3:1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." 3 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. 8 Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish."

10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

4:1 But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. 3 And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." 4 And the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" 5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.

6 The LORD God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, "It is better for me to die than to live."

9 But God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?" And he said, "Yes, angry enough to die." 10 Then the LORD said, "You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?" (Jonah 3:1-4:11, NRSV)

On October 19, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two), comments were combined with some revision from October 14, 2004, two years earlier (Thursday of the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two), and from February 9, 2005 (Ash Wednesday, Year One). The revised comments were repeated on February 21, 2007 (Ash Wednesday, Year One), and are repeated again here with editing and supplement:

After the fish “spewed Jonah out upon the dry land” (Jonah 2:10), his original call to go to Nineveh and preach is renewed (3:2). And this time, given a second chance, Jonah obeys. He “set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD” (Jonah 3:3a). Many consider the description of Nineveh’s size as greatly exaggerated. “Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three day’s walk across” (v. 3b). Mary Joan Winn Leith says. “Excavations at the site of Nineveh (Tell Nabi Yunus, ‘ruin of the Prophet Jonah’; the name reflects Muslim Jonah traditions) opposite the Iraqi city of Mosul have revealed a city about three miles long with a city eight miles around” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Jonah 3:3). Leith adds, “By stressing the vast size of the city the author means to show the extent of Jonah’s success and of God’s mercy. Ehud Ben Zvi, commenting on the recent Jewish translation, “Nineveh was an enormously large city [text note b, ‘a large city of God,’ a three days’ walk across” (NJPS 1985, 1999 v. 3b), says “According to NJPS and many scholars, the text states that the city was a three-day walk across, an impossibly large distance for an ancient city. The text may be stating that the city was at a distance of three days’ walk from Jonah’s place” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, on Jonah 3:3).

Jonah preaches in Nineveh as originally commanded by the LORD. Although the message seems simple and direct, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown (tk@P!h4n@, nehpāketh)!” (Jon. 3:4), Leith has observed that, though “Jonah expects destruction . . . this word [tk@P!h4n@, nehpāketh] can also refer to a ‘turn over’ or change of heart” (op. cit., on v. 4). According to Ben Zvi,

Jonah chooses language that is reminiscent of God’s destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Gen. Ch. 19. But the careful readers of the book notice the irony of the situation: Jonah’s words potentially carry two, opposite meanings: (a) ‘Nineveh is undone,’ and (b) ‘Nineveh turns over (i.e., reforms itself). One feature of his proclamation is unambiguous: Jonah’s proclamation is extremely short and includes no call to repentance, unlike many other prophetic proclamations. (op. cit., on v. 4)

And so, without any instructions about repentance, “the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth” (v. 5). When the news reaches the King of Nineveh, he joins the fast (v. 6) and supports it with a proclamation

By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish. (Jon. 3:7-9 NRSV)

“The intentionally humorous notion of animals in sackcloth makes a serious point: Mercy is not restricted to God’s human creations (4:11). God’s care for Nineveh and its cattle pointedly contrasts with God’s lethal treatment of the Egyptians and their cattle in the Exodus plague of the firstborn (Ex. 12:29). Ben Zvi points out that Jonah’s proclamation, without a call to repentance,

is the most effective, since the entire city immediately turns from its ways and repents. . . . Jonah does not wish to be a prophetic voice calling for repentance and does not ask for the divine judgment to be turned into mercy (contrast Abraham in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. 18:16-32), but he is still the most successful prophet in the Bible who achieves both in an unparalleled, complete, and immediate way–even the animals repent! (op. cit., on vv. 5-9).

