Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven
and do not return there
without saturating the earth
and making it germinate and sprout,
and providing seed to sow
and food to eat,(A)
11 so my word that comes from my mouth
will not return to me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please
and will prosper in what I send it to do.”(B)
12 You will indeed go out with joy
and be peacefully guided;
the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.(C)
13 Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up,
and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up;(D)
this will stand as a monument for the Lord,(E)
an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed.
Psalm 65
God’s Care for the Earth
For the choir director. A psalm of David. A song.
1 Praise is rightfully yours,[a]
God, in Zion;
vows to you will be fulfilled.(A)
2 All humanity will come to you,
the one who hears prayer.(B)
3 Iniquities overwhelm me;
only you can atone for our rebellions.(C)
4 How happy is the one you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house,(D)
the holiness of your temple.[b](E)
5 You answer us in righteousness,
with awe-inspiring works,
God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the distant seas.(F)
6 You establish the mountains by your power;
you are robed with strength.(G)
7 You silence the roar of the seas,
the roar of their waves,
and the tumult of the nations.(H)
8 Those who live far away are awed by your signs;
you make east and west shout for joy.(I)
9 You visit the earth and water it abundantly,
enriching it greatly.
God’s stream is filled with water,
for you prepare the earth in this way,
providing people with grain.(A)
10 You soften it with showers and bless its growth,
soaking its furrows and leveling its ridges.(B)
11 You crown the year with your goodness;
your carts overflow with plenty.[a](C)
12 The wilderness pastures overflow,
and the hills are robed with joy.(D)
13 The pastures are clothed with flocks
and the valleys covered with grain.(E)
They shout in triumph; indeed, they sing.(F)
The Life-Giving Spirit
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation(A) for those in(B) Christ Jesus,[a](C) 2 because the law[b] of the Spirit of life(D) in Christ Jesus has set you[c] free from the law[d] of sin and death.(E) 3 For what the law could not do(F) since it was weakened by the flesh,(G) God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh(H) as a sin offering,[e](I) 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled(J) in us who do not walk according to the flesh(K) but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh,(L) but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh(M) is death,(N) but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile(O) to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh(P) cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.(Q) If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,(R) he does not belong to him. 10 Now if Christ is in you,(S) the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit[f] gives life[g] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead(T) lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through[h] his Spirit who lives in you.
The Parable of the Sower
13 On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.(A) 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore.(B)
3 Then he told them many things in parables,(C) saying, “Consider the sower who went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep. 6 But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.(D) 9 Let anyone who has ears[a] listen.”(E)
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 “So listen to the parable of the sower: (A) 19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path.(B) 20 And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.(C) 21 But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution(D) comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age(E) and the deceitfulness[a] of wealth(F) choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does produce fruit and yields: some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown.”
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