Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Joyful Return to Zion

A Song of Ascents.

⁴ though ^(A)I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I ^(B)more so: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, ^(C)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(D)a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, ^(E)a Pharisee; ⁶ concerning zeal, ^(F)persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷ But ^(G)what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss ^(H)for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having ^(I)my own righteousness, which is from the law, but ^(J)that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the ^(K)power of His resurrection, and ^(L)the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may ^(M)attain^[a] to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already ^(N)attained,^[b] or am already ^(O)perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have ^[c]apprehended; but one thing I do, ^(P)forgetting those things which are behind and ^(Q)reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ^14 (R)I press toward the goal for the prize of ^(S)the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The Anointing at Bethany^(A)

12 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, ^(B)where Lazarus was ^[a]who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. ^2 (C)There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. ³ Then ^(D)Mary took a pound of very costly oil of ^(E)spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

⁴ But one of His disciples, ^(F)Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ⁵ “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for ^[b]three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and ^(G)had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

⁷ But Jesus said, “Let her alone; ^[c]she has kept this for the day of My burial. ⁸ For ^(H)the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”