Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
11 But Christ, being a high priest of good things to come, came by a greater and a more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands; that is to say, not of this creation. 12 Neither was it by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered once and for all into the holy place, and found eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of oxen and of goats and the ashes of a heifer when sprinkled purified the unclean insofar as the purifying of the flesh is concerned, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works in order to serve the living God?
28 And there came one of the scribes who had heard them disputing together. He perceived that Jesus had answered them well, and asked him, Which is the first of all the commandments?
29 Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord God is one Lord. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
32 And the scribe said to him, Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth: that there is one God, and that there is none but he. 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the mind, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is a greater thing than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God.
And after that, no one dared ask him any question.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.