Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Lord Is Good to His People

106 Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever. ² Who can put into words the great works of the Lord? Who can make known all His praise? ³ Happy are those who are faithful in being fair and who always do what is right and good!

⁴ O Lord, remember me when You show favor to Your people. Visit me also when You save them. ⁵ So I may share in the well-being of Your chosen ones. So I may share in the joy of Your nation, and be proud of Your people.

⁶ We have sinned like our fathers. We have done wrong. We have been sinful in our actions. ⁷ Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your powerful works. They did not remember how many times You showed Your loving-kindness. But they turned against You by the sea, the Red Sea. ⁸ Yet He saved them because of the honor of His name, and to make His great power known. ⁹ So He spoke sharp words to the Red Sea and it dried up. And He led them through the sea as through a desert. ¹⁰ He saved them from the hand of those who hated them. He set them free from the hand of those who went against them. ¹¹ And the waters covered those who hated them. Not one of them was left. ¹² Then they believed His promises. They sang His praise.

Isaac Prays for Good to Come to Jacob

27 Isaac was now old, and had become blind. He called to his older son Esau, saying, “My son.” And Esau answered, “Here I am.” ² Isaac said, “See, I am old. I do not know when I will die. ³ Take your bow and arrows, and go out to the field to get meat for me. ⁴ Get some food ready for me that I love. Bring it to me to eat, so that before I die I will pray that good will come to you.”

⁵ And Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for meat to bring home, ⁶ Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father talking to your brother Esau. He said, ⁷ ’Bring me some meat. Make good-tasting food for me to eat. And before I die I will pray to the Lord for good to come to you.’ ⁸ So now, my son, listen to what I tell you to do. ⁹ Go to the flock and bring me two fat young goats. I will cook them into good-tasting food, just what your father loves to eat. ¹⁰ Then you will take it to your father for him to eat. So before he dies he will pray for good to come to you.”

¹¹ Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “But my brother Esau has much hair. And my skin is smooth. ¹² If my father touches me, he will think of me as one trying to fool him. Then he will bring a curse upon me instead of good.” ¹³ His mother said to him, “The curse will come upon me instead of you, my son. You do what I say, and go get them for me.” ¹⁴ So Jacob went and got them, and brought them to his mother. And his mother made good-tasting food, just what his father loved to eat. ¹⁵ Then Rebekah took the best clothes that belonged to her older son Esau, that were with her in the house. And she put them on her younger son Jacob. ¹⁶ She put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. ¹⁷ And she gave her son Jacob the bread and the good-tasting food she had made.

¹⁸ Then he went to his father and said, “My father.” Isaac said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” ¹⁹ Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your first-born. I have done as you told me. Sit up and eat the meat I brought, so you will pray that good will come to me.” ²⁰ But Isaac said to his son, “How have you found it so fast, my son?” And Jacob said, “Because the Lord your God made it happen.”

²¹ Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know for sure if you are my son Esau or not.” ²² So Jacob came near his father Isaac. Isaac touched him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice. But the hands are Esau’s hands.” ²³ He did not know who he was, because his hands were covered with hair like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac prayed that good would come to him. ²⁴ Isaac said, “Is it true that you are my son Esau?” Jacob answered, “I am.” ²⁵ So Isaac said, “Bring it to me so I may eat the meat my son has made ready. And I will pray that good will come to you.” He brought it to him, and he ate. He brought him wine also, and he drank.

²⁶ Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” ²⁷ So Jacob came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothes, he prayed that good would come to him. He said, “The smell of my son is like the smell of a field that has received good from the Lord. ²⁸ May God give you from heaven water on the grass in the early morning, and the riches of the earth, and more than enough grain and new wine. ²⁹ May nations serve you, and the people bow down in front of you. Be the ruler of your brothers. May your mother’s sons bow down in front of you. Cursed be those who curse you, and may good come to those who honor you.”

16 I want to let you know about our Christian sister Phoebe. She is a helper in the church in the city of Cenchrea. ² The Christians should receive her as a sister who belongs to the Lord. Help her any way you can. She has helped many people and has helped me also.

³ Greet Priscilla and Aquila. They worked with me for Christ. ⁴ They almost died for me. I am thankful for them. All the churches that were started among the people who are not Jews are thankful for them also. ⁵ Greet the church that worships in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my much-loved friend. He was the first Christian in the countries of Asia. ⁶ Greet Mary. She worked hard for you. ⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junias. They are from my family and were in prison with me. They put their trust in Christ before I did. They have been respected missionaries. ⁸ Greet Ampliatus. He is a much-loved Christian brother. ⁹ Greet Urbanus. He worked with us for Christ. Greet Stachys, my much-loved friend. ¹⁰ Greet Apelles. He proved he was faithful to Christ. Greet all the family of Aristobulus. ¹¹ Greet Herodian. He is one of my family. Greet the Christians in the family of Narcissus. ¹² Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa and Persis. They are all much-loved workmen for the Lord. ¹³ Greet Rufus and his mother. She was like a mother to me. Rufus is a good Christian. ¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus and Phlegon and Hermes and Patrobas and Hermas and all the Christians with them. ¹⁵ Greet Philologus and Julia and Nereus and his sister and Olympas and all the Christians with them.

¹⁶ Greet each other with a kiss of holy love. All the churches here greet you.