Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

ט Teth

The Day of Atonement^(A)

16 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord.^{(B) 2} The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses^(C) into the Most Holy Place^(D) behind the curtain^(E) in front of the atonement cover^(F) on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear^(G) in the cloud^(H) over the atonement cover.

³ “This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place:^(I) He must first bring a young bull^(J) for a sin offering^[a] and a ram for a burnt offering.^{(K) 4} He is to put on the sacred linen tunic,^(L) with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban.^(M) These are sacred garments;^(N) so he must bathe himself with water^(O) before he puts them on.^{(P) 5} From the Israelite community^(Q) he is to take two male goats^(R) for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

²⁰ “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat.^{(A) 21} He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat^(B) and confess^(C) over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. ²² The goat will carry on itself all their sins^(D) to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

²³ “Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments^(E) he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there.^{(F) 24} He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area^(G) and put on his regular garments.^(H) Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people,^(I) to make atonement for himself and for the people.^{(J) 25} He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

²⁶ “The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat^(K) must wash his clothes^(L) and bathe himself with water;^(M) afterward he may come into the camp. ²⁷ The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp;^(N) their hides, flesh and intestines are to be burned up. ²⁸ The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.^(O)

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree^(A)

¹⁸ Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.^(B)

²⁰ When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

²¹ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt,^(C) not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. ²² If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for^(D) in prayer.”