Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Naaman Is Healed

5 Now ^(A)Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man ^[a]in the view of his master, and eminent, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but afflicted with leprosy. ² Now the Arameans had gone out ^(B)in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she ^[b]waited on Naaman’s wife. ³ And she said to her mistress, “If only my master were ^[c]with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” ⁴ And ^[d]Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “The girl who is from the land of Israel spoke such and such.” ⁵ Then the king of Aram said, “Go ^[e]now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and ^(C)took with him ten ^[f]talents of silver, six thousand ^[g]shekels of gold, and ten ^(D)changes of clothes.

⁶ And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, ^[h]which said, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” ⁷ But when the king of Israel read the letter, ^(E)he tore his clothes and said, “^(F)Am I God, to kill and to keep alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But ^(G)consider now, and see how he is seeking ^[i]a quarrel against me.”

⁸ Now it happened, when Elisha ^(H)the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why did you tear your clothes? Just have him come to me, and he shall learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹ So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰ And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “^(I)Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” ¹¹ But Naaman was furious and went away, and he said, “Behold, I ^[j]thought, ‘He will certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the site and cure the ^[k]leprosy.’ ¹² Are ^[l]Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, not better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and ^(J)went away in a rage. ^13 (K)Then his servants approached and spoke to him, ^[m]saying, “^(L)My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, in accordance with the word of the man of God; and ^(M)his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and ^(N)he was clean.

Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.

Bear One Another’s Burdens

6 ^(A)Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are ^(B)spiritual are to ^(C)restore such a person ^(D)in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. ^2 (E)Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill ^(F)the law of Christ. ³ For ^(G)if anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But each one must ^(H)examine his own work, and then he will have reason for ^(I)boasting, but ^[a]to himself alone, and not ^[b]to another. ⁵ For ^(J)each one will bear his own load.

^6 (K)The one who is taught ^(L)the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.

^7 (A)Do not be deceived, ^(B)God is not mocked; for ^(C)whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. ^8 (D)For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap ^(E)destruction from the flesh, but ^(F)the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. ^9 (G)Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we ^(H)do not become weary. ¹⁰ So then, ^[a](I)while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the ^(J)household of ^(K)the faith.

¹¹ See with what large letters I have written to you ^(L)with my own hand! ¹² All who want ^(M)to make a good showing in the flesh try to ^(N)compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they ^(O)will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For those who ^[b]are circumcised do not even ^(P)keep ^[c]the Law themselves, but they want to have you circumcised so that they may ^(Q)boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But ^[d](R)far be it from me to boast, ^(S)except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(T)through ^[e]which the world has been crucified to me, and ^(U)I to the world. ¹⁵ For ^(V)neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a ^(W)new ^[f]creation. ¹⁶ And all who will follow this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the ^(X)Israel of God.

The Seventy-two Sent Out

10 Now after this ^(A)the Lord appointed ^[a]seventy-two ^(B)others, and sent them ^(C)in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. ² And He was saying to them, “^(D)The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. ³ Go; ^(E)behold, I am sending you out like lambs in the midst of wolves. ^4 (F)Carry no money belt, no ^[b]bag, no sandals, and greet no one along the way. ⁵ And whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ ⁶ And if a ^[c]man of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you. ⁷ Stay in ^[d]that house, eating and drinking ^[e]what they provide; for ^(G)the laborer is deserving of his wages. Do not move from house to house. ⁸ Whatever city you enter and they receive you, ^(H)eat what is served to you; ⁹ and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘^(I)The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘^(J)Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet ^[f]be sure of this, that ^(K)the kingdom of God has come near.’

¹⁶ “^(A)The one who listens to you listens to Me, and ^(B)the one who rejects you rejects Me; but the one who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

The Joyful Results

¹⁷ Now the ^[a]seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even ^(C)the demons are subject to us ^[b]in Your name!” ¹⁸ And He said to them, “I watched ^(D)Satan fall from heaven like lightning. ¹⁹ Behold, I have given you authority to ^(E)walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not ^[c]rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that ^(F)your names are recorded in heaven.”