Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Cutting of the Covenant
15 After these things the Lord’s message came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield[a] and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”[b]
2 But Abram said, “O Sovereign Lord,[c] what will you give me since[d] I continue to be[e] childless, and my heir[f] is[g] Eliezer of Damascus?”[h] 3 Abram added,[i] “Since[j] you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!”[k]
4 But look,[l] the Lord’s message came to him: “This man[m] will not be your heir, but instead[n] a son[o] who comes from your own body will be your heir.” 5 The Lord[p] took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars—if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”
6 Abram believed[q] the Lord, and the Lord[r] credited[s] it[t] as righteousness[u] to him.
7 The Lord said[v] to him, “I am the Lord[w] who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans[x] to give you this land to possess.” 8 But[y] Abram[z] said, “O Sovereign Lord,[aa] by what[ab] can I know that I am to possess it?”
9 The Lord[ac] said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 10 So Abram[ad] took all these for him and then cut them in two[ae] and placed each half opposite the other,[af] but he did not cut the birds in half. 11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep,[ag] and great terror overwhelmed him.[ah]
Psalm 27[a]
By David.
27 The Lord is my light[b] and my salvation.
I fear no one.[c]
The Lord protects my life.
I am afraid of no one.[d]
2 When evil men attack me[e]
to devour my flesh,[f]
when my adversaries and enemies attack me,[g]
they stumble and fall.[h]
3 Even when an army is deployed against me,
I do not fear.[i]
Even when war is imminent,[j]
I remain confident.[k]
4 I have asked the Lord for one thing—
this is what I desire!
I want to live[l] in the Lord’s house[m] all the days of my life,
so I can gaze at the splendor[n] of the Lord
and contemplate in his temple.
5 He will surely[o] give me shelter[p] in the day of danger;[q]
he will hide me in his home.[r]
He will place me[s] on an inaccessible rocky summit.[t]
6 Now I will triumph
over my enemies who surround me.[u]
I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy.[v]
I will sing praises to the Lord.
7 Hear me,[w] O Lord, when I cry out.
Have mercy on me and answer me.
8 My heart tells me to pray to you,[x]
and I do pray to you, O Lord.[y]
9 Do not reject me.[z]
Do not push your servant away in anger.
You are my deliverer.[aa]
Do not forsake or abandon me,
O God who vindicates me.
10 Even if my father and mother abandoned me,[ab]
the Lord would take me in.[ac]
11 Teach me how you want me to live,[ad] Lord;
lead me along a level path[ae] because of those who wait to ambush me.[af]
12 Do not turn me over to my enemies,[ag]
for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me.[ah]
13 Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience
the Lord’s favor in the land of the living?[ai]
14 Rely[aj] on the Lord!
Be strong and confident![ak]
Rely on the Lord!
17 Be imitators of me,[a] brothers and sisters,[b] and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example. 18 For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.[c] 20 But our citizenship is in heaven—and we also eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform these humble bodies of ours[d] into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.
Christian Practices
4 So then, my brothers and sisters,[e] dear friends whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand in the Lord in this way, my dear friends!
Going to Jerusalem
31 At that time,[a] some Pharisees[b] came up and said to Jesus,[c] “Get away from here,[d] because Herod[e] wants to kill you.” 32 But[f] he said to them, “Go[g] and tell that fox,[h] ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day[i] I will complete my work.[j] 33 Nevertheless I must[k] go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is impossible[l] that a prophet should be killed[m] outside Jerusalem.’[n] 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,[o] you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you![p] How often I have longed[q] to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but[r] you would have none of it![s] 35 Look, your house is forsaken![t] And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”[u]
The Transfiguration
28 Now[a] about eight days[b] after these sayings, Jesus[c] took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up the mountain to pray. 29 As[d] he was praying,[e] the appearance of his face was transformed,[f] and his clothes became very bright, a brilliant white.[g] 30 Then[h] two men, Moses and Elijah,[i] began talking with him.[j] 31 They appeared in glorious splendor and spoke about his departure[k] that he was about to carry out[l] at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those with him were quite sleepy,[m] but as they became fully awake,[n] they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 Then[o] as the men[p] were starting to leave,[q] Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters,[r] one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he was saying. 34 As[s] he was saying this, a cloud[t] came[u] and overshadowed[v] them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 Then[w] a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One.[x] Listen to him!”[y] 36 After[z] the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. So[aa] they kept silent and told no one[ab] at that time[ac] anything of what they had seen.
Healing a Boy with an Unclean Spirit
37 Now on[a] the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 Then[b] a man from the crowd cried out,[c] “Teacher, I beg you to look at[d] my son—he is my only child! 39 A[e] spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams;[f] it throws him into convulsions[g] and causes him to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him alone, torturing[h] him severely. 40 I[i] begged[j] your disciples to cast it out, but[k] they could not do so.”[l] 41 Jesus answered,[m] “You[n] unbelieving[o] and perverse generation! How much longer[p] must I be with you and endure[q] you?[r] Bring your son here.” 42 As[s] the boy[t] was approaching, the demon threw him to the ground[u] and shook him with convulsions.[v] But Jesus rebuked[w] the unclean[x] spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 Then[y] they were all astonished at the mighty power[z] of God.
Another Prediction of Jesus’ Suffering
But while the entire crowd[aa] was amazed at everything Jesus[ab] was doing, he said to his disciples,
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