Their repentance pleased God, who “changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it” (v. 10). In biblical religion, repentance removes the threat of judgment. But Jonah–the caricature of a prophet–sulks. He says he understands God’s grace and mercy (4:2), but his heart is not in it. “And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” (v. 3). At this point, Jonah is subjected to an object lesson. The exchange about the bush which at first provided shade, but then withered, emphasizes God’s lesson for Jonah. “The Lord appointed a bush” which provided shade for Jonah (v 6), but when a worm “attacked the bush, so that it withered” (v. 7), Jonah did more than pout; he expressed a death wish (v. 8). So Nineveh repented, but any repentance by Jonah is left to be inferred. The LORD expresses his concern for even the Assyrian people of Nineveh (v. 11).

the biblical book of Jonah . . . does not end with Jonah’s acceptance of God’s position. It rather leaves the question open [about God’s judgment and mercy], asking the reader to fill the gap. Some modern readers who imagine Jonah as a prophet who knew too well what Assyria will do (later) to Israel think that Jonah remained unconvinced, and praise him for that, in the light of holocaust theology. Many other readers point out that the future actions of Assyria are not mentioned in the text at all, and are introduced into the text by the readers themselves. (op. cit., on 4:11)

Hosea 13:4-8 (Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions; while this passage as such is not included in the current Book of Common Prayer Daily Office Lectionary series, see the comments on Hosea 13:4-14 on Sunday, October 5, 2008, eleven days ago.)

27 When the fourteenth night had come, as we were drifting across the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. 28 So they took soundings and found twenty fathoms; a little farther on they took soundings again and found fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. 30 But when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea, on the pretext of putting out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved." 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and set it adrift.

33 Just before daybreak, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and remaining without food, having eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for it will help you survive; for none of you will lose a hair from your heads." 35 After he had said this, he took bread; and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then all of them were encouraged and took food for themselves. 37 (We were in all two hundred seventy-six persons in the ship.) 38 After they had satisfied their hunger, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.

39 In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if they could. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 41 But striking a reef, they ran the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the force of the waves. 42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44 and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land. (Acts 27:27-44, NRSV)

On August 30, 2007 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to August 24, Year One), comments were repeated from October 19, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two), when comments were combined with some revision and supplement from October 14, 2004, (Thursday of the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two), and from August 25, 2005 (Thursday of the week of the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year One). The combined comments are repeated here:

Paul’s warnings about travel in late autumn (Acts 26:10) had proven true, to the point that yesterday’s reading found his fellow travelers desperate and fearful. “We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, and on the third day with their own hands, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard” (vv. 18-19). So the ship carrying Paul to Rome was adrift without tackle (cf. Acts 27:19) and in danger of running aground on rocks. “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned” (v. 20).

At this point, the prisoner in effect takes charge. “You should have listened to me,” he says (v. 21), but he offers encouragement, a promise from God delivered by an angel: “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor; and indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you” (v24). The sailors apparently do not trust Paul, and with some indications (soundings) of the approach of land (vv. 27-29), they prepare secretly to abandon the ship (v. 30). Paul warns the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved” (v. 31). But this time, the centurion and the soldiers listen to Paul and prevent the sailors’ escape (vv. 31-32). So the ship continues to drift (v. 32). Paul continues to lead, telling the people to “take some food, for it will help you survive” (v. 34), and he prays a blessing over the food (v. 35). Then they “lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea” (v. 38). On the approach to land (v. 39), without anchors and ropes for the steering-oars (v. 40), the ship strikes a reef, runs aground and begins to break up, so the chapter ends with a scramble for survival (v. 41). The soldiers are prevented from killing Paul by the grateful centurion (vv. 42-43), and “all were brought safely to land” (v. 44). Paul is preserved for further ministry. Beverly Roberts Gaventa observes that “Paul’s earlier predictions are realized here (see vv. 22, 24, 26, 34)” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Acts 27:39-44).

The Lord moves in mysterious ways. Luke’s point is clear. The Lord stands by Paul and his apostolic vocation and protects him through the violent storm. The same Lord will stand by us as we seek to fulfill his calling for us.

18 Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" 19 They answered, "John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen." 20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Messiah of God."

21 He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, 22 saying, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

23 Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. 25 What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? 26 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:18-27, NRSV)

On February 3, 2008 (the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two), comments were repeated from May 14, 2007 (Monday in the week of the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year One), comments that were combined from May 2, 2005 (Monday in the week of the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year One), and from October 19, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two), when comments were combined, revised and supplemented with material from October 14, 2004 (Thursday of the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two), from May 2, 2005 (Monday in the week of the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year One), and from February 26, 2006 (the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two). The combined comments are repeated here. For comments focused on Matthew’s version of Peter’s confession (Mt. 16:13-20), see the comments for November 16, 2007 (Friday of the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year One) in the archive for 2007.

