Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 94

The Just Judge

¹⁴ So she lay down at his feet until morning but got up while it was still dark.^[a] Then Boaz said, “Don’t let it be known that a^[b] woman came to the threshing floor.” ¹⁵ And he told Ruth, “Bring the shawl you’re wearing and hold it out.” When she held it out, he shoveled six measures of barley into her shawl, and she^[c] went into the town.

¹⁶ She went to her mother-in-law, Naomi, who asked her, “How did it go,^[d] my daughter?”

Then Ruth told her everything the man had done for her. ¹⁷ She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, because he said,^[e] ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

¹⁸ Naomi said, “My daughter, wait until you find out how things go, for he won’t rest unless he resolves this today.”

Ruth and Boaz Marry

4 Boaz went to the gate of the town^(A) and sat down there. Soon the family redeemer Boaz had spoken about came by. Boaz called him by name and said, “Come^[f] over here and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. ² Then Boaz took 10 men of the town’s elders^(B) and said, “Sit here.” And they sat down. ³ He said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling a piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.^{(C) 4} I thought I should inform you:^[g] Buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do so. But if you do^[h] not want to redeem it, tell me so that I will know, because there isn’t anyone other than you to redeem it, and I am next after you.”

“I want to redeem it,” he answered.

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you will also acquire^[i] Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.”^(D)

⁶ The redeemer replied, “I can’t redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can’t redeem it.”

⁹ No widow should be placed on the official support list^[a] unless she is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband, ¹⁰ and is well known for good works^(A)—that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality,^(B) washed the saints’ feet,^(C) helped the afflicted,^(D) and devoted herself to every good work.^{(E) 11} But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry^{(F) 12} and will therefore receive condemnation^(G) because they have renounced their original pledge. ¹³ At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips^(H) and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say. ¹⁴ Therefore, I want younger women to marry,^(I) have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us.^{(J) 15} For some have already turned away^(K) to follow Satan. ¹⁶ If any^[b] believing woman has widows in her family, she should help them, and the church should not be burdened, so that it can help those who are genuinely widows.