The Season of Lent
Scripture Selections from the Evangelical Heritage Version® 
following the Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Revised October 9, 2021

The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) copyright © 2019 The Wartburg Project. All rights reserved.
www.wartburgproject.org

Lectionary listings from Christian Worship: Hymnal © 2021 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. 

Ash Wednesday
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

First Reading
2 Samuel 12:1–13
So the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came and told him this: 
There were two men in a city. One was rich and one poor. 2The rich man had a large number of flocks and herds. 3The poor man did not own anything except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He raised it so that it grew up together with him and his children. It ate from his food and drank from his cup. It slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 4When a traveler came to the rich man, the rich man was unwilling to take an animal from his flock or from his herd to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. So he took the lamb from the poor man and prepared it for the man who had come to him. 
5David’s anger flared up against that man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is as good as dead. 6In place of that lamb, he will restore four lambs, because he did this and had no pity.” 
7Nathan told David, “You are the man. This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says.” 
I anointed you king over Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8I gave the house of your master to you, and I gave the wives of your master into your embrace. I gave you the house of Israel and the house of Judah. If this was too little, I would have added even more. 9Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in his eyes? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword. You have taken his wife as your own wife. You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10So now the sword will not depart from your house forever, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. 
11This is what the Lord says. Look! I am raising up disaster against you from your own house. Right in front of your eyes I will take your wives and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie down with your wives in the sight of the sun. 12Because you acted in secret, I will do this in front of all Israel in broad daylight. 
13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” 
Nathan said to David, “The Lord himself has put away your sin. You will not die. 

Second Reading
2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, inasmuch as God is making an appeal through us. We urge you, on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him, who did not know sin, to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
6:1As fellow workers we also urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2For he says:
At a favorable time I listened to you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.
Look, now is the favorable time! See, now is the day of salvation!

Gospel 
Luke 18:9-14
Jesus told this parable to certain people who trusted in themselves (that they were righteous) and looked down on others: 10“Two men went up to the temple courts to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people, robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of all my income.’
13“However the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even lift his eyes up to heaven, but was beating his chest and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
14“I tell you, this man went home justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The First Sunday in Lent
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

First Reading
1 Samuel 17:4–11, 32–40, 45–49
A challenger who represented the Philistines came out from the camp of the Philistines. He was named Goliath of Gath. He was nine feet, six inches tall. 5He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore scaled body armor, which was made of more than one hundred pounds of bronze. 6He had bronze greaves on his shins and a bronze spear slung between his shoulders. 7The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spearhead was made of fifteen pounds of iron. His shield bearer went out ahead of him. 
8He would stand up and shout to the armies of Israel, “Why have you come out to line up in battle formation? I am a Philistine, and you are servants of Saul, aren’t you? Choose a man to represent you, and let him come down to me. 9If he is able to fight with me and kill me, we will be your servants. But if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our servants, and you will serve us.” 10The Philistine would say, “I defy the ranks of Israel today! Give me a man, and we will fight each other!” 11When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified. 
32David said to Saul, “Do not let anyone lose heart because of this Philistine! Your servant will go and fight him.” 
33But Saul said to David, “You cannot go against this Philistine to fight with him, because you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior since he was a youth.” 
34David said to Saul, “Your servant has been taking care of his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35I went after it and struck it and rescued the lamb out of its mouth. When the lion reared up against me, I grabbed it by its mane, struck it, and killed it. 36Your servant struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has defied the ranks of the living God.” 37David added, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” 
Saul said to David, “Go then! May the Lord be with you.” 38So Saul dressed David in his own gear. He placed a bronze helmet on his head and dressed him in scaled body armor. 39David strapped his sword over his gear. David tried to walk around in them, since he had never trained with this kind of equipment before. 
David said to Saul, “I cannot go in these, because I have never trained with them.” So David took them off. 
40Then David took his staff in his hand and picked five smooth stones out of the stream bed and put them into the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. He took his sling in his hand and approached the Philistine. 
45Then David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied. 46Today the Lord will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth. Then all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel, 47and all those gathered here will know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle belongs to the Lord, and he will deliver you into our hand.” 
48Then, when the Philistine started advancing to attack David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49David put his hand into his bag, took a stone from it, shot it from his sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground. 