This passage is compared with passages in the other Gospels in the following table:

Peter’s Confession, First Passion Prediction, Teaching on Discipleship †
Matthew 16:13-28 *	Mark 8:27-9:1 *	Luke 9:18-27 *
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rockI will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.	27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.	18 Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" 19 They answered, "John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen." 20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Messiah of God." 21 He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, [John 6:67-71] * 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." 70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil." 71 He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”	31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”	22 saying, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? 27 “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”	34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”9 1 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”	23 Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. 25 What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? 26 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."
† Based on Kurt Aland, Synopsis Quattuor Evangeliorum, 10^th ed. (1962), 149-152. * NRSV

In all of the Gospels, Peter’s confession about who Jesus is represents a decisive turning point in the narrative which essentially brings the Galilean ministry to a close (Mt 16:13-21; Mk. 8:27-30; Lk. 9:18-21; Jn. 6:67-71). A few more incidents follow in Galilee, for example, Luke includes the transfiguration (9:28-36; cf. Mt. 17:1-9; Mk. 9:2-10), a healing at the foot of the mountain (vv. 37-43a; cf. Mt. 17:14-21; Mk. 9:14-29), a second prediction of the passion (vv. 43-45; cf. Mt. 17:22-23; Mk. 9:30-32), teaching on true greatness (Lk. 9:46-48; cf. Mt. 18:1-5; Mk. 9:33-37), and the report of the unknown exorcist (Lk. 9:49-50; cf. Mk. 9:38-41) before beginning the account of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem (Lk. 9:51). In John the attention turns to Judea immediately and the only further reports of an incident in Galilee are Jesus’ departure for Jerusalem and the Festival of Tabernacles (Jn. 7:1-10) and the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus in John 21.

Luke presents Peter’s “Confession,” in response to Jesus’ question, “But who do you say that I am?” “The Messiah [note c, ‘Or The Christ’] of God” (Lk. 9:20), a succinct version as compared with Matthew’s version, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt. 16:16), or Mark’s, “You are the Messiah” (Mk. 8:29), or John’s, “We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn. 6:69, in a different context)

In all of the Gospels this clear recognition of Jesus’ identity is followed immediately by a clear indication of what awaits Jesus in Jerusalem. The first passion prediction occurs here in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and in John the author interprets Jesus statement, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil” (Jn. 6:70) as a reference to his forthcoming betrayal by Judas (v. 71). From this point on the theme of the meaning of discipleship comes more and more to the fore.

In Luke’s narrative this follows immediately upon the feeding of the five thousand (Lk. 9:12-17), but the indefinite time reference, “Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him” (Lk. 9:18), would allow for intervening events such as the walking on the water (Mt. 14:22-33; Mk. 6:45-52; Jn. 6:16-21), healings at Gennesaret (Mt. 14:34-36; Mk. 6:53-56; cf. Jn. 6:22-25), and other events not included by Luke, including healing the Syrophoenician or Canaanite woman’s daughter (Mt. 15:21-28; Mk. 7:24-30), healing a deaf mute and others (Mt. 15:29-31; Mk. 7:31-37), and feeding of the four thousand (Mt. 15:32-39; Mk. 8:1-10) (cf. Kurt Aland, Synopsis of the Four Gospels, 1982, rev. printing, 1985, secs. 146-157, pp. 135-149). In Matthew and Mark the scene is set at Caesarea Philippi; in John, it comes after the people wanted to make him king (Jn. 6:15) and the extended discussion of the bread of life, which apparently disappointed many. “This teaching is difficult,” said some, “who can accept it?” (Jn. 6:60). “Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him” (v. 66). As for Peter’s confession itself, Luke’s version, where Peter responds, “The Messiah of God” (Lk. 9:20), is very much like Mark’s version, “You are the Messiah” (Mk. 8:29; cf. “the Holy One of God, Jn. 6:69). Neither includes the discussion with Peter about “this rock” (Mt. 16:18) or “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (v. 19).

