Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The First Woman
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper [C in the sense of a partner or ally; the word does not imply subordinate status; see Ps. 79:9] who ·is right for [is suitable for; corresponds with] him.”
19 From the ground God formed every ·wild animal [L animal of the field] and every bird in the ·sky [heavens], and he brought them to the man ·so the man could name them [L to see what he would call them]. Whatever the man called each living thing, that became its name. 20 The man gave names to all the ·tame animals [beasts; livestock], to the birds in the ·sky [heavens], and to all the ·wild animals [L animals of the field]. But ·Adam [or the man; 1:27] did not find a helper that was right for him [2:18]. 21 So the Lord God caused ·the man to sleep very deeply [L a deep sleep to fall on the man/Adam], and while he was asleep, God removed one of the man’s ·ribs [or sides]. Then God closed up the man’s skin at the place where he took the ·rib [or side]. 22 The Lord God used the ·rib [or side] from the man to ·make [L build; construct] a woman, and then he brought the woman to the man.
23 And the man said,
“·Now, this is someone whose bones came from my bones,
whose body came from my body [L At last, this is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh].
·I will call her [L She will be called] ‘woman [C Hebrew ‘ishshah],’
because she was taken out of man [C Hebrew ‘ish].”
24 So a man will leave his father and mother [C in the sense of a new primary loyalty] and be united with his wife, and the two will become one ·body [T flesh].
The Lord’s Greatness
For the director of music. On the gittith [C perhaps a musical term or instrument]. A psalm of David.
8 Lord our Lord,
·Your name is the most wonderful name [L How majestic is your name] in all the earth [Ex. 3:14–15]!
·It brings you praise [L You have set your splendor/glory] in heaven above [Rom. 1:20].
2 ·You have taught children and babies
to sing praises to you [L Out of the mouth of babies and infants you have established/founded strength]
because of your enemies.
And so you silence your enemies
and those who try to get ·even [revenge].
3 I look at your heavens,
·which you made with [L the work of] your fingers.
I see the moon and stars,
which you ·created [L established; Gen. 1:17–18].
4 ·But why are people even important to you [L What are people that you remember them]?
Why do you take care of ·human beings [L the son of man]?
5 You made them a little lower than ·the angels [or God]
and crowned them with glory and honor [Gen. 1:26–27].
6 You ·put them in charge of [give them rule over] ·everything you made [L the work of your hands].
You put all things under their ·control [L feet; Heb. 2:6–8]:
7 all the sheep, the cattle,
and the ·wild animals [L beasts of the field],
8 the birds in the ·sky [heavens],
the fish in the sea,
and everything that ·lives under water [L passes/travels on the paths of the sea; Gen. 1:28; 9:1–3].
9 Lord our Lord,
·your name is the most wonderful [L how majestic is your] name in all the earth!
God Spoke Through His Son
1 ·In the past [Long ago] God spoke to our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers] through the prophets ·many times [or in a fragmentary/partial way; L in many parts] and in many different ways. 2 But now in these last days God has spoken to us through ·his Son [or a son; 1:3]. God has ·chosen [appointed] his Son to ·own [be heir/inheritor of] all things, and through him he made the ·world [universe; ages; C comprising both space and time; John 1:3]. 3 The Son ·reflects [or radiates; shines forth] the glory of God [John 1:14] and ·shows exactly what God is like [L is the exact representation/imprint/stamp of his being/essence/nature]. He ·holds everything together [sustains/upholds all things] with his powerful word. When the Son ·made people clean from their [L provided purification/cleansing for] sins [9:14], he sat down at the right ·side [L hand; C the most honored position beside a king; Ps. 110:1] of ·God, the Great One in heaven [L the Majesty/Preeminence in the highest places; C a Jewish way to avoid saying the divine name of God]. 4 The Son became much ·greater [superior; better] than the angels, ·and [or just as; in the same way that] ·God gave him [L he inherited] a name [C either “Son” (v. 5), or referring to his nature or reputation] that is ·much greater than [far superior to] theirs.
Christ Became like Us
5 [L For] God did not ·choose angels to be the rulers of the new world that was coming [L subject the world to come to angels], which is what we have been talking about. 6 ·It is written in the Scriptures [L Someone has testified somewhere],
“·Why are people even important to you [L What is man/humanity that you remember/think about him/them]?
·Why do you take care of human beings [L Or the son of man/children of Adam that you care for/about them]?
7 You made ·them [or him] ·a little [or for a little while] lower than the angels
and crowned ·them [or him] with glory and honor.[a]
8 You ·put all things under their control [L subjected everything under his feet; Ps. 8:4–6].”
[L For] When God ·put everything under their control [L subjected everything to him], there was nothing left ·that they did not rule [uncontrolled; not subjected]. Still, [L now; at the present time] we do not yet see ·them [or him; C referring to humanity] ruling over everything. 9 But we see Jesus, who for a short time was made lower than the angels. This was so that, by God’s grace, he could ·die [L taste death] for everyone. And now, because he suffered and died, he is ·wearing a crown of [L crowned with] glory and honor. [C Jesus fulfills humanity’s destiny: to be crowned with glory and honor; Ps. 8 (cited above).]
10 God is the One ·who made all things, and all things are for his glory [L through whom and for whom all things exist]. He wanted to ·have many children share his [lead/bring many children/sons to] glory, so [L it was fitting/appropriate that] he made the ·One who leads people to [Leader/Pioneer/Source of their] salvation perfect through suffering.
11 [L For indeed] ·Jesus, [L the one] who makes people holy, and those who are made holy ·are from the same family [or have the same Father; or have one origin; L are all from one]. ·So [For this reason] he is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. 12 He says,
“Then, I will ·tell my brothers and sisters about you [L proclaim your name to my brothers (and sisters)];
I will ·praise [sing hymns/praise songs to] you in the ·public meeting [midst of the assembly; Ps. 22:22].”
2 Some Pharisees came to Jesus and tried to ·trick [test; trap] him. They asked, “Is it ·right [lawful; C according to the law of Moses] for a man to divorce his wife?”
3 Jesus answered, “What did Moses command you to do?”
4 They said, “Moses ·allowed [permitted] a man to write out divorce papers and send her away [Deut. 24:1].”
5 Jesus said, “Moses wrote that command for you because you were ·stubborn [hard hearted]. 6 But ·when God made the world [from the beginning of creation], ‘he made them male and female’ [Gen. 1:27; 5:2]. 7 ‘So a man will leave his father and mother and be ·united with [joined to] his wife,[a] 8 and the two will become ·one body [as though they were one person; T one flesh; Gen. 2:24]’. So they are no longer two, but one. 9 God has joined the two together, so no one should separate them.”
10 Later, in the house, his ·followers [disciples] asked Jesus again about ·the question of divorce [L this matter]. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman ·is guilty of [commits] adultery against her. 12 And the woman who divorces her husband and marries another man ·is also guilty of [commits] adultery.”
Jesus Accepts Children(A)
13 Some people brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch them, but his ·followers [disciples] ·told them to stop [scolded/rebuked them]. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was ·upset [angry; indignant] and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like these children [C meaning humble and dependent]. 15 I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a little child, or you will never enter it.” 16 Then Jesus took the children in his arms, ·put [laid] his hands on them, and blessed them.
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