Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Davidic Song of Ascents
The Significance of Unity
133 Look how good and how pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil on the head,
descending to the beard—
even to Aaron’s beard—
and flowing down to the edge of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon
falling on Zion’s mountains.
For there the Lord commanded his blessing—
life everlasting.
29 In his last words, Jacob[a] issued this set of instructions to them all: “I’m about to join[b] our ancestors. Bury me alongside my ancestors in the cave in the field that used to belong to Ephron the Hittite. 30 It’s the cave in the field near Mamre at Machpelah in the land of Canaan that Abraham bought to serve as a cemetery. 31 It’s where Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, where Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and where I buried Leah. 32 Both the field and the cave that’s in it were purchased from the Hittites.”
33 After concluding this set of instructions to his sons, Jacob[c] tucked his feet up into bed, quit breathing, and was gathered to his ancestors.
Joseph Mourns for His Father
50 Then Joseph embraced his father,[d] cried over him, and kissed him. 2 After this, he issued orders to his physician servants to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel. 3 It took 40 days to complete the process, the normal period required for embalming. Meanwhile, the Egyptians mourned for him for 70 days. 4 At the conclusion of the mourning period, Joseph addressed Pharaoh’s household. “If you’re satisfied with me, would you please take this message to Pharaoh for me? Tell him, 5 ‘My father told me, “Look! I’m about to die. Bury me in my grave that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” So please let me travel to bury my father. I’ll be right back.’”
6 “Please go,” Pharaoh replied. “Bury your father, as he asked you to do.”
Joseph Mourns in Canaan
7 So Joseph got up and went to bury his father, accompanied by all of Pharaoh’s servants, all of the elders of Egypt, 8 all of Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household. They left behind in the territory of Goshen only their youngest children, their flocks, and their herds. 9 Chariots and horsemen also accompanied Joseph,[e] so there were a lot of people. 10 When they arrived at Atad’s threshing floor, which is located beyond the Jordan River,[f] they held a great and mournful memorial service, during which Joseph[g] spent seven days mourning for his father. 11 As soon as the Canaanites who lived in the land observed the mourning going on at Atad’s threshing floor, they commented “This is a significant time of mourning for the Egyptians.” That’s why the place, which is located beyond the Jordan River,[h] became known as Abel-mizraim.[i]
The Burial at Machpelah
12 And so Israel’s[j] sons did what he had instructed them to do: 13 they carried him to the territory of Canaan and buried him in the cave in Machpelah field near Mamre that Abraham had purchased[k] as a cemetery from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt, along with everyone who had gone with him to attend the burial.
Acting in Love
13 Therefore, let’s no longer criticize[a] each other. Instead, make up your mind not to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know—and have been persuaded by the Lord Jesus—that nothing is unclean in and of itself, but it is unclean to a person who thinks it is unclean. 15 For if your brother is being hurt by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not destroy the person for whom the Messiah[b] died by what you eat. 16 Do not allow what seems good to you to be spoken of as evil. 17 For God’s kingdom does not consist of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy produced by the Holy Spirit. 18 For the person who serves the Messiah[c] in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people. 19 Therefore, let’s keep on pursuing those things that bring peace and that lead to building up one another.
20 Do not destroy God’s action for the sake of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make another person stumble because of what you eat. 21 The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that makes your brother stumble, upset, or weak.[d] 22 As for the faith you do have, have it as your own conviction before God. How blessed is the person who has no reason to condemn himself because of what he approves! 23 But the person who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not act in faith; and anything that is not done in faith is sin.
Please Others, Not Yourselves
15 Now we who are strong ought to be patient with the weaknesses of those who are not strong and must stop pleasing ourselves. 2 Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building him up.
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