Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Obedient Servant
4 The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are instructed(A)
to know how to sustain the weary with a word.
He awakens me each morning;
he awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed.(B)
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I did not turn back.(C)
6 I gave my back to those who beat me,
and my cheeks to those who tore out my beard.
I did not hide my face from scorn and spitting.(D)
Psalm 116
Thanks to God for Deliverance
1 I love the Lord because he has heard
my appeal for mercy.(A)
2 Because he has turned his ear to me,
I will call out to him as long as I live.(B)
3 The ropes of death were wrapped around me,
and the torments of Sheol overcame me;
I encountered trouble and sorrow.(C)
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!” (D)
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is compassionate.(E)
6 The Lord guards the inexperienced;
I was helpless, and he saved me.(F)
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.(G)
8 For you, Lord, rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.(H)
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.(I)
Controlling the Tongue
3 Not many should become teachers, my brothers,[a] because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.(A) 2 For we all stumble in many ways.(B) If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.(C) 3 Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us,(D) we direct their whole bodies. 4 And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things.(E) Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed[b] among our members. It stains the whole body,(F) sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.(G) 9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness.(H) 10 Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.
Peter’s Confession of the Messiah
27 Jesus(A) went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
28 They answered him, “John the Baptist;(B) others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”(C)
29 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”
Peter(D) answered him, “You are the Messiah.”(E) 30 And he strictly warned(F) them to tell no one about him.
His Death and Resurrection Predicted
31 Then(G) he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man(H) to suffer many things and be rejected(I) by the elders,(J) chief priests, and scribes,(K) be killed, and rise(L) after three days.(M) 32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan!(N) You are not thinking about God’s concerns[a] but human concerns.”
Take Up Your Cross
34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself,(O) take up his cross,(P) and follow me.(Q) 35 For whoever wants to save(R) his life will lose it,(S) but whoever loses(T) his life(U) because of me(V) and the gospel(W) will save it.(X) 36 For what does it benefit(Y) someone to gain(Z) the whole world(AA) and yet lose(AB) his life?(AC) 37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life?(AD) 38 For whoever is ashamed(AE) of me and my words(AF) in this adulterous and sinful(AG) generation,(AH) the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory(AI) of his Father(AJ) with the holy(AK) angels.”(AL)
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