Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Walking with Integrity

Psalm 15

Abram and Sarai in Egypt

¹⁰ Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live as an outsider there, because the famine was severe in the land. ¹¹ Just as he was about to enter Egypt he said to Sarai his wife, “Look, please, I know that you are an attractive woman. ¹² So when the Egyptians see you they’ll say, ‘This is his wife.’ And they’ll kill me; but you, they’ll let live. ¹³ Please say that you are my sister, so that I’ll be treated well for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you.”

¹⁴ When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians did see that the woman was very beautiful. ¹⁵ Indeed, Pharaoh’s officials saw her and they raved about her to Pharaoh. Then the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. ¹⁶ But Abram was treated well for her sake, and he got sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male and female slaves, female donkeys and camels.

¹⁷ But Adonai struck Pharaoh and his household with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸ So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What’s this that you did to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she is your wife? ¹⁹ Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now, here is your wife. Take—and go!” ²⁰ Then Pharaoh instructed men concerning him, and they expelled him, with his wife, and everything that belonged to him.

5 For every kohen gadol taken from among men is appointed to act on behalf of people in matters relating to God,^[a] so that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He is able to empathize with the ignorant and deluded, since he himself also is subject to weakness. ³ For this reason he has to make offerings for sins—just as for the people, so also for himself. ^{[b] 4} And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when he is called by God, as Aaron was.^[c]

⁵ So also Messiah did not glorify Himself to be made Kohen Gadol; rather, it was God who said to Him,