Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Abraham’s Three Visitors
18 Later, the Lord appeared to Abraham[a] by the oaks[b] belonging to Mamre. As Abraham[c] was sitting near the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day, 2 he glanced up and saw three men standing there, not far from him. As soon as he noticed them, Abraham[d] ran from the tent entrance to greet them and bowed low to the ground. 3 “My lords,” he told them, “if I have found favor with you,[e] please don’t leave your servant. 4 I’ll have some water brought to wash your feet while you rest under the tree. 5 I’ll bring some food for you,[f] and after that you may continue your journey, since you have come to visit your servant.”
So they replied, “Very well! Do what you’ve proposed.”
6 Abraham hurried into the tent and told Sarah, “Quick! Take three measures[g] of the best flour, knead it, and make some flat bread.”
7 Next, Abraham ran to the herd, found a choice and tender calf, and gave it to the young men, who went off in a hurry to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds, milk, and the calf that had been prepared, placed the food in front of them, and stood near them under the tree while they ate.
Sarah Laughs at the Promise
9 The men asked him, “Where is your wife Sarah?”
“There, in the tent,” he replied.
10 Then one of them said, “I will certainly return to you in about a year’s time.[h] By then, your wife Sarah will have borne a son.”
Now Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.
A Davidic Psalm.
Welcomed into God’s Presence
15 Lord, who may stay in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy mountain?
2 The one who lives with integrity,
who does righteous deeds,
and who speaks truth to himself.
3 The one who does not slander with his tongue,
who does no evil to his neighbor,
and who does not destroy his friend’s reputation.
4 The one who despises those who are utterly wicked,
but who honors the one who fears the Lord,
who keeps his word even when it hurts and does not change,
5 who does not loan his money with interest,
and who does not take a bribe against those who are innocent.
The one who does these things will stand firm[a] forever.
The Centrality of Jesus
15 The Son[a] is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
16 For by him all things in heaven and on earth were created,
things visible and invisible,
whether they are kings,[b] lords, rulers, or powers.
All things have been created through him and for him.
17 He himself existed before anything else did,
and he holds all things together.
18 He is also the head of the body,
which is the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
so that he himself might have first place in everything.
19 For God[c] was pleased to have
all of his divine essence[d] inhabit him.
20 Through the Son,[e] God[f] also reconciled all things to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
thereby making peace
through the blood of his cross.
21 You who were once alienated with a hostile attitude, doing evil,[g] 22 he has now reconciled by the death of his physical body, so that he may present you holy, blameless, and without fault before him. 23 However, you must remain firmly established and steadfast in the faith, without being moved from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.[h]
Paul’s Service in the Church
24 Now I am rejoicing while suffering for you as I complete in my flesh whatever remains of the Messiah’s[i] sufferings on behalf of his body, which is the church. 25 I became its servant[j] as God commissioned me to work for you, so that I may complete my ministry of[k] the word of God. 26 This secret was hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints, 27 to whom God wanted to make known the glorious riches of this secret among the gentiles—which is the Messiah[l] in you, our glorious hope. 28 It is he whom we proclaim as we admonish and wisely teach everyone, so that we may present everyone mature[m] in the Messiah.[n]
Jesus Visits Mary and Martha
38 Now as they were traveling along, Jesus[a] went into a village. A woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and kept listening to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was worrying about all the things she had to do, so she came to him and asked, “Lord, you do care that my sister has left me to do the work all by myself, don’t you? Then tell her to help me.”
41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha! You worry and fuss about a lot of things. 42 But there’s only[b] one thing you need. Mary has chosen what is better,[c] and it is not to be taken away from her.”
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