Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
19 [a]Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak on him. 20 (A)Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please, let me kiss my father and mother good-bye, and I will follow you.” Elijah answered, “Go back! What have I done to you?” 21 Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to the people to eat. Then he left and followed Elijah to serve him.
Psalm 16[a]
God the Supreme Good
I
Keep me safe, O God;
in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord,
you are my Lord,
you are my only good.
3 As for the holy ones who are in the land,
they are noble,
in whom is all my delight.
4 [c]They multiply their sorrows
who court other gods.
Blood libations to them I will not pour out,
nor will I take their names upon my lips.
5 Lord, my allotted portion and my cup,
you have made my destiny secure.(B)
6 [d]Pleasant places were measured out for me;
fair to me indeed is my inheritance.
II
7 I bless the Lord who counsels me;
even at night my heart exhorts me.
8 I keep the Lord always before me;
with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.(C)
9 Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices;
my body also dwells secure,
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
nor let your devout one see the pit.[e](D)
11 You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
13 For you were called for freedom, brothers.(A) But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve[a] one another through love. 14 For the whole law(B) is fulfilled in one statement, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 But if you go on biting and devouring one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.
16 (C)I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.[c] 17 For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want.(D) 18 But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.(E) 19 [d]Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness,(F) 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions,(G) 21 occasions of envy,[e] drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,(H) 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.(I) 24 Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus] have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.(J) 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.(K)
V. The Journey to Jerusalem: Luke’s Travel Narrative[a]
Departure for Jerusalem; Samaritan Inhospitality. 51 [b]When the days for his being taken up[c] were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,(A) 52 [d]and he sent messengers ahead of him.(B) On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, 53 but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”(C) 55 Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they journeyed to another village.
The Would-be Followers of Jesus.[e] 57 (D)As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” 59 And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “[Lord,] let me go first and bury my father.” 60 But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead.[f] But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 (E)And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” 62 [To him] Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.