Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The people agree to serve the Lord

24 Joshua called all the Israelite tribes to meet together at Shechem.^[a] He called the leaders of clans, the rulers, the judges and the officers to stand in front of the tabernacle. ² Joshua said to the people, ‘This is what the Lord, Israel's God, says:

“A long time ago, your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates river. They included Terah who was the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshipped other gods.

¹⁴ Joshua said to the people, ‘Now you must serve the Lord with fear. You must worship him. You must continue to trust him. Throw away the gods that your ancestors worshipped when they lived beyond the Euphrates river and in Egypt. Worship the Lord. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then you should choose another god to worship. Decide today! Will you serve the gods that your ancestors worshipped across the river? Will you serve the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living? You choose! But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.’

¹⁶ The people answered Joshua, ‘We would never turn against the Lord to serve other gods! ¹⁷ We and our fathers were slaves in Egypt. But the Lord our God brought us out from there. We saw the great miracles that he did there. He kept us safe all the time on our journey, as we travelled through other nations. ¹⁸ The Lord chased all the nations out as we moved into the land. He chased out the Amorites and the other people who lived in the land. So we too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.’

How God helps us to be strong

¹⁰ At the end of my letter, I want to say this to you: Be united with the Lord, so that you are strong. Then his great power will help you. ¹¹ Use all the help that God gives to us. Then you can be like a soldier who fights against the Devil. You must put on the whole armour that God gives to us. The Devil attacks us in clever ways, and we need to be strong. ¹² We are not fighting against human enemies. Instead, we are fighting against the rulers and the powerful spirits that have authority over this dark world. We are fighting against the bad spirits who live in the heavens.

¹³ Because of that, take all the help that God gives, like it is your armour. Then, when the bad time comes, you will be able to stand strongly. You will not fall. After you have finished everything, you will still be standing strongly in your place.

¹⁴ So you must stand strongly. This is God's armour that you must wear: God's true message will be like a belt that you tie round your body.^[a] Always do what is right. That will be like a metal shirt that you wear to keep your body safe. ¹⁵ Be prepared to tell people the good news about peace with God. That will be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶ As well as all that, have faith to trust God. That will be like a shield that you hold in front of you. It will stop the Devil from hurting you with his arrows that burn with fire.^{[b] 17} Remember that God has saved you from your sins. That will be like a strong hat that keeps your head safe. Also, use God's message to help you. That will be like a sword that God's Spirit puts in your hand.

¹⁸ As you stand strongly like that, always pray for God's help. Pray about everything as God's Spirit helps you to pray. For this purpose, watch carefully all the time. Also, continue to pray for all God's people everywhere.

¹⁹ Please pray for me, too. Pray that God will give me the right message to speak. Pray that I will not be afraid to tell people about God's good news. Pray that I can explain God's secret to them. ²⁰ God has sent me to tell people the good news on his behalf. And that is why I am now in prison. So pray that I will speak God's message bravely, as I ought to speak it.

⁵⁶ Anyone who eats my body and drinks my blood lives in me. And I live in them. ⁵⁷ The Father, who has life, sent me. I live because of him. In the same way, anyone who takes me as their food will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. It is not like the manna that your ancestors ate. They ate it but they died. But the person who eats this bread will live for ever.’

⁵⁹ Jesus said these things while he was teaching in the Jewish meeting place at Capernaum.

Many disciples go away from Jesus

⁶⁰ Many of Jesus' disciples did not like these words. They said, ‘This thing that he teaches is too difficult. Nobody can agree with it!’ ⁶¹ Jesus himself knew that the disciples did not like his message. He did not need anyone to tell him. He said to them, ‘This seems to make you angry. ⁶² Think about this: The Son of Man will go up again to the place where he was before. And you will see him go up. Will you agree to that? ⁶³ It is the Spirit that gives you life. People cannot do that. The words that I have spoken to you come from the Spirit. They give you life. ⁶⁴ But some of you do not believe my message.’

Jesus had known from the beginning which of them would not believe in him. Also, he had always known who would sell him to his enemies. ⁶⁵ Then Jesus said to them, ‘That is why I told you that only the Father can bring people to me. Nobody can come to me unless the Father makes them able to come.’

⁶⁶ From that time, many of Jesus' disciples left him. They did not go with him any longer. ⁶⁷ Then Jesus asked the 12 apostles, ‘Do you want to go away from me, too?’ ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, there is nobody else that we could go to. You speak the words that give us life for ever. ⁶⁹ We believe that you are the Holy One that God has sent. We are sure about that.’