Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁴ but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree^(A) and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life,^(B) for I’m no better than my fathers.” ⁵ Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.

Suddenly, an angel touched him.^(C) The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water.^(D) So he ate and drank and lay down again. ⁷ Then the angel of the Lord^(E) returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked 40 days and 40 nights^(F) to Horeb, the mountain of God.^(G)

Psalm 34

The Lord Delivers the Righteous

Concerning David, when he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech,^[a](A) who drove him out, and he departed.

²⁵ Since you put away^(A) lying, Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,^(B)[a] because we are members of one another. ²⁶ Be angry and do not sin.^(C)[b] Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and don’t give the Devil an opportunity. ²⁸ The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share^(D) with anyone in need. ²⁹ No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need,^[c] so that it gives grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit.^(E) You were sealed by Him^[d] for the day of redemption.^{(F) 31} All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. ³² And be kind^(G) and compassionate^(H) to one another, forgiving^(I) one another, just as God also forgave you^[e] in Christ.

5 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. ² And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us,^(J) a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

³⁵ “I am^(A) the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to Me^(B) will ever be hungry,^(C) and no one who believes in Me^(D) will ever be thirsty^(E) again.

⁴¹ Therefore the Jews started complaining about Him because He said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They were saying, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph,^(A) whose father and mother we know? How can He now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

⁴³ Jesus answered them, “Stop complaining among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws^[a] him, and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets:^(B) And they will all be taught by God.^(C)[b] Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father^(D) comes to Me— ⁴⁶ not that anyone has seen the Father^(E) except the One who is from God.^(F) He has seen the Father.^(G)

⁴⁷ “I assure you: Anyone who believes^[c] has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna^(H) in the wilderness,^(I) and they died. ⁵⁰ This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die.^{(J) 51} I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live^(K) forever.^(L) The bread that I will give for the life^(M) of the world is My flesh.”^(N)