Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁵ For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus to be the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For it is God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, which has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing power of it may be seen to be of God, and not of us. ⁸ We are troubled on every side, yet we are not without means. We are in poverty, but not utterly bereft. ⁹ We are persecuted, but are not forsaken. We are cast down, nevertheless we do not perish. ¹⁰ And we always bear in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus so that the life of Jesus may appear in our bodies. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life also of Jesus may appear in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then, death works in us, and life in you.

²³ And it chanced that he was walking through the grain fields in the Sabbath days, and his disciples, as they went their way, began to pluck the ears of grain. ²⁴ And the Pharisees said to him, Look, why are they doing on the Sabbath days that which is not lawful?

²⁵ And he said to them, Have you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry, both he and those who were with him? ²⁶ How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest and did eat the hallowed loaves, which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests only, and gave also to those who were with him?

²⁷ And he said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ Therefore the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.

He helps the man with the withered hand, and chooses his apostles. He casts out the unclean spirit, which the Pharisees ascribe to the devil. The brother, sister, and mother of Christ.

3 And he entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. ² And they watched him to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath day, so that they might accuse him. ³ And he said to the man who had the withered hand, Arise, and stand in the midst. ⁴ And he said to them, Is it lawful to do a good deed on the Sabbath days, or an evil deed? To save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. ⁵ And he looked round about on them angrily, mourning the blindness of their hearts, and said to the man, Stretch forth your hand. And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored fully as whole as the other.

⁶ Then the Pharisees departed, and straightaway assembled a council with Herod’s men against him, so that they might destroy him.