Second Reading
Hebrews 4:14–16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest, who has gone through the heavens, namely, Jesus the Son of God, let us continue to hold on to our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. 16So let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Gospel 
Luke 4:1–13   
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2where he was tempted by the Devil for forty days. He did not eat anything during those days. When they came to an end, he was hungry. 3The Devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 
4Jesus answered him, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” 
5The Devil led him up to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6The Devil told him, “I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, because it has been entrusted to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. 7So, if you worship me, it will all be yours.” 
8Jesus answered him, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” 
9The Devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here, 10because it is written: 
He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you. 
11And, 
they will lift you up with their hands, 
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” 
12Jesus answered him, “It says: ‘You shall not test the Lord your God.’” 
13When the Devil had finished every temptation, he left him until an opportune time. 

The Second Sunday in Lent
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

First Reading
Jeremiah 26:8-15
When Jeremiah had finished saying everything the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people, then the priests, the prophets, and all the people seized him and said, “You must die! 9Why do you prophesy in the name of the Lord that this house will be like Shiloh and that this city will be desolate with no one living here?” All the people crowded around Jeremiah in the House of the Lord.
10When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they came up from the king’s house to the House of the Lord and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.
11Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death because he has been prophesying against this city, as you heard with your own ears.”
12Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and to all the people, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the things that you have heard. 13Now reform your ways and your actions, and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring about the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14But as for me, look, I am in your hands. Do with me whatever seems good and right in your eyes. 15But you can be certain of this. If you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live here, for it is true that the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

Second Reading
Philippians 3:17–4:1   
Brothers, join together in imitating me and in paying attention to those who are walking according to the pattern we gave you. 18To be sure, many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. I told you about them often, and now I am saying it while weeping. 19Their end is destruction, their god is their appetite, and their glory is in their shame. They are thinking only about earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. We are eagerly waiting for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21By the power that enables him to subject all things to himself, he will transform our humble bodies to be like his glorious body. 
4:1So then, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way keep standing firm in the Lord, my dear friends. 

Gospel 
Luke 13:31–35   
In that very hour, some Pharisees came to him and said, “Leave, and go away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.” 
32He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I am going to drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal. 33Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it cannot be that a prophet would be killed outside Jerusalem!’ 
34“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 35Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you will say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” 

The Third Sunday in Lent
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

First Reading
Exodus 3:1–15
Now Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, a priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2The Angel of the Lord appeared to him in blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but the bush was not burning up. 3So he said, “I will go over and look at this amazing sight—to find out why the bush is not burning up.” 
4When the Lord saw that Moses had gone over to take a look, God called to him from the middle of the bush and said, “Moses! Moses!” 
Moses said, “I am here.” 
5The Lord said, “Do not come any closer. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6He then said, “I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” 
Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 
7The Lord said, “I have certainly seen the misery of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry for help because of their slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 8So I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9Now indeed, the Israelites’ cry for help has come to me. Yes, I have seen how the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10Come now, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 
11But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 
12So he said, “I will certainly be with you. This will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain.” 
13But Moses said to God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I say to them?” 
14So God replied to Moses, “I am who I am.” He also said, “You will say this to the Israelites: I am has sent me to you.” 
15God also told Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered from generation to generation.’ 

Second Reading
1 Corinthians 10:1–13   
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 2and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them—and that rock was Christ! 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them. He had them die in the wilderness. 
6Now these things took place as examples to warn us not to desire evil things the way they did. 7Do not become idolaters like some of them—as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to celebrate wildly.” 8And let us not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. 9Let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and so were being destroyed by the serpents. 10And do not grumble, as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11All these things that were happening to them had meaning as examples, and they were written down to warn us, to whom the end of the ages has come. 
12So let him who thinks he stands be careful that he does not fall. 13No testing has overtaken you except ordinary testing. But God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tested beyond your ability, but when he tests you, he will also bring about the outcome that you are able to bear it. 

