Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

6 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and to them that are secure in the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!

⁴ that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; ⁵ that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, ^[a]like David; ⁶ that drink ^[b]wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

⁷ Therefore shall they now go captive with the first that go captive; and the revelry of them that stretched themselves shall pass away.

Praise to Jehovah the abundant Helper.

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain: ⁷ for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out; ⁸ but having food and covering ^[a]we shall be therewith content. ⁹ But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all ^[b]kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹¹ But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, ^[c]patience, meekness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. ¹³ I charge thee in the sight of God, who ^[d]giveth life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession; ¹⁴ that thou keep the commandment, without spot, without reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: ¹⁵ which in ^[e]its own times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of ^[f]kings, and Lord of ^[g]lords; ¹⁶ who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power eternal. Amen.

¹⁷ Charge them that are rich in this present ^[h]world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; ¹⁸ that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, ^[i]willing to communicate; ¹⁹ laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is life indeed.

¹⁹ Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, ^[a]faring sumptuously every day: ²⁰ and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, ²¹ and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried. ²³ And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame. ²⁵ But Abraham said, ^[b]Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish. ²⁶ And ^[c]besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us. ²⁷ And he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house; ²⁸ for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. ²⁹ But Abraham saith, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. ³⁰ And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. ³¹ And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.