Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Review of Israel’s History
24 Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem(A) and summoned Israel’s elders, leaders, judges, and officers, and they presented themselves before God.(B) 2 Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah,(C) the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.
The Covenant Renewal
14 “Therefore, fear the Lord and worship Him in sincerity and truth.(A) Get rid of the gods your fathers worshiped(B) beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship Yahweh. 15 But if it doesn’t please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living.(C) As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh.”
16 The people replied, “We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods! 17 For the Lord our God brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery,(D) and performed these great signs before our eyes. He also protected us all along the way we went and among all the peoples whose lands we traveled through. 18 The Lord drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. We too will worship the Lord, because He is our God.”
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and His ears are open to their cry for help.(A)
16 The face of the Lord is set
against those who do what is evil,(B)
to erase[a] all memory of them from the earth.(C)
17 The righteous[b] cry out, and the Lord hears,
and delivers them from all their troubles.(D)
18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
He saves those crushed in spirit.(E)
19 Many adversities come to the one who is righteous,
but the Lord delivers him from them all.(F)
20 He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.(G)
21 Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.(H)
22 The Lord redeems the life of His servants,
and all who take refuge in Him will not be punished.(I)
Christian Warfare
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.(A) 11 Put on(B) the full armor(C) of God so that you can stand against the tactics[a] of the Devil. 12 For our battle is not against flesh(D) and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,(E) against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil(F) in the heavens.(G) 13 This is why you must take up the full armor(H) of God, so that you may be able to resist(I) in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand,(J) therefore,
with truth(K) like a belt around your waist,
righteousness(L) like armor on your chest,(M)
15 and your feet sandaled with readiness
for the gospel of peace.[b]
16 In every situation take the shield(N) of faith,(O)
and with it you will be able to extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one.(P)
17 Take the helmet(Q) of salvation,
and the sword(R) of the Spirit,(S)
which is God’s word.
18 Pray(T) at all times in the Spirit(U) with every prayer and request, and stay alert(V) in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness(W) the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador(X) in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.
56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood lives in Me, and I in him.(A) 57 Just as the living(B) Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live(C) because of Me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna[a] your fathers ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”(D)
59 He said these things while teaching in the synagogue(E) in Capernaum.(F)
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60 Therefore, when many of His disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard! Who can accept[b] it?”
61 Jesus, knowing in Himself(G) that His disciples were complaining about this, asked them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to observe the Son of Man(H) ascending(I) to where He was before? 63 The Spirit(J) is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning(K) those who would not[c] believe and the one who would betray(L) Him.) 65 He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me(M) unless it is granted to him by the Father.”
66 From that moment many of His disciples turned back and no longer accompanied Him. 67 Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve,(N) “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”
68 Simon Peter(O) answered, “Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God!”[d](P)
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