Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Jonah’s Preaching

3 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:^{(A) 2} “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh^(B) and preach^(C) the message that I tell you.” ³ Jonah got up and went to Nineveh according to the Lord’s command.

Now Nineveh was an extremely great city,^[a](D) a three-day walk. ⁴ Jonah set out on the first day of his walk in the city and proclaimed,^(E) “In forty days Nineveh will be demolished!” ⁵ Then the people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast^(F) and dressed in sackcloth—from the greatest of them to the least.

¹⁰ God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways^(A)—so God relented from the disaster^(B) he had threatened them with. And he did not do it.

²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time is limited,^(A) so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, ³⁰ those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice^(B) as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they didn’t own anything, ³¹ and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away.^(C)

Ministry in Galilee

¹⁴ After^(A) John was arrested,^(B) Jesus went to Galilee,^(C) proclaiming^(D) the good news^[a][b](E) of God:^{(F) 15} “The time^(G) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God^(H) has come^(I) near.^(J) Repent^(K) and believe^(L) the good news!”

The First Disciples

¹⁶ As^(M) he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee,^(N) he saw Simon^(O) and Andrew,^(P) Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea^(Q)—for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Follow me,”^(R) Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for^[c](S) people.”^{(T) 18} Immediately they left their nets and followed^(U) him.^{(V) 19} Going on a little farther, he saw James^(W) the son of Zebedee^(X) and his brother John^(Y) in a boat putting their nets in order. ²⁰ Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.^(Z)