Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

15 Lord, who may go and find refuge and shelter in your tabernacle up on your holy hill?

² Anyone who leads a blameless life and is truly sincere. ³ Anyone who refuses to slander others, does not listen to gossip, never harms his neighbor, ⁴ speaks out against sin, criticizes those committing it, commends the faithful followers of the Lord, keeps a promise even if it ruins him, ⁵ does not crush his debtors with high interest rates, and refuses to testify against the innocent despite the bribes offered him—such a man shall stand firm forever.

¹⁰ There was at that time a terrible famine in the land: and so Abram went on down to Egypt to live. ^11-13 But as he was approaching the borders of Egypt, he asked Sarai his wife to tell everyone that she was his sister! “You are very beautiful,” he told her, “and when the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him and then we can have her!’ But if you say you are my sister, then the Egyptians will treat me well because of you, and spare my life!” ¹⁴ And sure enough, when they arrived in Egypt everyone spoke of her beauty. ¹⁵ When the palace aides saw her, they praised her to their king, the Pharaoh, and she was taken into his harem.^{[a] 16} Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her—sheep, oxen, donkeys, men and women slaves, and camels.

¹⁷ But the Lord sent a terrible plague upon Pharaoh’s household on account of her being there. ¹⁸ Then Pharaoh called Abram before him and accused him sharply. “What is this you have done to me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? ¹⁹ Why were you willing to let me marry her, saying she was your sister? Here, take her and be gone!” ²⁰ And Pharaoh sent them out of the country under armed escort—Abram, his wife, and all his household and possessions.

5 ^1-3 The Jewish high priest is merely a man like anyone else, but he is chosen to speak for all other men in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers to him the blood of animals that are sacrificed to cover the sins of the people and his own sins too. And because he is a man, he can deal gently with other men, though they are foolish and ignorant, for he, too, is surrounded with the same temptations and understands their problems very well.

⁴ Another thing to remember is that no one can be a high priest just because he wants to be. He has to be called by God for this work in the same way God chose Aaron.

⁵ That is why Christ did not elect himself to the honor of being High Priest; no, he was chosen by God. God said to him, “My Son, today I have honored you.”^{[a] 6} And another time God said to him, “You have been chosen to be a priest forever, with the same rank as Melchizedek.”