Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Instructions for the Passover

12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: ² “This month is to be the beginning of months for you; it is the first month of your year.^{(A) 3} Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock according to their fathers’ households, one animal per household. ⁴ If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each person^[a] will eat. ⁵ You must have an unblemished^(B) animal, a year-old male; you may take it from either the sheep or the goats. ⁶ You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.^{(C) 7} They must take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where they eat them. ⁸ They are to eat the meat that night; they should eat it, roasted over the fire along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.^{(D) 9} Do not eat any of it raw or cooked in boiling^[b] water, but only roasted^(E) over fire—its head as well as its legs and inner organs. ¹⁰ Do not let any of it remain until morning;^(F) you must burn up any part of it that does remain before morning. ¹¹ Here is how you must eat it: you must be dressed for travel,^[c] your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in a hurry; it is the Lord’s Passover.^(G)

¹² “I will pass through^(H) the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. I am Yahweh; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt.^{(I) 13} The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

¹⁴ “This day is to be a memorial for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to the Lord. You are to celebrate it throughout your generations as a permanent statute.^(J)

Psalm 149

Praise for God’s Triumph

Love, Our Primary Duty

⁸ Do not owe anyone anything,^[a] except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.^{(A) 9} The commandments:

and whatever other commandment—all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself.^(C)[d]

¹⁰ Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

Put On Christ

¹¹ Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour^(D) for you^[e] to wake up from sleep,^(E) for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.^{(F) 12} The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near,^(G) so let us discard the deeds of darkness^(H) and put on the armor of light.^{(I) 13} Let us walk with decency,^(J) as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness;^(K) not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,^(L) and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.^(M)

Restoring a Brother

¹⁵ “If your brother sins against you,^[a] go and rebuke him in private.^[b] If he listens to you, you have won your brother.^{(A) 16} But if he won’t listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony^[c] of two or three witnesses every fact may be established.^{(B)[d] 17} If he pays no attention to them, tell the church.^[e](C) But if he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever^[f] and a tax collector to you.^{(D) 18} I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound^[g] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed^[h] in heaven.^{(E) 19} Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you^[i] pray for, it will be done for you^[j] by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.”