Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
94 1 He prayeth unto God against the violence and arrogance of tyrants, 10 warning them of God’s judgments. 12 Then doth he comfort the afflicted by the good issue of their afflictions, as he felt in himself, and did set in others, and by the ruin of the wicked, 23 whom the Lord will destroy.
1 O Lord God [a]the avenger, O God the avenger, show thyself [b]clearly.
2 Exalt thyself, O Judge of the world, and render a reward to the proud.
3 Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked [c]triumph?
4 They prate and speak fiercely: all the workers of iniquity vaunt themselves.
5 They [d]smite down thy people, O Lord, and trouble thine heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
7 [e]Yet they say, The Lord shall not see: neither will the God of Jacob regard it.
8 Understand, ye unwise among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
9 He that [f]planted the ear, shall he not hear? or he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
10 Or he that chastiseth the [g]nations, shall he not correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know?
11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
12 Blessed is the man whom thou [h]chastisest, O Lord, and teachest him in thy Law,
13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of evil, while the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 Surely the Lord will not fail his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
15 For [i]judgment shall return to justice, and all the upright in heart shall follow after it.
16 Who will rise up with me against the wicked? or who will take my part against the workers of iniquity?
17 If the Lord had not [j]helped me, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
18 When I said, [k]My foot slideth, thy mercy, O Lord, stayed me.
19 In the multitude of my [l]thoughts in mine heart, thy comforts have rejoiced my soul.
20 Hath the throne of iniquity [m]fellowship with thee, which forgeth wrong for a Law?
21 They gather them together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
22 But the Lord is my refuge, and my God is the rock of mine hope.
23 And he will recompense them their wickedness, and [n]destroy them in their own malice, yea, the Lord our God shall destroy them.
The Book of Ruth
1 1 Elimelech goeth with his wife and children into the land of Moab. 3 He and his sons die. 19 Naomi and Ruth come to Bethlehem.
1 In the time that the Judges [a]ruled, there was a dearth in the [b]land, and a man of Bethlehem [c]Judah went for to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi, and the names of his two sons, Mahlon, and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah: and when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.
3 Then Elimelech the husband of Naomi died, and she remained with her two sons,
4 Which took them wives of the [d]Moabites: the one’s name was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
5 And Mahlon and Chilion dieth also both twain: so the woman was left, destitute of her two sons, and of her husband.
6 ¶ Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, and returned from the country of Moab: for she had heard say in the country of Moab, that the Lord had [e]visited his people, and given them bread.
7 Wherefore she departed out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they went on their way to return unto the land of Judah.
8 Then Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you unto her own mother’s house: the Lord show favor unto you, as ye have done with the dead, and with me.
9 The Lord grant you, that you may find [f]rest, either of you in the house of her husband. And when she kissed them, they lift up their voice and wept.
10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11 But Naomi said, Turn again my daughters: for what cause will ye go with me? are there any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12 Turn again my daughters: go your way: for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, and if I had an husband this night: yea, and if I had borne sons,
13 Would ye tarry for them, till they were of age? would ye be deferred for them from taking of husbands? nay my daughters: for it grieveth me [g]much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
14 Then they lift up their voice and wept again, and Orpah [h]kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth abode still with her.
15 And Naomi said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: [i]return thou after thy sister-in-law.
16 And Ruth answered, Entreat me not to leave thee, nor to depart from thee: for whither thou goest, I will go: and where thou dwellest, I will dwell: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
17 ¶ Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me and more also, if ought but death depart thee and me.
18 ¶ When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left speaking unto her.
19 So they went both until they came to Bethlehem: and when they were come to Bethlehem, it was [j]noised of them through all the city, and they said, Is not this Naomi?
20 And she answered them, Call me not [k]Naomi, but call me [l]Mara: for the Almighty hath given me much bitterness.
21 I went out full, and the Lord hath caused me to return empty: why call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath humbled me, and the Almighty hath brought me unto adversity?
22 So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, when she came out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of [m]barley harvest.
5 1 Having set down a manner how to rebuke all degrees. 5 He entreateth of widows, who then were chosen for the service of the Church: 17 Then he cometh to Elders, 23 and speaketh somewhat touching the health of the body.
1 Rebuke [a]not an elder, but exhort him as a father, and the younger men as brethren,
2 The elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with all pureness.
3 [b][c]Honor widows, which are widows indeed.
4 [d]But if any widow have children or nephews let them learn first to show godliness [e]toward their own house, and [f]to recompense their kindred: [g]for that is an honest thing, and acceptable before God.
5 [h]And she that is a widow indeed and left alone, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
6 [i]But she that liveth in pleasure, is dead, while she liveth.
7 These things therefore warn them of, that they may be blameless.
8 If there be any that provideth not for his own, and namely for them of his household, he denieth the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
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