Luke moves on to the First Passion Prediction, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Lk. 9:22), and teaching on discipleship, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (v. 23). In the later parts of Jesus’ public ministry, he spends more time on issues of discipleship–not on what we do to earn salvation, but on the way Christian believers do or should live in the world.

In the three Synoptic Gospels, Jesus’ first passion prediction follows immediately (Mt. 16:21-23; Mk. 8:31-33; Lk. 9:22), but Luke’s version is very brief, omitting Peter’s rebuke and Jesus’ reply (Mt. 16:22b, 23; Mk. 8:32-33). The three Gospels then continue with Jesus’ teaching on taking up one’s cross (Mt. 16:24-28; Mk. 8:34-9;1; Lk. 9:23-27; cf. Jn. 12:25). “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it” (Lk. 9:23-24; cf. Mt. 16:24-25; Mk. 8:34-35).. The word “daily” (kaq j hJmevron, kath’ hēmeron) stands out in Luke’s version of this saying. Absent from the parallels in Matthew and Mark, it appears to represent Luke’s concern that his readers will commit themselves to such discipleship, taking up their own crosses daily. This exhortation to make a habit of living this way reminds us of a minor difference between Matthew’s and Luke’s version of another of Jesus’ sayings. “Give to him who begs from you (tw:/ aijtou:ntiv se dovV, tō aitounti se dos ” (Mt. 5:42a RSV; ‘Give to the one who asks you” NIV). “Give to everyone who begs from you (panti; aijtou:ntiv se divdou, panti aitounti se didou)” (Lk. 6:30a). The word “everyone” (pantiv, panti) is in Luke’s version but not Matthew (though the NRSV includes it). Matthew’s imperative verb “give” is in the aorist tense and envisions a single instance, though it might be repeated, “Give to the one who asks you.” But Luke’s version uses the present tense imperative, which implies continued or repeated giving. “Give to everyone who asks you.” Make a habit of it. Luke reports Jesus’ saying in a way that calls for selfless living in his readers.

The three Gospels continue with a reminder of eschatological sanctions. “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Lk. 9:26; cf. Mk. 8:38). There is a positive side: “ But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9:27; cf. Mt. 16:28; Mk. 9:1). Matthew puts it a little differently: “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done” (Mt. 16:27).

Daily Scripture Readings
Thursday (October 16, 2008)*
Daily Office Lectionary, The Book of Common Prayer, the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A., 1979	Daily Lectionary, Book of Common Worship, the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., 1993	Daily Lectionary, Book of Worship Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship, c. 1978 (2002 printing) ‡
http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/index.htm http://www.pcusa.org/cgi-bin/lectiond.cgi
‡ Daily Lectionary, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, ELCA, 2006. In the Evangelical Lutheran Worship book of 2006, the Daily Lectionary (pp. 1121-1153) is revised to correlate with the Sunday Lectionary (the Revised Common Lectionary) on the three year cycle: Year A (now current), Year B, Year C. “The readings are chosen so that the days leading up to Sunday (Thursday through Saturday) prepare for the Sunday readings. The days flowing out from Sunday (Monday through Wednesday) reflect upon the Sunday readings” (p. 1121).
Unless otherwise indicated, the scripture texts quoted are from The New Revised Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers), 1989.
Thursday AM Psalm 18:1-20 PM Psalm 18:21-50 Jonah 3:1-4:11 Acts 27:27-44 Luke 9:18-27 Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, & Thomas Cranmer: http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Latimer_Ridley_Cranmer.htm Psalm 142 or 124 1 Corinthians 3:9-14; John 15:20--16:1 Eucharistic Reading: Ephesians 1:1-10; Psalm 98 Luke 11:47-54	Thursday Morning: Psalm 147:12-20 Hosea 13:4-8 Acts 27:27-44 Luke 9:18-27 Evening: Psalm 27:1-14	Thursday Morning Pss.: 36; 147:13-21 Hosea 13:4-8 Acts 27:27-44 Luke 9:18-27 Evening Pss.: 80; 27
		Year A Daily Readings Psalm 96:1-9 [10-13] Judges 17:1-6 3 John 9-12
* Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two