Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Abram leaves Haran

12 The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country and the people of your father's family. Go to the land that I will show you.^[a]

² I will cause your descendants to become a great nation. I will bless you. Everyone will know your name. You will bring my blessing to other people. ³ I will bless those people who bless you. But I will curse anyone who insults you. Through you, I will bless all the families of people on the earth.’^[b]

⁴ Abram did what the Lord had told him. He left Haran. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Lot went with him.

A song to sing as we climb.

Only God can keep me safe^[a]

Abraham believed God

4 Abraham was the ancestor of all of us who are Jews. Think about what he discovered. ² God did not accept Abraham as right with him because Abraham had done good things. If God had done that, then Abraham would have been able to boast about himself. But he could not boast to God. ³ Remember what the Bible tells us. It says: ‘Abraham believed God. As a result, God accepted Abraham as right with him.’^[a]

⁴ When a person works to get money, it is right for him to receive his money. That money is not a gift. It is what that person ought to receive as a result of his work. ⁵ But someone may believe in God. He does not work to cause God to accept him. God accepts that person because of their faith. God says that people who have turned away from him are right with him, if they trust him. That is God's gift to them.

¹³ God promised to Abraham, and to his descendants, that the world would belong to them one day.^[a] God did not promise that because Abraham obeyed any rules. God promised it because Abraham believed in him. That is why God accepted Abraham as right with him. ¹⁴ People cannot get what God promised because they obey rules. If they could get it like that, then faith in God would be worth nothing. And what God promised would be worth nothing. ¹⁵ The rules in Moses' Law say that God will punish people who do not obey those rules. But without any rules, there is nothing for people to obey.

¹⁶ So God gives us his promise as a gift, because he is very kind. We receive it when we trust him. If we believe in God like Abraham did, then God accepts us. That is God's promise to all of Abraham's family. If we believe in God, we can call Abraham our ancestor. We can all receive what God has promised. It is not only for those who have Moses' Law to obey. ¹⁷ In the Bible, God said to Abraham, ‘I have chosen you to become the ancestor of many different people.’^[b] That is what God himself promises, because Abraham believed in him. God is the one who causes dead people to become alive again. He speaks about things that are not yet there as if they were already there.

Jesus and Nicodemus

3 There was a Pharisee called Nicodemus. He was one of the Jewish leaders. ² He came to speak with Jesus at night. He said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we know that God has sent you to us. We have seen the miracles that you are doing. Nobody could do these things unless God was with him.’ ³ Jesus replied, ‘I tell you this: Unless a person is born from above, they cannot understand the kingdom of God.’ ⁴ Nicodemus asked, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot return into his mother's body. He cannot be born a second time.’ ⁵ Jesus explained, ‘I tell you this: Unless a person is born by water and by God's Spirit, he cannot come into the kingdom of God. ⁶ People give birth to what is human. But God's Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ I said to you, “You must be born from above.” What I said should not surprise you. ⁸ When someone is born by God's Spirit, it is like the wind that blows. The wind blows wherever it chooses to blow. You can hear it. But you do not know where it came from or where it is going.’

⁹ Nicodemus asked, ‘How can this happen?’ ¹⁰ Jesus replied, ‘You are an important teacher of people in Israel. You ought to understand these things! ¹¹ I tell you this: We speak about things that we know. We tell you about what we have seen. But even then, you people do not believe our message. ¹² I have told you about things that happen in this world. And you do not believe me. But now I am telling you about things that happen in heaven. So I do not think that you will ever believe me about those things. ¹³ The Son of Man came down from heaven. Nobody else has gone up to heaven except him. ¹⁴ Long ago Moses lifted up the metal snake in the wilderness to save his people.^[a] In the same way, people must lift up the Son of Man on a cross. ¹⁵ As a result, everyone who believes him will be able to live for ever with God. ¹⁶ God loved the people in the world so much that he gave his one and only Son to save them. As a result, everyone who believes in the Son will not die. Instead, they will live for ever with God.’

¹⁷ God did not send his Son into the world because he wanted to punish people. He sent his Son to save the people in the world from punishment.

Three disciples see how great Jesus is

17 Six days after that, Jesus asked Peter and the two brothers, James and John, to go with him. Jesus led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² Peter, James and John saw Jesus change in front of them. He became different to look at. His face was bright like the sun. His clothes became very white and they shone. ³ Then Moses and Elijah appeared in front of the three disciples.^[a][b] They were talking with Jesus.

⁴ Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good that we are here. If you want, please let me build three huts. One hut will be for you. One hut will be for Moses and one hut will be for Elijah.’^[c]

⁵ While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud appeared. It covered them all. A voice spoke from the cloud and it said, ‘This is my Son and I love him. He makes me very happy. Listen to him.’

⁶ The disciples heard the voice. They threw themselves down to the ground. They were very frightened. ⁷ But Jesus came to them and he touched them. ‘Stand up,’ he said. ‘Do not be afraid.’ ⁸ When they looked up, they could not see anyone else. Only Jesus was there with them.

⁹ While they were walking down the mountain, Jesus said to the three disciples, ‘You must not tell anyone now about the things that you have just seen. One day, the Son of Man will die and then he will become alive again. Then you can tell people about these things.’