Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Lord, Not Idols
6 “This is what the Lord says—
Israel’s King(A) and Redeemer,(B) the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;(C)
apart from me there is no God.(D)
7 Who then is like me?(E) Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come—
yes, let them foretell(F) what will come.
8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim(G) this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God(H) besides me?
No, there is no other Rock;(I) I know not one.”
11 Teach me your way,(A) Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;(B)
give me an undivided(C) heart,
that I may fear(D) your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;(E)
I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me(F) from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.(G)
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
they have no regard for you.(H)
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious(I) God,
slow to anger,(J) abounding(K) in love and faithfulness.(L)
16 Turn to me(M) and have mercy(N) on me;
show your strength(O) in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did.(P)
17 Give me a sign(Q) of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.(A) 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die;(B) but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,(C) you will live.(D)
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God(E) are the children of God.(F) 15 The Spirit(G) you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;(H) rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.”(I) 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit(J) that we are God’s children.(K) 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs(L)—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings(M) in order that we may also share in his glory.(N)
Present Suffering and Future Glory
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.(O) 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God(P) to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it,(Q) in hope 21 that[c] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay(R) and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.(S)
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning(T) as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,(U) groan(V) inwardly as we wait eagerly(W) for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.(X) 24 For in this hope we were saved.(Y) But hope that is seen is no hope at all.(Z) Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.(AA)
The Parable of the Weeds
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(A) a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”(B)
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable(A) of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.(B) 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,(C) 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest(D) is the end of the age,(E) and the harvesters are angels.(F)
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man(G) will send out his angels,(H) and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.(I) 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun(J) in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.(K)
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