Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Jehovah implored to avenge his people.

¹⁴ And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could discern another. For he said, Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor. ¹⁵ And he said, Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and hold it; and she held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and ^[a]he went into the city. ¹⁶ And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, ^[b]Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. ¹⁷ And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he ^[c]said, Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law. ¹⁸ Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

4 Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. ² And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. ³ And he said unto the near kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: ⁴ and I thought to ^[d]disclose it unto thee, saying, Buy it before them that sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if ^[e]thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. ⁵ Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. ⁶ And the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.

⁹ Let none be enrolled as a widow under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, ¹⁰ well reported of for good works; if she hath brought up children, if she hath used hospitality to strangers, if she hath washed the saints’ feet, if she hath relieved the afflicted, if she hath diligently followed every good work. ¹¹ But younger widows refuse: for when they have waxed wanton against Christ, they desire to marry; ¹² having condemnation, because they have rejected their first ^[a]pledge. ¹³ And withal they learn also to be idle, going about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. ¹⁴ I desire therefore that the younger ^[b]widows marry, bear children, rule the household, give no occasion to the adversary for reviling: ¹⁵ for already some are turned aside after Satan. ¹⁶ If any woman that believeth hath widows, let her relieve them, and let not the church be burdened; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.