Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
29 It was by faith that they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground, while the Egyptians, when they tried to do the same, were drowned. 30 It was by faith that the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 It was by faith that the prostitute Rahab was not destroyed along with those who didn’t believe; she had welcomed the spies in peace.
Faith and the future: the great crowd
32 What more can I say, then? I’ve run out of time to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets. 33 It was through faith that they overcame kingdoms, put justice into practice, received promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were strong where they had been weak, became powerful in battle, and sent foreign armies packing. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection; others were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might receive a better resurrection. 36 Others again experienced painful derision and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment; 37 they were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were put to the sword, they went about in sheepskins or goat-hides, they were destitute, they were persecuted, they were ill-treated— 38 the world didn’t deserve them!—and they wandered in deserts and mountains, in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All these people gained a reputation for their faith; but they didn’t receive the promise. 40 God was providing something better for us, so that they wouldn’t reach perfection without our doing so as well.
Looking to Jesus
12 What about us, then? We have such a great cloud of witnesses all around us! What we must do is this: we must put aside each heavy weight, and the sin which gets in the way so easily. We must run the race that lies in front of us, and we must run it patiently. 2 We must look ahead, to Jesus. He is the one who carved out the path for faith, and he’s the one who brought it to completion.
He knew that there was joy spread out and waiting for him. That’s why he endured the cross, making light of its shame, and has now taken his seat at the right hand of God’s throne.
Reading the signs of the times
49 “I came to throw fire upon the earth,” Jesus continued, “and I wish it were already alight! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and I am under huge pressure until it’s happened!
51 “Do you suppose I’ve come to give peace to the earth? No, let me tell you, but rather division. 52 From now on, you see, families will be split down the middle: three against two in a family of five, and two against three, 53 father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.
54 “When you see a cloud rising in the west,” he said to the crowds, “you say at once, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and rain it does. 55 When you see the south wind getting up, you say, ‘It’s going to be very hot,’ and that’s what happens. 56 You impostors! You know how to work out what the earth and the sky are telling you; why can’t you work out what’s going on at this very moment?
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.