Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁶ It is true that people are much better off if they live to please God and if they are satisfied.

⁷ When we were born, we brought nothing into this world, and when we die, we can take nothing out of the world.

⁸ If we have food and clothes, that should be enough.

⁹ People who want to be rich have trouble. They get caught in a trap. They want many foolish things which are wrong for them. Because of this, men are lost and punished for ever.

¹⁰ Because people love money they do all kinds of wrong things. Some people have stopped believing in God because they want money so much. And it brings them many troubles.

¹¹ But you belong to God, Timothy. Have nothing to do with all this. But do what is right. Do what God wants you to do. Believe in Christ. Be loving. Be patient. Be kind.

¹² Work hard at believing in God more and more. Make sure that you get everlasting life; God called you to have it. You stood before many people and said that you believed in Christ. That was the right thing to say.

¹³ Now we stand before God who gives life to all things. We stand before Christ who said what was right when he was in court before Pontius Pilate. I tell you to do this.

¹⁴ Do what you have been told to do. And do it so there will be nothing wrong, until our Lord Jesus Christ comes.

¹⁵ At the right time God will bring Christ back. Praise God! He alone is ruler. He is King over all kings, and Lord over all lords.

¹⁶ He alone has everlasting life. He lives in such light that no one can go near him. No person has ever seen him, or can see him. May he have honour and respect and have everlasting power. May it be so!

¹⁷ Tell the rich people in this world not to be proud. Tell them to trust in God not in short-lived riches. He gives us richly all things to make us happy.

¹⁸ Tell the rich people to do good. Tell them to do many good things. Tell them to give to other people, and to help those who are in need.

¹⁹ In this way they will store up good things for themselves for the time to come. Then they will get that life which really is the true life.

¹⁹ `There was a rich man who dressed and lived like a king every day.

²⁰ A poor man named Lazarus was put at his door. He had many sores on his body.

²¹ He wanted to eat the pieces of food that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs came and licked his sores.

²² The poor man died. Angels carried him to be with Abraham. `The rich man also died and was buried.

²³ He was in great pain in the world of dead people. He looked up and saw Abraham far away. With him was Lazarus.

²⁴ He called out, "Father Abraham, help me! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in some water and cool my tongue. This fire is very hot for me."

²⁵ `But Abraham said to him, "Son, remember this. You had a good time when you were living. Lazarus had a bad time when he was living. But now he is happy here and you are in pain.

²⁶ But that is not all. A wide hole is between you and us. No one can go from here to you if he wanted to. And no one can come from where you are to us."

²⁷ `The rich man said, "Then, father, I beg you, send Lazarus to my father's house.

²⁸ I have five brothers there. Tell him to talk to them so that they will not come to this place where there is pain."

²⁹ `But Abraham said, "They have Moses and the Prophets. They can listen to them."

³⁰ `He answered, "No, father Abraham! But if a man who had died went to them, they would stop their wrong ways."

³¹ `Abraham said, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, then they will not believe, even if a man were raised from death." '