Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Chapter 12
Abram’s Call and Migration. 1 The Lord said to Abram: Go forth[a] from your land, your relatives, and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.(A) 2 [b]I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.(B) 3 (C)I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will find blessing in you.[c]
4 (D)Abram went as the Lord directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
Psalm 121[a]
The Lord My Guardian
1 A song of ascents.
I raise my eyes toward the mountains.[b]
From whence shall come my help?(A)
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.(B)
3 He will not allow your foot to slip;(C)
or your guardian to sleep.
4 Behold, the guardian of Israel
never slumbers nor sleeps.
5 [c]The Lord is your guardian;
the Lord is your shade
at your right hand.(D)
6 By day the sun will not strike you,
nor the moon by night.(E)
7 The Lord will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your soul.(F)
8 The Lord will guard your coming and going
both now and forever.(G)
Chapter 4[a]
Abraham Justified by Faith. 1 What then can we say that Abraham found, our ancestor according to the flesh?(A) 2 [b]Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God. 3 (B)For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[c] 4 A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.(C) 5 But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
Inheritance Through Faith. 13 It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.(A) 14 For if those who adhere to the law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.(B) 15 For the law produces wrath;(C) but where there is no law, neither is there violation.[a] 16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,(D) 17 as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.(E)
Chapter 3
Nicodemus.[a] 1 (A)Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.[b] 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.”(B) 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born[c] from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”(C) 5 Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.(D) 6 What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit.(E) 7 Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind[d] blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”(F) 9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can this happen?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? 11 Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony.(G) 12 If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?(H) 13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.(I) 14 And just as Moses lifted up[e] the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,(J) 15 [f]so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
16 For God so loved the world that he gave[g] his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.(K) 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn[h] the world, but that the world might be saved through him.(L)
Chapter 17
The Transfiguration of Jesus.[a] 1 (A)After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.[b] 2 [c](B)And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. 3 [d]And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents[e] here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 (C)While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,[f] then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 [g]When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” 8 And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
The Coming of Elijah.[h] 9 (D)As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision[i] to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
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.