Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁵ The Son is like God who cannot be seen. He was his Son before anything was made.

¹⁶ He made everything in the sky and on the earth. He made the things which can be seen and the things which cannot be seen. That means angels, kings, great powers, and rulers. They were all made by him and for him.

¹⁷ He himself was before all things. And he holds all things together.

¹⁸ He is also the head of the body which is the church [the people who believe in Jesus Christ]. He is the beginning, the first one to rise from death, so that he would be the first one in everything.

¹⁹ God wanted Christ to have everything in himself.

²⁰ And God chose him to be the one who would bring all things back to himself. God made peace by the blood which Christ gave on his cross. He would bring back all things on earth and in heaven.

²¹ At one time you were far away from God. You hated him in your hearts and you did wrong things.

²² But now Christ himself has died on a cross, and he has brought you back to God. Christ will bring you before God holy, clean, and good.

²³ But you must keep on believing and stand strong and true. Let nothing shake the hope which the good news brought you. You heard the same good news as is told to everyone in the whole world. I, Paul, was given the work of telling that same good news.

²⁴ And now, even though I suffer for you, I am happy. There are still some things for Christ to suffer in his body, which is the church. So I am glad to take my share of his suffering in my body.

²⁵ God gave me work to do for the church people so that you might know all of God's message.

²⁶ This message is about the secret plan of God. People who lived in all the past times of the world did not know about this plan. But now it has been told to God's people.

²⁷ He wanted them to know that his plan is very great and wonderful for those who are not Jews. And this plan is that Christ is in you! He is your hope for all the wonderful things that are to come.

²⁸ We tell about him. We tell everyone to be careful to live in the right way. We teach everyone all he needs to know. We do this so that we can bring everyone before God and he will be grown up in the things of Christ.

³⁸ Jesus and his disciples went on their way. They came to a town. A woman named Martha took him into her home.

³⁹ She had a sister named Mary. Mary sat near the feet of Jesus and she listened to what he said.

⁴⁰ But Martha was very busy doing many things for Jesus. She came to Jesus and said, `Lord, my sister has left me to do all the work. Do you not care? Tell her to come and help me.'

⁴¹ The Lord answered her, `Martha, Martha, you are worrying. You are troubled about many things.

⁴² Only one thing is needed. What Mary has chosen is good. And it will not be taken away from her.'