Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
15 I will depart and return to My place
until they recognize their guilt and seek My face;(A)
they will search for Me in their distress.(B)
A Call to Repentance
6 Come, let us return to the Lord.(C)
For He has torn us,(D)
and He will heal us;(E)
He has wounded us,
and He will bind up our wounds.(F)
2 He will revive us after two days,(G)
and on the third day He will raise us up
so we can live in His presence.(H)
3 Let us strive to know the Lord.(I)
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.(J)
He will come to us like the rain,(K)
like the spring showers that water the land.
The Lord’s First Lament
4 What am I going to do with you, Ephraim?(L)
What am I going to do with you, Judah?
Your loyalty is like the morning mist(M)
and like the early dew that vanishes.
5 This is why I have used the prophets
to cut them down;[a](N)
I have killed them with the words of My mouth.
My judgment strikes like lightning.[b]
6 For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God(O) rather than burnt offerings.(P)
7 “Listen, My people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel.
I am God, your God.(A)
8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices
or for your burnt offerings,
which are continually before Me.(B)
9 I will not accept a bull from your household
or male goats from your pens,(C)
10 for every animal of the forest is Mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird of the mountains,[a]
and the creatures of the field are Mine.(D)
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and everything in it is Mine.(E)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?(F)
14 Sacrifice a thank offering to God,(G)
and pay your vows to the Most High.(H)
15 Call on Me in a day of trouble;
I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.”(I)
The Promise Granted through Faith
13 For the promise to Abraham(A) or to his descendants that he would inherit the world(B) was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.[a] 14 If those who are of the law are heirs,(C) faith is made empty and the promise is canceled. 15 For the law produces wrath.(D) And where there is no law,(E) there is no transgression.
16 This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace,(F) to guarantee it to all the descendants(G)—not only to those who are of the law[b] but also to those who are of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all 17 in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations.(H)[c] He believed in God, who gives life to the dead(I) and calls(J) things into existence that do not exist.(K) 18 He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations(L)[d] according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.(M)[e] 19 He considered[f] his own body to be already dead(N) (since he was about 100 years old)(O) and also considered the deadness of Sarah’s womb,(P) without weakening in the faith. 20 He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,(Q) 21 because he was fully convinced(R) that what He had promised He was also able to perform.(S) 22 Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness.(T)[g] 23 Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone,(U) 24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him(V) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(W) 25 He was delivered up for[h] our trespasses(X) and raised for[i] our justification.[j](Y)
The Call of Matthew
9 As Jesus went on from there,(A) He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” So he got up and followed Him.(B)
10 While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat[a] with Jesus and His disciples.(C) 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”(D)
12 But when He heard this, He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do.(E) 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.(F)[b] For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”[c]
A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed
18 As He was telling them these things,(A) suddenly one of the leaders[a] came and knelt down before Him, saying, “My daughter is near death,[b] but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”(B) 19 So Jesus and His disciples got up and followed(C) him.
20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years approached from behind and touched the tassel on His robe,(D) 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch His robe, I’ll be made well!”[c](E)
22 But Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” He said. “Your faith has made you well.”[d](F) And the woman was made well from that moment.[e]
23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house, He saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.(G) 24 “Leave,” He said, “because the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.”(H) And they started laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.(I) 26 And this news spread throughout that whole area.(J)
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