Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
20 The Lord also said, “How great is the disapproval of Sodom and Gomorrah! Their sin is so very serious! 21 I’m going down to see whether they’ve acted according to the protests that have reached me. If not, I wish to know.”
22 Then two of[a] the men turned away from there and walked toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing in the presence of the Lord.
Abraham Negotiates with God
23 Abraham approached and asked, “Will you actually destroy the righteous along with the wicked? 24 Perhaps there are 50 righteous ones within the city. Will you actually destroy it and not forgive the place for the sake of the 50 righteous that are found there? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! The Judge of all the earth will do what is right, won’t he?”
26 The Lord said, “If I find 50 righteous people within Sodom, I’ll forgive the whole place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered, “Look, even though I am only dust and ashes, I’ve ventured to speak to my Lord. 28 What if there are five less than 50 righteous ones? Will you bring destruction upon the city because of those five?”
The Lord[b] said, “I won’t destroy it if I find 45 there.”
29 Abraham[c] continued to speak to him, asking, “What if 40 are found there?”
The Lord[d] replied, “I won’t do it for the sake of those 40.”
30 Abraham[e] then asked, “I hope my Lord will not be angry if I speak. What if 30 are found there?”
The Lord[f] answered, “I won’t do it for the sake of those 30.”
31 “Look,” Abraham[g] said, “I’ve presumed to speak to my Lord… so what if 20 are found there?”
“For the sake of those 20,” the Lord[h] responded, “I won’t destroy it.”
32 Finally, Abraham[i] inquired, “I hope my Lord will not be angry if I speak only once more. What if ten are found there?”
He replied, “For the sake of those ten I won’t destroy it.”
Thanksgiving to God
138 Lord,[a] I thank[b] you with all of my heart;
because you heard the words that I spoke,[c]
I will sing your praise before the heavenly beings.[d]
2 I will bow down in worship toward your holy Temple
and give thanks to your name for your gracious love and truth,
for you have done great things
to carry out your word
consistent with your name.
3 When[e] I called out, you answered me;
you strengthened me.
4 Lord, all the kings of the earth will give you thanks,
for they have heard what you have spoken.[f]
5 They will sing about the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord!
6 Though the Lord is highly exalted,
yet he pays attention to those who are lowly regarded,
but he is aware of the arrogant from afar.
7 Though I walk straight into trouble,
you preserve my life,
stretching out your hand
to fight the vehemence of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will complete what his purpose is for me.
Lord, your gracious love is eternal;
do not abandon your personal work in me.[g]
Fullness of Life
6 So then, just as you have received the Messiah[a] 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. 8 See to it that no one enslaves you through philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition, according to the basic principles of the world,[b] and not according to the Messiah,[c] 9 because all the essence[d] of deity inhabits him in bodily form. 10 And you have been filled by him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11 In union with him you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without human[e] hands by stripping off the corrupt nature by the circumcision performed by the Messiah.[f] 12 When you were buried with the Messiah[g] in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 Even when you were dead because of your offenses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God[h] made you alive with him when he forgave us all of our offenses, 14 having erased the charges that were brought against us, along with their obligations that were hostile to us. He took those charges away when he nailed them to the cross. 15 And when he had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross.[i]
16 Therefore, let no one judge you in matters of food and drink or with respect to a festival, a New Moon, or Sabbath days.[a] 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality[b] belongs to the Messiah.[c] 18 Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels cheat you out of the prize by rejoicing about what he has seen.[d] Such a person is puffed up for no reason by his carnal mind. 19 He does not hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, which is nourished and held together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God enables it.
Teaching about Prayer(A)
11 Once Jesus[a] was praying in a certain place. After he had finished, one of his disciples told him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”
2 So he told them, “Whenever you pray you are to say,
‘Father,[b] may your name be kept holy.
May your kingdom come.[c]
3 Keep giving us every day our daily bread,[d]
4 and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive everyone who sins against us.[e]
And never bring us into temptation.’”[f]
5 Then he told them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread. 6 A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don’t have anything to serve him.’ 7 Suppose he answers from inside, ‘Stop bothering me! The door is already locked, and my children are here with us in the bedroom.[g] I can’t get up and give you anything!’ 8 I tell you, even though that man[h] doesn’t want to get up and give him anything because he is his friend, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.
Ask, Search, Knock(B)
9 So I say to you: Keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door[i] will be opened for you, 10 because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door[j] opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish,[k] would give him a snake instead of the fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, would he give him a scorpion? 13 So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!”
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