Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Call of Abram

12 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country, your family, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.

⁴ So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Harran.

Psalm 121

A Song of Ascents.

The Example of Abraham

4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our father according to the flesh, has found? ² If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[a]

⁴ Now to him who works, wages are not given as a gift, but as a debt. ⁵ But to him who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

The Promise Received Through Faith

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his descendants received the promise that he would be the heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if those who are of the law become heirs, faith would be made void and the promise nullified, ¹⁵ because the law produces wrath, for where there is no law, there is no sin.

¹⁶ Therefore the promise comes through faith, so that it might be by grace, that the promise would be certain to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all ¹⁷ (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”^[a]) before God whom he believed, and who raises the dead, and calls those things that do not exist as though they did.

Jesus and Nicodemus

3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² He came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

³ Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born again,^[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

⁴ Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

⁹ Nicodemus said to Him, “How can this be?”

¹⁰ Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, but you do not know these things? ¹¹ Truly, truly I say to you, We speak of what We know and bear witness of what We have seen, but you do not receive Our testimony. ¹² If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ascended to heaven except He who descended from heaven, even the Son of Man who is in heaven. ¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but may have eternal life.

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The Transfiguration^(A)

17 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother and brought them up to a high mountain alone, ² and was transfigured before them. His face shone as the sun, and His garments became white as the light. ³ Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

⁴ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, let us make three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

⁵ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.”

⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were filled with awe. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” ⁸ When they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

⁹ As they came down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”