Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Covenant Circumcision
17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty.(A) Live[a] in my presence and be blameless.(B) 2 I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”
3 Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: 4 “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. 5 Your name will no longer be Abram;[b] your name will be Abraham,[c] for I will make you the father of many nations.(C) 6 I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. 7 I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant(D) to be your God and the God of your offspring after you.(E)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!(A)
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
All you descendants of Israel, revere him!(B)
24 For he has not despised or abhorred
the torment of the oppressed.(C)
He did not hide his face from him(D)
but listened when he cried to him for help.(E)
25 I will give praise in the great assembly
because of you;(F)
I will fulfill my vows
before those who fear you.[a](G)
26 The humble will eat and be satisfied;(H)
those who seek the Lord will praise him.
May your hearts live forever!(I)
27 All the ends of the earth will remember
and turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations
will bow down before you,(J)
28 for kingship belongs to the Lord;
he rules the nations.(K)
29 All who prosper on earth will eat and bow down;
all those who go down to the dust
will kneel before him—
even the one who cannot preserve his life.(L)
30 Their descendants will serve him;
the next generation will be told about the Lord.(M)
31 They will come and declare his righteousness;
to a people yet to be born
they will declare what he has done.(N)
The Promise Granted through Faith
13 For the promise to Abraham(A) or to his descendants that he would inherit the world(B) was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 If those who are of the law are heirs,(C) faith is made empty and the promise nullified, 15 because the law produces wrath.(D) And where there is no law,(E) there is no transgression.
16 This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace,(F) to guarantee it to all the descendants(G)—not only to the one who is of the law[a] but also to the one who is of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations[b](H)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed,the one who gives life to the dead(I) and calls(J) things into existence that do not exist.(K) 18 He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations[c](L) according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.[d](M) 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered[e] his own body to be already dead(N) (since he was about a hundred years old)(O) and also the deadness of Sarah’s womb.(P) 20 He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,(Q) 21 because he was fully convinced(R) that what God had promised, he was also able to do.(S) 22 Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness.[f](T) 23 Now it was credited to him[g] was not written for Abraham alone,(U) 24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him(V) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(W) 25 He was delivered up for[h] our trespasses(X) and raised for our justification.(Y)
His Death and Resurrection Predicted
31 Then(A) he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man(B) to suffer many things and be rejected(C) by the elders,(D) chief priests, and scribes,(E) be killed, and rise(F) after three days.(G) 32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan!(H) You are not thinking about God’s concerns[a] but human concerns.”
Take Up Your Cross
34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself,(I) take up his cross,(J) and follow me.(K) 35 For whoever wants to save(L) his life will lose it,(M) but whoever loses(N) his life(O) because of me(P) and the gospel(Q) will save it.(R) 36 For what does it benefit(S) someone to gain(T) the whole world(U) and yet lose(V) his life?(W) 37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life?(X) 38 For whoever is ashamed(Y) of me and my words(Z) in this adulterous and sinful(AA) generation,(AB) the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory(AC) of his Father(AD) with the holy(AE) angels.”(AF)
The Transfiguration
2 After(A) six days(B) Jesus took Peter, James, and John(C) and led them up a high mountain(D) by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured(E) in front of them, 3 and his clothes(F) became dazzling—extremely white(G) as no launderer on earth could whiten(H) them. 4 Elijah(I) appeared to them with Moses,(J) and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,(K) it’s good(L) for us to be here. Let’s set up three shelters:(M) one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say,(N) since they were terrified.(O)
7 A cloud(P) appeared, overshadowing(Q) them, and a voice(R) came from the cloud:(S) “This is my beloved(T) Son;(U) listen to him!” (V)
8 Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As(W) they were coming down the mountain,(X) he ordered them to tell no one what they had seen(Y) until the Son of Man(Z) had risen(AA) from the dead.(AB)
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