Gospel 
Luke 13:1–9   
At that time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2He answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things? 3I tell you, no. But unless you repent, you will all perish too. 4Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse sinners than all the people living in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, no. But unless you repent, you will all perish too.” 
6He told them this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it, but he did not find any. 7So he said to the gardener, ‘Look, for three years now I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I have found none. Cut it down. Why even let it use up the soil?’ 8But the gardener replied to him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. 9If it produces fruit next year, fine. But if not, then cut it down.’” 

The Fourth Sunday in Lent
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

First Reading
Isaiah 12:1-6
In that day you will say:
I will give thanks to you, Lord,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away,
and you comfort me.
2Surely God is my salvation.
I will trust him and will not be afraid,
because Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song,
and he has become my salvation.
3Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
4In that day you will say:
Give thanks to the Lord! Proclaim his name.
Declare among the peoples what he has done.
Proclaim that his name is exalted!
5Sing to the Lord, for he has done amazing things!
Let this be known in all the earth!
6Shout aloud and sing for joy, daughter of Zion,
for the Holy One of Israel is great among you!

Second Reading
Romans 8:1–10
So then, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3Indeed, what the law was unable to do, because it was weakened by the flesh, God did, when he sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to deal with sin. God condemned sin in his flesh, 4so that the righteous decree of the law would be fully satisfied in us who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. 
5To be sure, those who are in harmony with the sinful flesh think about things the way the sinful flesh does, and those in harmony with the spirit think about things the way the spirit does. 6Now, the way the sinful flesh thinks results in death, but the way the spirit thinks results in life and peace. 7For the mind-set of the sinful flesh is hostile to God, since it does not submit to God’s law, and in fact, it cannot. 8Those who are in the sinful flesh cannot please God. 
9But you are not in the sinful flesh but in the spirit, if indeed God’s Spirit lives in you. And if someone does not have the Spirit of Christ, that person does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 

Gospel 
Luke 15:1–3, 11–32   
All the tax collectors and sinners were coming to Jesus to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 
3He told them this parable: 
11Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all that he had and traveled to a distant country. There he wasted his wealth with reckless living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. 15He went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16He would have liked to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 
17“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, and I am dying from hunger! 18I will get up, go to my father, and tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ 
20“He got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, hugged his son, and kissed him. 21The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 
22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick, bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us eat and celebrate, 24because this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate. 
25“His older son was in the field. As he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27The servant told him, ‘Your brother is here! Your father killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28The older brother was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 
29He answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I’ve been serving you, and I never disobeyed your command, but you never gave me even a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours arrived after wasting your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 
31“The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’” 

The Fifth Sunday in Lent
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

First Reading
Isaiah 43:16-21
This is what the Lord says,
who makes a road through the sea
and a path through mighty waters,
17who brings out the chariot and the horses,
the army and the strong warrior.
They will all lie down together.
They will not get up.
They are extinguished.
Like a wick they go out.
18Do not remember the former things.
Do not keep thinking about ancient things.
19Watch, I am about to do a new thing.
Now it will spring up. Don’t you know about it?
Indeed I will make a road in the wilderness.
In the wasteland I will make rivers.
20The wild animals, the jackals and ostriches, will honor me,
because I am providing water in the wilderness,
rivers in a parched wasteland,
to provide water for my chosen people to drink.
21This people that I formed for myself will declare my praise.

Second Reading
Philippians 3:4b–14
If anyone else thinks that he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6in regard to zeal, persecuting the church; in regard to the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. 
7But, whatever things were a profit for me, these things I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. 8But even more than that, I consider everything to be a loss because of what is worth far more: knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake, I have lost all things and consider them rubbish, so that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, which comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God by faith. 10I do this so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11in the hope that in some way I may arrive at the resurrection from the dead. 
12Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus also took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it yet, but there is one thing I do: Forgetting the things that are behind and straining toward the things that are ahead, 14I press on toward the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Gospel 
Luke 20:9–19   
He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to some tenant farmers, and went away on a journey for a long time. 10When it was the right time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenant farmers beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed. 11The man went ahead and sent yet another servant, but they also beat him, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12He then sent yet a third. They also wounded him and threw him out. 13The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my son, whom I love. Perhaps they will respect him.’ 
14“But when the tenant farmers saw him, they talked it over with one another. They said, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, so that the inheritance will be ours.’ 15They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. So what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and destroy those tenant farmers and give the vineyard to others.” 
When they heard this, they said, “May it never be!” 
17But he looked at them and said, “Then what about this that is written: 
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone? 
18“Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush the one on whom it falls.” 
19That very hour the chief priests and the experts in the law began looking for a way to lay hands on him, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. 

