Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁶ My life is already being poured out as an offering to God. The time is here for me to leave this life.

⁷ I have fought the kind of fight that is good. I have reached the mark on the road that God wanted me to reach. And I have kept on believing in him.

⁸ From now on, my reward is waiting for me, because I have done what is right. The Lord will repay me on the day when he comes back. He judges the right way. I will not be the only one to get a reward from him. But he will repay all those who want very much to see him.

¹⁶ The first time I spoke for myself in court, no one was on my side. All left me. I hope that God will forgive them.

¹⁷ But the Lord was with me. He gave me strength to tell the message. All those who are not Jews heard it. And I was saved out of the mouth of the lion.

¹⁸ The Lord will save me from every wrong thing. He will bring me safely into the kingdom of heaven. Praise him for ever and ever. Yes, he will!

⁹ There were some people who thought they were very good. And they thought that other people were not good. Jesus told this story to them.

¹⁰ He said, `Two men went to the temple to talk with God. One was a Pharisee and the other one was a tax collector.

¹¹ `The Pharisee stood and said to himself, "God, I thank you that I am not like other men. They steal, cheat, and commit adultery. I thank you that I am not like this tax collector.

¹² Two times in the week I do not eat - I fast. I give away one tenth part of all I get."

¹³ `The tax collector stood far away. He did not even look up towards heaven. But he beat his chest, and said, "God, I am a bad man. Help me!"

¹⁴ I tell you, when this man went home, he was right with God. The other one was not. Everyone who puts himself up in a high place will be brought down to a low place. And everyone who puts himself in a low place will be brought up to a high place.'