Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.

The Tongue Is a Fire

3 ^(A)Let not many of you become teachers, ^(B)my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a ^[a]stricter judgment. ² For we all ^(C)stumble in many ways. ^(D)If anyone does not stumble in ^[b]what he says, he is a ^(E)perfect man, able to ^(F)bridle the whole body as well. ³ Now ^(G)if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. ⁴ Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it ^(H)boasts of great things.

^(I)See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! ⁶ And ^(J)the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which ^(K)defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our ^[c]life, and is set on fire by ^[d](L)hell. ⁷ For every ^[e]species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human ^[f]race. ⁸ But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of ^(M)deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless ^(N)our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, ^(O)who have been made in the likeness of God; ¹⁰ from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. ¹¹ Does a fountain send out from the same opening both ^[g]fresh and bitter water? ^12 (P)Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce ^[h]fresh.

Peter’s Confession of Christ

^27 (A)Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of ^(B)Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” ^28 (C)They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” ^(D)Peter *answered and *said to Him, “You are ^[a]the Christ.” ³⁰ And ^(E)He ^[b]warned them to tell no one about Him.

^31 (F)And He began to teach them that ^(G)the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² And He was stating the matter ^(H)plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. ³³ But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, ^(I)Satan; for you are not setting your mind on ^[c]God’s interests, but man’s.”

³⁴ And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and ^(J)take up his cross and follow Me. ³⁵ For ^(K)whoever wishes to save his ^[d]life will lose it, but whoever loses his ^[e]life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? ³⁷ For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸ For ^(L)whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, ^(M)the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He ^(N)comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”