The Sixth Sunday in Lent—Palm Sunday
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

First Reading
Isaiah 42:1–4
Here is my servant, whom I uphold, 
my chosen one in whom I delight. 
I am placing my Spirit on him. 
He will announce a just verdict for the nations. 
2He will not cry out. 
He will not raise his voice. 
He will not make his voice heard in the street. 
3A bent reed he will not break, 
and a dimly burning wick he will not snuff out. 
He will faithfully bring forth a just verdict. 
4He will not burn out, and he will not be broken 
until he establishes justice on the earth. 
The coastlands will wait for his law. 

Second Reading
Philippians 2:5-11
Indeed, let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 6Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, 7but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant. When he was born in human likeness, and his appearance was like that of any other man, 8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. 9Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel 
Luke 19:28–40   
After Jesus had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29As he came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ahead, 30saying, “Go to the village ahead of you. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’” 
32Those who were sent ahead went and found things just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 
34They said, “The Lord needs it.” 
35Then they brought the colt to Jesus. They threw their robes on the colt and set Jesus on it. 36As he went along, people spread their robes on the road. 37As he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully, with a loud voice, for all the miracles they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 
39Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 
40He replied, “I tell you, if these people would be silent, the stones would cry out.” 
The Sixth Sunday in Lent—Sunday of the Passion
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

