Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Covenant Renewal at Shechem
24 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel (A)to Shechem and (B)summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And (C)they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, (D)your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and (E)they served other gods.
Choose Whom You Will Serve
14 (A)“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. (B)Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 (C)And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, (D)choose this day whom you will serve, whether (E)the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or (F)the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. (G)But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”
15 (A)The eyes of the Lord are towards the righteous
(B)and his ears towards their cry.
16 (C)The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to (D)cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 (E)When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to (F)the broken-hearted
and saves (G)the crushed in spirit.
19 (H)Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
(I)but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
(J)not one of them is broken.
21 (K)Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord (L)redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be (M)condemned.
The Whole Armour of God
10 Finally, (A)be strong in the Lord and in (B)the strength of his might. 11 (C)Put on (D)the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against (E)the schemes of the devil. 12 For (F)we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against (G)the rulers, against the authorities, against (H)the cosmic powers over (I)this present darkness, against (J)the spiritual forces of evil (K)in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore (L)take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in (M)the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, (N)having fastened on the belt of truth, and (O)having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, (P)as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up (Q)the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all (R)the flaming darts of (S)the evil one; 17 and take (T)the helmet of salvation, and (U)the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying (V)at all times (W)in the Spirit, (X)with all prayer and supplication. To that end (Y)keep alert with all perseverance, making (Z)supplication for all the saints, 19 and (AA)also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth (AB)boldly to proclaim (AC)the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I (AD)am an ambassador (AE)in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood (A)abides in me, and I in him. 57 As (B)the living Father (C)sent me, and (D)I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 (E)This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread[a] the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live for ever.” 59 Jesus[b] said these things in the synagogue, as he taught (F)at Capernaum.
The Words of Eternal Life
60 (G)When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, (H)knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offence at this? 62 Then what if you were to see (I)the Son of Man (J)ascending to (K)where he was before? 63 (L)It is the Spirit who gives life; (M)the flesh is no help at all. (N)The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But (O)there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus (P)knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and (Q)who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you (R)that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
66 (S)After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to (T)the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have (U)the words of eternal life, 69 and (V)we have believed, and have come to know, that (W)you are (X)the Holy One of God.”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.