Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Justified by faith, not works of law
15 We are Jews by birth, not “Gentile sinners.” 16 But we know that a person is not declared “righteous” by works of the Jewish law, but through the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah.
That is why we too believed in the Messiah, Jesus: so that we might be declared “righteous” on the basis of the Messiah’s faithfulness, and not on the basis of works of the Jewish law. On that basis, you see, no creature will be declared “righteous.”
17 Well, then; if, in seeking to be declared “righteous” in the Messiah, we ourselves are found to be “sinners,” does that make the Messiah an agent of “sin”? Certainly not! 18 If I build up once more the things which I tore down, I demonstrate that I am a lawbreaker.
19 Let me explain it like this. Through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with the Messiah. 20 I am, however, alive—but it isn’t me any longer, it’s the Messiah who lives in me. And the life I do still live in the flesh, I live within the faithfulness of the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
21 I don’t set aside God’s grace. If “righteousness” comes through the law, then the Messiah died for nothing.
Jesus anointed by a sinful woman
36 A Pharisee asked Jesus to dine with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 A woman from the town, a known bad character, discovered that he was there at table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38 Then she stood behind Jesus’ feet, crying, and began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw what was going on.
“If this fellow really was a prophet,” he said to himself, “he’d know what sort of a woman this is who is touching him! She’s a sinner!”
40 “Simon,” replied Jesus, “I have something to say to you.”
“Go ahead, Teacher,” he replied.
41 “Once upon a time there was a moneylender who had two debtors. The first owed him five hundred dinars, the second fifty. 42 Neither of them could pay him, and he let them both off. So which of them will love him more?”
43 “The one he let off the more, I suppose,” replied Simon.
“Quite right,” said Jesus.
44 Then, turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, “You see this woman? When I came into your house, you didn’t give me water to wash my feet—but she has washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t give me a kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet from the moment I came in. 46 You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
47 “So the conclusion I draw is this: she must have been forgiven many sins! Her great love proves it! But if someone has been forgiven only a little, they will love only a little.”
48 Then he said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 “Who is this,” the other guests began to say among themselves, “who even forgives sins?”
50 “Your faith has saved you,” said Jesus to the woman. “Go in peace.”
The parable of the sower
8 Soon afterwards, Jesus went about in person, with the Twelve, through the towns and villages, announcing and proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom. 2 They were accompanied by various women who had been healed from evil spirits and diseases: Mary who was called “Magdalene,” from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 Joanna the wife of Chouza (Herod’s steward), and Susanna, and many others. They looked after the needs of Jesus and his companions out of their own pockets.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.