Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

²⁴ For the Messiah did not enter into a sanctuary made by human hands, the copy and pattern of the heavenly one, but into the heavenly one itself, where he now appears in God’s presence on our behalf.

²⁵ Nor did he intend to offer himself over and over again, in the same way as the high priest goes into the sanctuary year after year with blood that is not his own. ²⁶ Had that been the case, he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. Instead, he has appeared once, at the close of the ages, to put away sin by the sacrifice of his own self.

²⁷ Furthermore, just as it is laid down that humans have to die once, and after that comes judgment, ²⁸ so the Messiah, having been offered once and for all to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time. This will no longer have anything to do with sin. It will be in order to save those who are eagerly awaiting him.

³⁸ During his teaching, he said, “Beware of the lawyers! They like to walk about in long robes, and to be greeted in the market-places. ³⁹ They take the chief seats in the synagogue, and the best places at dinner parties. ⁴⁰ They devour the property of widows, and make long prayers without meaning them. They will receive all the more condemnation.”

⁴¹ As he sat opposite the Temple treasury, he watched the crowd putting money into the alms boxes. Lots of rich people put in substantial amounts. ⁴² Then there came a single poor widow, who put in two tiny coins, together worth a single penny.

⁴³ Jesus called his disciples.

“I’m telling you the truth,” he said. “This poor widow just put more into the treasury than everybody else. ⁴⁴ You see, all the others were contributing out of their wealth; but she put in everything she had, out of her poverty. It was her whole livelihood.”