Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Yahweh Appears to Abraham as a Man

18 And Yahweh appeared to him^[a] by the oaks of Mamre. And he was sitting in the doorway of the tent at the heat of the day. ² And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing near^[b] him. And he saw them and ran from the doorway of the tent to meet them. And he bowed down to the ground. ³ And he said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes do not pass by your servant. ⁴ Let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest under the tree. ⁵ And let me bring a piece of bread, then^[c] refresh yourselves.^[d] Afterward you can pass on, once^[e] you have passed by with your servant.” Then they said, “Do so as you have said.” ⁶ Then^[f] Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and he said, “Quickly—make three seahs of fine flour for kneading and make bread cakes!” ⁷ And Abraham ran to the cattle and took a calf,^[g] tender and good, and gave it to the servant, and he made haste to prepare it. ⁸ Then he took curds and milk, and the calf which he prepared, and set it before them. And he was standing by them under the tree while^[h] they ate. ⁹ And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “Here, in the tent.” ¹⁰ And he^[i] said, “I will certainly return to you in the spring,^[j] and look, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the doorway of the tent, and which was behind him.

A Description of Those Who May Dwell with Yahweh

A psalm of David.^[a]

¹⁵ who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all^[a] creation, ¹⁶ because all things in the heavens and on the earth were created by him, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers, all things were created through him and for him, ¹⁷ and he himself is before all things, and in him all things are held together, ¹⁸ and he himself is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in everything, ¹⁹ because he was well pleased for all the fullness to dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by^[b] making peace through the blood of his cross, through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

²¹ And although you were formerly alienated^[c][d] and enemies in attitude, because of your evil deeds, ²² but now you have been reconciled^[e] by his physical body^[f] through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, ²³ if indeed you remain in the faith, established and steadfast and not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul’s Suffering and Stewardship

²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings on behalf of you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking of the afflictions of Christ, on behalf of his body which is the church, ²⁵ of which I became a minister, according to God’s stewardship which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God, ²⁶ the mystery which has been hidden from the ages and from the generations, but has now been revealed to his saints, ²⁷ to whom God wanted to make known what is the glorious wealth of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, ²⁸ whom we proclaim, by^[g] admonishing every person^[h] and teaching every person^[i] with all wisdom, in order that we may present every person^[j] mature in Christ,

Martha and Mary

³⁸ Now as they traveled along, he entered into a certain village. And a certain woman named^[a] Martha welcomed him.^{[b] 39} And she had^[c] a sister named Mary, who also sat at the feet of Jesus^[d] and^[e] was listening to his teaching. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much preparation, so she approached and^[f] said, “Lord, is it not a concern to you that my sister has left me alone to make preparations? Then tell her that she should help me!” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered and^[g] said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things! ⁴² But few things are necessary, or only one thing,^[h] for Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”