Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

He exhorts them to brotherly love, and to bear with one another. In the end, he warns them to beware of circumcision.

6 Brethren, if anyone has fallen by chance into any fault, you who are spiritual should help to amend him, in the spirit of humility – considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burden, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

³ If any person seems to himself to be something, when indeed he is nothing, the same deceives himself in his imagination.

⁴ Let each prove his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in his own self, and not in another. ⁵ For every person will reap for himself.

⁶ Let him who is taught in the word minister to the one who teaches him, in all good things.

⁷ Be not deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will reap. ⁸ He who sows to his flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap life everlasting. ⁹ Let us not be weary of well-doing. For when the time comes, we will reap without weariness. ¹⁰ Therefore, while we have time, let us do good to all men, and especially to them who are of the household of faith.

¹¹ See how large a letter I have written to you with my own hand.

¹² Those who desire to please carnally by outward appearances constrain you to be circumcised only because they do not want to suffer persecution with the cross of Christ. ¹³ For they themselves who are circumcised do not keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised so that they may glory in your flesh.

¹⁴ God forbid that I should glory but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither does circumcision avail anything at all, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. ¹⁶ And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel that belongs to God.

He sends the seventy on before him to preach, and instructs them how to conduct themselves. He prays to his heavenly Father, answers the scribe that tested him, and by the example of the Samaritan, shows who is our neighbour. Martha receives the Lord into her house. Mary Magdalene is fervent in hearing his word.

10 After these things, the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before him into every city and place where he himself would come. ² And he said to them, The harvest is great, but the labourers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest. ³ Go your ways. Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

⁴ Carry no wallet, nor bag, nor shoes, and address no man by the way. ⁵ Into whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house. ⁶ And if a child of peace be there, your peace will rest upon him; if not, it will return to you again. ⁷ And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they have. For the labourer is worthy of his reward. Go not from house to house.

⁸ And into whatever town you enter, if they receive you, eat such things as are set before you, ⁹ and heal the sick that are there, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come nigh upon you! ¹⁰ But into whatever town you enter, if they do not receive you, go your ways out into the streets of the same and say, ¹¹ Even the very dust that cleaves on us from your city, we wipe off against you. But yet mark this, that the kingdom of God came nigh upon you.

¹⁶ He who hears you, hears me; and he who rejects you, rejects me; and he who rejects me, rejects him who sent me.

¹⁷ And the seventy returned back again with joy, saying, Lord, even the very devils are subject to us through your name! ¹⁸ And he said to them, I saw Satan, like lightning as it were, fall down from heaven. ¹⁹ Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all manner of power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are under your power, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.