Scripture Reading for July 20, 2025

Luke 10:38-42

38  Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into the house. 39  She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to what he was saying.

40  But Martha was distracted with much serving, so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me alone to serve? Tell her, then, to help

me.” 41  But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42  one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Colossians 1:15-28

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; 16 for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that in everything he might be pre-eminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

21 And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, 23 provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.