Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁰ Use everything that God has given you so that you can fight against the tricks of the devil.

¹¹ We are not fighting against people of flesh and blood. But we are fighting against rulers and powers whom we cannot see. We are fighting against those who control the darkness of this world, and against bad spirits who have power in the air.

¹² So use everything that God has given you, that you can fight when the bad time comes. You will need to do everything you can do to stand!

¹³ So then, stand and hold on tight to the truth like you put on a belt. Do what is right. Wear it as a cover for your body.

¹⁴ You have the good news of peace. Wear that like shoes on your feet.

¹⁵ You believe in God. Take that and cover all of yourself with it. With that you can stop all the poison arrows of the devil.

¹⁶ You have been saved. Wear your salvation like you wear something on your head to protect yourself. And take with you the big knife or sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁷ Always talk to God in the Spirit. Talk to him about everything and ask him for what you need. Put your mind on what you are saying, asking God to help all his people.

¹⁸ And also, ask God to help me to talk without fear and tell people God's plan about the good news.

¹⁹ I am in prison with chains on because I speak the good news about Jesus Christ. Ask God to help me to tell the good news without fear as I should tell it.

²⁰ Tychicus will tell you all about me and what I am doing. He is a brother whom I love and a very good helper in the Lord's work.

⁵⁶ Anyone who eats me and drinks my blood is in me and I in him.

⁵⁷ My Father is living. He sent me. I have my life from him. In the same way, the person who eats of me will live because of me.

⁵⁸ This bread which came down from heaven is not like the bread that your fathers ate. They ate bread but they died. Anyone who eats this bread from heaven will live for ever.'

⁵⁹ Jesus was in the meeting house in Capernaum when he was teaching people these things.

⁶⁰ Many of his disciples heard it. They said, `This is a hard teaching. Who can listen to it?'

⁶¹ But Jesus knew that his disciples did not like what he said. He asked, `Is this hard for you?

⁶² What would you do if you saw the Son of Man go up to the place where he came from?

⁶³ It is the Spirit that gives life. The flesh does not help. The words I say to you are Spirit and life.

⁶⁴ But even so, some of you do not believe me.' Jesus knew right from the beginning which ones of them would not believe. He knew who was going to give him over to people who hated him.

⁶⁵ Then Jesus said, `That is why I said to you, "No one can come to me unless my Father lets him come." '

⁶⁶ After that, many of the followers of Jesus left him and stopped travelling around with him.

⁶⁷ Jesus said to the twelve disciples, `Will you also leave me?'

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered, `Lord, to whom shall we go? It is you who has told us how we may live for ever.

⁶⁹ We believe now, and we know it is true. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'