Gospel 
Luke 22:1–23:56
The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2The chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find some way to put Jesus to death, because they were afraid of the people. 3Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. 4He went away and spoke with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard about how he could betray Jesus to them. 5They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6He promised to do it and was looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them away from the crowd. 
7The day of Unleavened Bread arrived, when it was necessary to sacrifice the Passover lamb. 8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” 
9They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?” 
10He told them, “Just as you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters. 11Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ 12He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.” 13They went and found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 
14When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with the twelve apostles. 15He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 
17He took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, 18for I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 
19He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20In the same way, he took the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is being poured out for you. 
21“But look, the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22The Son of Man is going to go as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 
23They began to discuss with one another which of them it was who was going to do this. 
24A dispute arose among the disciples about which of them was considered to be greatest. 25But he told them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called Benefactors. 26But it is not to be that way with you. Instead, let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. 27For who is greater, one who reclines at the table or one who serves? Isn’t it the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28You are those who have remained with me in my trials. 29I am going to grant a kingdom to you, just as my Father granted to me, 30so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” 
31The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, pay attention: Satan has asked to have you all, so that he may sift you as wheat. 32But I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brothers.” 
33He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!” 
34But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know me.” 
35He said to them, “When I sent you out without money bag, traveler’s bag, and sandals, did you lack anything?” 
“Nothing,” they said. 
36Then he told them, “But now, let the one who has a money bag take it, and likewise a traveler’s bag. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘He was counted with transgressors.’ Indeed, what is written about me is going to have its fulfillment.” 
38They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” 
He said to them, “That is enough.” 
39Jesus left and went out to the Mount of Olives, as was his custom. His disciples followed him. 40When he reached the place, he told them, “Keep praying that you may not enter into temptation.” 
41He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” 
43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44As he was in agony, he prayed more fervently. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground. 
45When he rose from prayer, he went to the disciples and found them sleeping as a result of sorrow. 46He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and keep praying so that you may not enter into temptation.” 
47While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, and the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He came near to Jesus to kiss him. 48But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 
49When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, should we strike with a sword?” 50Then one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 
51But Jesus responded, “Stop! No more of this!” Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him. 52Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as you would against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour—when darkness rules.” 
54Then they seized him, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. 
Peter followed at a distance. 55When they had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56A servant girl saw him sitting near the light. She looked closely at him and said, “This man also was with him.” 
57But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 
58After a little while someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them!” 
But Peter answered, “Man, I am not!” 
59After about one hour had passed, someone else was firmly insisting, “Truly this man was with him too, because he is a Galilean!” 
60But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” At that very moment, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord’s word, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today you will deny me three times.” 62He went outside and wept bitterly. 
63The men who were holding Jesus in custody mocked him while they were beating him. 64They blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65And they went on saying many other blasphemous things against him. 
66As soon as it was day, the council of the elders of the people met together, both the chief priests and experts in the law. They brought him into their Sanhedrin and said, 67“If you are the Christ, tell us.” 
But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68and if I ask you, you will not answer me or release me. 69But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 
70They all said, “Are you then the Son of God?” 
He said to them, “I am what you are saying.” 
71Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? For we ourselves have heard it from his own mouth!” 
23:1The whole group of them got up and brought him before Pilate. 2They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this fellow misleading our nation, forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 
3Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 
“It is as you say,” Jesus replied. 
4Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” 
5But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching all through Judea, beginning from Galilee all the way here.” 
6When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7When he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days. 
8When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. For a long time, he had wanted to see him, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle performed by him. 9He questioned him with many words, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10The chief priests and the experts in the law stood there, vehemently accusing him. 11Herod, along with his soldiers, treated him with contempt and ridiculed him. Dressing him in bright clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12Herod and Pilate became friends with each other on that day. Before this they had been enemies of each other. 
13Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who is misleading the people. Look, I have examined him in your presence. I have found in this man no basis for the charges you are bringing against him. 15Herod did not either, for he sent him back to us. See, he has done nothing worthy of death. 16So I will have him flogged and release him.” 
17Pilate needed to release one prisoner to them at the Festival. 18But they all shouted together with one voice: “Take him away! Release Barabbas to us!” 19Barabbas had been thrown in prison for a rebellion in the city and for murder. 
20Pilate addressed them again, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21But they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify him!” 
22He said to them the third time, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found no grounds for sentencing him to death. So I will whip him and release him.” 23But they kept pressuring him with loud voices, demanding that he be crucified. And their voices were overwhelming. 24So Pilate decided that what they demanded would be done. 25He released the one they had asked for, who had been thrown in prison for rebellion and murder, but he handed Jesus over to their will. 
26As they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country. They placed the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large crowd of people was following him, including women who were mourning and wailing for him. 28Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29Be sure of this: The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31For if they do these things to the green wood, what will happen to the dry?” 
32Two other men, who were criminals, were led away with Jesus to be executed. 
33When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right and the other on his left. 
34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” 
They cast lots to divide his garments among them. 35The people stood watching. The rulers were ridiculing him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, the Chosen One!” 
36The soldiers also made fun of him. Coming up to him, they offered him sour wine, 37saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 
38There was also an inscription written above him: “This is the King of the Jews.” 
39One of the criminals hanging there was blaspheming him, saying, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 
40But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same condemnation? 41We are punished justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” 
43Jesus said to him, “Amen I tell you: Today you will be with me in paradise.” 
44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45while the sun was darkened. Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” When he had said this, he breathed his last. 
47When the centurion saw what had happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous.” 48When all the groups of people who had gathered to see this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their chests. 49All those who knew Jesus, and the women who followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. 
50Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man. 51He had not agreed with their plan and action. He was looking forward to the kingdom of God. 52This man went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53He took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb that was cut out of rock, where no one had yet been laid. 54It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed after Joseph, and they observed the tomb and how his body was laid there. 56Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. 

Holy Thursday
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

First Reading
Jeremiah 31:31–34
Yes, the days are coming, declares the Lord, 
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel 
and with the house of Judah. 
32It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers, 
when I took them by the hand 
and led them out of the land of Egypt. 
They broke that covenant of mine, 
although I was a husband to them, declares the Lord. 
33But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, 
declares the Lord. 
I will put my law in their minds, 
and I will write it on their hearts. 
I will be their God, 
and they will be my people. 
34No longer will each one teach his neighbor, 
or each one teach his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” 
because they will all know me, 
from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord, 
for I will forgive their guilt, 
and I will remember their sins no more. 

