Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Hannah’s Triumphant Prayer
2 Hannah prayed:(A)
My heart rejoices in the Lord;(B)
my horn is lifted up by the Lord.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
because I rejoice in Your salvation.(C)
2 There is no one holy like the Lord.(D)
There is no one besides You!(E)
And there is no rock like our God.(F)
3 Do not boast so proudly,
or let arrogant words come out of your mouth,
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and actions are weighed by Him.(G)
4 The bows of the warriors are broken,(H)
but the feeble are clothed with strength.(I)
5 Those who are full hire themselves out for food,
but those who are starving hunger no more.
The woman who is childless gives birth to seven,(J)
but the woman with many sons pines away.(K)
6 The Lord brings death and gives life;(L)
He sends some to Sheol, and He raises others up.(M)
7 The Lord brings poverty and gives wealth;(N)
He humbles and He exalts.(O)
8 He raises the poor from the dust(P)
and lifts the needy from the garbage pile.(Q)
He seats them with noblemen(R)
and gives them a throne of honor.[a]
For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;(S)
He has set the world on them.(T)
9 He guards the steps[b] of His faithful ones,(U)
but the wicked perish in darkness,(V)
for a man does not prevail by his own strength.(W)
10 Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered;[c](X)
He will thunder in the heavens against them.(Y)
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.(Z)
He will give power to His king;
He will lift up the horn of His anointed.(AA)
15 God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah[a] will be her name. 16 I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her.(A) I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
17 Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed(B) and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?” 18 So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable to You!”[b]
19 But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.[c] I will confirm My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his future offspring. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will certainly bless him; I will make him fruitful and will multiply him greatly. He will father 12 tribal leaders,(C) and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will confirm My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”(D) 22 When He finished talking with him, God withdrew[d] from Abraham.(E)
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
8 But in the past, when you didn’t know God,(A) you were enslaved to things[a] that by nature are not gods. 9 But now, since you know God,(B) or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt(C) elemental forces?(D) Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? 10 You observe special days, months, seasons, and years.(E) 11 I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.
12 I beg you, brothers: Become like me, for I also became like you. You have not wronged me; 13 you know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a physical illness. 14 You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you.[b] On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.
15 What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?(F) 17 They[c] are enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them. 18 Now it is always good to be enthusiastic about good—and not just when I am with you. 19 My children,(G) I am again suffering labor pains(H) for you until Christ is formed in you. 20 I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.
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