Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
No God Other Than Yahweh
6 This is what the Lord, the King of Israel and its Redeemer,(A) the Lord of Hosts, says:
I am the first and I am the last.(B)
There is no God but Me.(C)
7 Who, like Me, can announce the future?
Let him say so and make a case before Me,(D)
since I have established an ancient people.
Let these gods declare[a] the coming things,
and what will take place.
8 Do not be startled or afraid.
Have I not told you and declared it long ago?
You are my witnesses!(E)
Is there any God but Me?(F)
There is no other Rock;(G) I do not know any.
11 Teach me Your way, Yahweh,
and I will live by Your truth.
Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name.(A)
12 I will praise You with all my heart, Lord my God,
and will honor Your name forever.(B)
13 For Your faithful love for me is great,
and You deliver my life from the depths of Sheol.(C)
14 God, arrogant people have attacked me;
a gang of ruthless men seeks my life.
They have no regard for You.(D)
15 But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth.(E)
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me.
Give Your strength to Your servant;
save the son of Your female servant.(F)
17 Show me a sign of Your goodness;
my enemies will see and be put to shame
because You, Lord, have helped and comforted me.(G)
The Holy Spirit’s Ministries
12 So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,(A) you will live. 14 All those led by God’s Spirit(B) are God’s sons.(C) 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,(D) but you received the Spirit of adoption,(E) by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”(F) 16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit(G) that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs(H)—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that[a] we suffer with Him(I) so that we may also be glorified with Him.
From Groans to Glory
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing(J) with the glory(K) that is going to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation(L) for God’s sons(M) to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected(N) to futility(O)—not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it(P)—in the hope 21 that the creation itself(Q) will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains(R) until now. 23 And not only that,(S) but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits(T)—we also groan within ourselves,(U) eagerly waiting for adoption,(V) the redemption of our bodies.(W) 24 Now in this hope(X) we were saved, yet hope(Y) that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see,(Z) we eagerly wait for it with patience.
The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds
24 He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.(A) 25 But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds[a] among the wheat, and left. 26 When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. 27 The landowner’s slaves(B) came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this!’ he told them.
“‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up?’ the slaves asked him.
29 “‘No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.’”
Jesus Interprets the Wheat and the Weeds
36 Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, “Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us.”(A)
37 He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,(B) 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.(C) 40 Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.(D) 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin[a] and those guilty of lawlessness.[b](E) 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace(F) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.(G) 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears[c] should listen!(H)
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