October 24, 2026

7Diversity of Gifts. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore, it says: “He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men.” 9What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended into the lower [regions] of the earth? 10The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. 11And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, 12to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. 15Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body’s growth and builds itself up in love. Renewal in Christ.

1Psalm 122 A Pilgrim’s Prayer for Jerusalem - A song of ascents. Of David. I - I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” 2And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem. 3Jerusalem, built as a city, walled round about. 4There the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, As it was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. 5There are the thrones of justice, the thrones of the house of David.

11Answer them: As I live—oracle of the Lord GOD—I swear I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! Why should you die, house of Israel?

1At that time some people who were present there told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. 2He said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? 3By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! 4Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? 5By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree. 6And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, 7he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. [So] cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ 8He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; 9it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’” Cure of a Crippled Woman on the Sabbath.