Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

He labours to draw them away from circumcision. He shows them the battle between the Spirit and the flesh, and the fruits of them both.

5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty whereby Christ has made us free, and do not wrap yourselves again in a yoke of bondage.

¹³ Brethren, you were called into liberty – only let not your liberty be an occasion for the flesh, but in love serve one another. ¹⁴ For all the law is fulfilled in one word, which is this: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. ¹⁵ If you bite and devour one another, take heed lest you be consumed by one another.

¹⁶ I say then, walk in the Spirit, and do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit resists the flesh. These are contrary one to the other, so that you cannot do that which you would. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, then are you not under the law.

¹⁹ The deeds of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, ²⁰ idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, dissension, ambition, anger, rivalry, factious uprisings, sects, ²¹ envying, murder, drunkenness, gluttony, and suchlike – of which I warn you, as I have told you in time past, that people who commit such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law.

²⁴ Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the appetites and lusts. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.

⁵¹ And it followed, when the time was come that he should be received up, then he set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before him. ⁵² And they went and entered into a city of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. ⁵³ But the Samaritans would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When his disciples James and John saw that, they said, Lord, would you have us call fire down from heaven to consume them, even as Elijah did?

⁵⁵ Jesus turned about and rebuked them, saying, You know not what manner of spirit you are of. The Son of man has not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.

⁵⁶ And they set off for another town. ⁵⁷ And as he walked in the road, a certain man said to him, I will follow you wherever you go. ⁵⁸ Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.

⁵⁹ And he said to another, Follow me. And the man said, Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father. ⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their dead; but as for you, go and preach the kingdom of God.

⁶¹ And another said, I will follow you, Lord, but let me first go and bid farewell to the people who are at home at my house. ⁶² Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.