Second Reading
Hebrews 10:15–25   
The Holy Spirit also testifies in Scripture to us, for first he said: 
16This is the covenant I will make with them 
after those days, says the Lord. 
I will put my laws on their hearts 
and I will write them on their mind. 
17Then he adds: 
And I will not remember their sins and their lawlessness any longer. 
18Now where these sins are forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 
19Brothers, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place through the blood of Jesus. 20It is a new and living way he opened for us through the curtain, that is, his flesh. 21We also have a great priest over the house of God. 22So let us approach with a sincere heart, in the full confidence of faith, because our hearts have been sprinkled to take away a bad conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23Let us hold on firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. 
24Let us also consider carefully how to spur each other on to love and good works. 25Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have the habit of doing. Rather, let us encourage each other, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

Gospel 
Luke 22:7–20   
The day of Unleavened Bread arrived, when it was necessary to sacrifice the Passover lamb. 8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” 
9They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?” 
10He told them, “Just as you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters. 11Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.” 13They went and found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 
14When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with the twelve apostles. 15He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 
17He took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, 18for I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 
19He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20In the same way, he took the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is being poured out for you. 

Good Friday
Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021) 3-Year Lectionary, Year C
Evangelical Heritage Version®

First Reading
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Look, my servant will succeed.
He will rise. He will be lifted up. He will be highly exalted.
14Just as many were appalled at him—
his appearance was so disfigured that he did not look like a man,
and his form was disfigured more than any other person—
15so he will sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him,
because they will see something they had never been told before,
and they will understand something they had never heard before.
53:1Who has believed our report,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2He grew up before him like a tender shoot
and like a root from dry ground.
He had no attractiveness and no majesty.
When we saw him, nothing about his appearance made us desire him.
3He was despised and rejected by men,
a man who knew grief,
who was well acquainted with suffering.
Like someone whom people cannot bear to look at,
he was despised,
and we thought nothing of him.
4Surely he was taking up our weaknesses,
and he was carrying our sufferings.
We thought it was because of God
that he was stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
5but it was because of our rebellion that he was pierced.
He was crushed for the guilt our sins deserved.
The punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6We all have gone astray like sheep.
Each of us has turned to his own way,
but the Lord has charged all our guilt to him.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth.
Like a lamb he was led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that is silent in front of its shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8He was taken away without a fair trial and without justice,
and of his generation, who even cared?
So, he was cut off from the land of the living.
He was struck because of the rebellion of my people.
9They would have assigned him a grave with the wicked,
but he was given a grave with the rich in his death,
because he had done no violence,
and no deceit was in his mouth.
10Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him
and allow him to suffer.
Because you made his life a guilt offering, he will see offspring.
He will prolong his days,
and the Lord’s gracious plan will succeed in his hand.
11After his soul experiences anguish, he will see the light of life.
He will provide satisfaction.
Through their knowledge of him, my just servant will justify the many,
for he himself carried their guilt.
12Therefore I will give him an allotment among the great,
and with the strong he will share plunder,
because he poured out his life to death,
and he let himself be counted with rebellious sinners.
He himself carried the sin of many,
and he intercedes for the rebels.

Second Reading
Galatians 3:10–13
In fact, those who rely on the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law.” 11Clearly no one is declared righteous before God by the law, because “The righteous will live by faith.” 12The law does not say “by faith.” Instead it says, “The one who does these things will live by them.” 
13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. As it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” 

Gospel 
John 19:17-30
Carrying his own cross, he went out to what is called the Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18There they crucified him with two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle.
19Pilate also had a notice written and fastened on the cross. It read, “Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.”
20Many of the Jews read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek.
21So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that ‘this man said, “I am the King of the Jews.”’”
22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier. They also took his tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it. Instead, let’s cast lots to see who gets it.” This was so that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:
They divided my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
So the soldiers did these things.
25Jesus’ mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene were standing near the cross.
26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son!” 27Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother!” And from that time this disciple took her into his own home.
28After this, knowing that everything had now been finished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I thirst.”
29A jar full of sour wine was sitting there. So they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.
30When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished!” Then, bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.