Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Time of the End

12 “Daniel, at that time Michael, the great prince, will stand up. (He is the one who protects your people.) There will be a time of much trouble. It will be the worst time since nations have been on earth. But your people will be saved. Everyone whose name is written in God’s book will be saved. ² Many people who have already died will live again. Some of them will wake up to have life forever. But some will wake up to find shame and disgrace forever. ³ The wise people will shine like the brightness of the sky. Those who teach others to live right will shine like stars forever and ever.

The Lord Takes Care of His People

A miktam of David.

¹¹ Every day the priests stand and do their religious service. Again and again they offer the same sacrifices. But those sacrifices can never take away sins. ¹² But Christ offered one sacrifice for sins, and it is good forever. Then he sat down at the right side of God. ¹³ And now Christ waits there for his enemies to be put under his power. ¹⁴ With one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

¹⁵ The Holy Spirit also tells us about this. First he says:

¹⁷ Then he says:

¹⁸ And when these have been forgiven, there is no more need for a sacrifice for sins.

Continue to Trust God

¹⁹ So, brothers, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place. We can do this without fear because of the blood of Jesus’ death. ²⁰ We can enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us. It is a living way. It leads through the curtain—Christ’s body. ²¹ And we have a great priest over God’s house. ²² So let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith. We have been cleansed and made free from feelings of guilt. And our bodies have been washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed. We can trust God to do what he promised.

²⁴ Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds. ²⁵ You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing. But you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the Day^[a] coming.

The Temple Will Be Destroyed

13 Jesus was leaving the Temple. One of his followers said to him, “Look, Teacher! This Temple has beautiful buildings with very big stones.”

² Jesus said, “Do you see all these great buildings? Every stone will be thrown to the ground. Not one stone will be left on another.”

³ Later, Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives. He was alone with Peter, James, John, and Andrew. They could all see the Temple. They asked Jesus, ⁴ “Tell us, when will all these things happen? And what will show us that the time has come for them to happen?”

⁵ Jesus said to them: “Be careful that no one fools you. ⁶ Many people will come and use my name. They will say, ‘I am the One.’ And they will fool many. ⁷ You will hear about wars and stories of wars that are coming. But don’t be afraid. These things must happen before the end comes. ⁸ Nations will fight against other nations. Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will be times when there is no food for people to eat. And there will be earthquakes in different places. These things are like the first pains when something new is about to be born.