong-will of their own hearts and have gone to serve and worship other gods. So let them be just like this linen belt, which is good for nothing. ¹¹ For as the belt holds on to a man’s body, so I made the whole family of Israel and the whole family of Judah hold on to Me,’ says the Lord. ‘This was so that they might be for Me a people, a name, a praise, and an honor. But they would not listen.’

Jesus Washes the Feet of His Followers

13 It was before the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had loved His own who were in the world. He loved them to the end. ² He and His followers were having supper. Satan had put the thought into the heart of Judas Iscariot of handing Jesus over to the leaders of the country. ³ Jesus knew the Father had put everything into His hands. He knew He had come from God and was going back to God. ⁴ Jesus got up from the supper and took off His coat. He picked up a cloth and put it around Him. ⁵ Then He put water into a wash pan and began to wash the feet of His followers. He dried their feet with the cloth He had put around Himself.

Peter Speaks Out against Jesus Washing His Feet

⁶ Jesus came to Simon Peter. Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered him, “You do not understand now what I am doing but you will later.” ⁸ Peter said to Him, “I will never let You wash my feet.” Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you will not be a part of Me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, do not wash only my feet, but wash my hands and my head also.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Anyone who has washed his body needs only to wash his feet. Then he is clean all over. You are all clean except one.” ¹¹ Jesus knew who was going to hand Him over to the leaders. That is why He said, “You are all clean except one.”

Jesus Tells Why He Washed Their Feet

¹² Jesus washed their feet and put on His coat. Then He sat down again and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? ¹³ You call Me Teacher and Lord. You are right because that is what I am. ¹⁴ I am your Teacher and Lord. I have washed your feet. You should wash each other’s feet also. ¹⁵ I have done this to show you what should be done. You should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶ For sure, I tell you, a workman who is owned by someone is not greater than his owner. One who is sent is not greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you will be happy if you do them.