Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁵ Here is why I always thank God for you. I have heard that you believe in the Lord Jesus and love all of God's people. I think of you when I talk to God.

¹⁶ He is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father who is very great and wonderful. I ask him to give you a mind that is wise and will understand about him.

¹⁷ I ask him that you may understand these things in your hearts. I ask him that you may know what a great hope you have because God has called you. I ask him that you may know the rich and great blessings God has promised to his people.

¹⁸ I ask him that you may know the wonderful power he has to do things for us who believe in Christ. His power is very strong.

¹⁹ God used that power when he raised Christ from death and had him sit at his right side in heaven.

²⁰ He is greater than any ruler, power, chief, or king. His name is greater than any other name, not only in this world, but in the world that will come.

²¹ And God has put all things under Christ. He has made him the head of the church people in all matters.

²² The church [all the people who believe in Jesus Christ] is his body. The church people have everything that Christ has. He is the One who is in everything everywhere.

³¹ `The Son of Man will be great and will come with all his holy angels. Then he will sit on his throne like a king.

³² All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will put them in two groups like a man who takes care of sheep. He puts the sheep on one side of him and he puts the goats on the other side of him.

³³ The Son of Man will put people who are like the sheep at his right side. He will put people who are like the goats at his left side.

³⁴ Then the King will say to those who are at his right side, "Come! My Father has blessed you. The kingdom was made ready for you when the world was first made. Come into it now.

³⁵ I was hungry. You gave me food. I was thirsty. You gave me a drink. I was a stranger. You took me in.

³⁶ I needed clothes. You gave me clothes. I was sick. You came to visit me. I was in prison. You came to see me."

³⁷ `Then the good people will ask him, "Lord when did we see you hungry and give you food? When did we see you thirsty and give you a drink?

³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and take you in? When did we see you needing clothes and give you clothes?

³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and come to see you?"

⁴⁰ `The King will answer them, "I tell you the truth. What you did for even the smallest of these people you did for me. They are my brothers."

⁴¹ `Then he will say to those at the left side "Go away from me. You are cursed. Go into the fire that burns for ever. That fire has been made ready for the devil and his angels.

⁴² I was hungry. You did not give me food. I was thirsty. You did not give me a drink.

⁴³ I was a stranger. You did not take me in. I needed clothes. You did not give me any clothes. I was sick and in prison. You did not come to see me."

⁴⁴ `Then they will also ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or needing clothes, or sick, or in prison, and did not help you?"

⁴⁵ `Then the King will answer them, "I tell you the truth. What you did not do for even the smallest of these, you did not do for me."

⁴⁶ And they will go away to be punished for ever. But the good people will go away to live for ever.'