Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The big picture in shorthand: Adam and the Messiah

¹² Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one human being, and death through sin, and in that way death spread to all humans, in that all sinned . . . ¹³ Sin was in the world, you see, even in the absence of the law, though sin is not calculated where there is no law. ¹⁴ But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over the people who did not sin by breaking a command, as Adam had done—Adam, who was the imprint of the one who was to come.

¹⁵ But it isn’t “as the trespass, so also the gift.” For if many died by one person’s trespass, how much more has God’s grace, and the gift in grace through the one person Jesus the Messiah, abounded to the many? ¹⁶ And nor is it “as through the sin of the one, so also the gift.” For the judgment which followed the one trespass resulted in a negative verdict, but the free gift which followed many trespasses resulted in a positive verdict. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace, and of the gift of covenant membership, of “being in the right,” reign in life through the one man Jesus the Messiah?

The triumphant reign of grace

¹⁸ So, then, just as, through the trespass of one person, the result was condemnation for all people, even so, through the upright act of one person, the proper verdict is life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of one person many received the status of “sinner,” so through the obedience of one person many will receive the status of being “in the right.”

Temptation in the wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the spirit to be tested by the devil. ² He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and at the end of it was famished. ³ Then the tempter approached him.

“If you really are God’s son,” he said, “tell these stones to become bread!”

⁴ “The Bible says,” replied Jesus, “that it takes more than bread to keep you alive. You actually live on every word that comes out of God’s mouth.”

⁵ Then the devil took him off to the holy city, and stood him on a pinnacle of the Temple.

⁶ “If you really are God’s son,” he said, “throw yourself down. The Bible does say, after all, that ‘God will give his angels a command about you’; and ‘they will carry you in their hands, so that you won’t hurt your foot against a stone.’ ”

⁷ “But the Bible also says,” replied Jesus, “that you mustn’t put the Lord your God to the test!”

⁸ Then the devil took him off again, this time to a very high mountain. There he showed him all the magnificent kingdoms of the world.

⁹ “I’ll give the whole lot to you,” he said, “if you will fall down and worship me.”

¹⁰ “Get out of it, satan!” replied Jesus. “The Bible says, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone!’ ”

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and looked after him.