Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Mem
Loving God’s Word
97 How I love your instruction![a]
Every day it is my meditation.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my adversaries,
since they are always with me.
99 I am more insightful than my teachers,
because your decrees are my meditations.
100 I have more common sense than the elders,
for I observe your precepts.
101 I keep away from every evil choice[b]
so that I may keep your word.[c]
102 I do not avoid your judgments,
for you pointed them out to me.
103 How pleasing is what you have to say to me—
tasting better than honey.
104 I obtain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every false way.
Jethro Visits Moses
18 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken back Moses’ wife Zipporah after she had been sent away, 3 along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom, because he would say, “I was an alien[a] in a foreign land,” 4 while the name of the other was Eliezer,[b] because he would say,[c] “My father’s God helped me and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.”
5 Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, together with Moses’ two sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was camped at the mountain of God.[d] 6 He told Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you along with your wife and her two sons.” 7 When Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, he bowed low and kissed him, and they greeted one another. Then they went into the tent.
8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on Israel’s behalf, all the hardships that they had encountered along the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. 9 Jethro rejoiced over all the good that the Lord had done for Israel in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from the oppression[e] of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods,[f] because of what happened to[g] the Egyptians when[h] they acted arrogantly against Israel.” 12 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to dine with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
27 to whom God wanted to make known the glorious riches of this secret among the gentiles—which is the Messiah[a] 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[b] in the Messiah.[c] 29 I work hard and struggle to do this, using the energy that he powerfully provides in me.
2 For I want you to know how much I struggle for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have never seen me face to face.[d] 2 Because they are united in love, I pray[e] that their hearts may be encouraged by all the riches that come from a complete understanding of the full knowledge of the Messiah,[f] who is[g] the mystery of God. 3 In him are stored all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will mislead you with nice-sounding rhetoric. 5 For although I am physically absent, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how stable you are and how firm your faith in the Messiah[h] is.
Fullness of Life
6 So then, just as you have received the Messiah[i] Jesus the Lord, continue to live dependent on him. 7 For you have been rooted in him and are being built up and strengthened in the faith, just as you were taught, while you continue to be thankful.
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