Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Children of God, led by the spirit
12 So then, my dear family, we are in debt—but not to human flesh, to live our life in that way. 13 If you live in accordance with the flesh, you will die; but if, by the spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 All who are led by the spirit of God, you see, are God’s children. 15 You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery, did you, to go back again into a state of fear? But you received the spirit of sonship, in whom we call out “Abba, Father!” 16 When that happens, it is the spirit itself giving supporting witness to what our own spirit is saying, that we are God’s children. 17 And if we’re children, we are also heirs: heirs of God, and fellow heirs with the Messiah, as long as we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Creation renewed and patient hope
18 This is how I work it out. The sufferings we go through in the present time are not worth putting in the scale alongside the glory that is going to be unveiled for us. 19 Yes: creation itself is on tiptoe with expectation, eagerly awaiting the moment when God’s children will be revealed. 20 Creation, you see, was subjected to pointless futility, not of its own volition, but because of the one who placed it in this subjection, in the hope 21 that creation itself would be freed from its slavery to decay, to enjoy the freedom that comes when God’s children are glorified.
22 Let me explain. We know that the entire creation is groaning together, and going through labor pains together, up until the present time. 23 Not only so: we too, we who have the first fruits of the spirit’s life within us, are groaning within ourselves, as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 We were saved, you see, in hope. But hope isn’t hope if you can see it! Who hopes for what they can see? 25 But if we hope for what we don’t see, we wait for it eagerly—but also patiently.
The parable of the weeds
24 He put another parable to them.
“The kingdom of heaven,” he said, “is like this! Once upon a time a man sowed good seed in his field. 25 While the workers were asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds in among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the crop came up and produced wheat, then the weeds appeared as well.
27 “So the farmer’s servants came to him.
“ ‘Master,’ they said, ‘didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’
28 “ ‘This is the work of an enemy,’ he replied.
“ ‘So,’ the servants said to him, ‘do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “ ‘No,’ he replied. ‘If you do that you’ll probably pull up the wheat as well, while you’re collecting the weeds. 30 Let them both grow together until the harvest. Then, when it’s time for harvest, I will give the reapers this instruction: First gather the weeds and tie them up in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”
The parable of the weeds explained
36 Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came and joined him.
“Explain to us,” they said, “the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37 “The one who sows the good seed,” said Jesus, “is the son of man. 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one; 39 the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.
40 “So: when the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, that’s what it will be like at the close of the age. 41 The son of man will send out his angels, and they will collect together out of his kingdom everything that causes offense, and everyone who acts wickedly. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. If you have ears, then hear!”
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.