Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
God Will Reward Fairly
Of David.
37 Don’t be upset because of evil people.
Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.
2 Like the grass, they will soon dry up.
Like green plants, they will soon die away.
3 Trust the Lord and do good.
Live in the land and enjoy its safety.
4 Enjoy serving the Lord.
And he will give you what you want.
5 Depend on the Lord.
Trust him, and he will take care of you.
6 Then your goodness will shine like the sun.
Your fairness will shine like the noonday sun.
7 Wait and trust the Lord.
Don’t be upset when others get rich
or when someone else’s plans succeed.
8 Don’t get angry.
Don’t be upset; it only leads to trouble.
9 Evil people will be sent away.
But people who trust the Lord will inherit the land.
10 In a little while there will be no more wicked people.
You may look for them, but they will be gone.
11 People who are not proud will inherit the land.
They will enjoy complete peace.
12 The wicked make evil plans against good people.
They grind their teeth at them in anger.
13 But the Lord laughs at the wicked.
He sees that their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw their swords.
They bend their bows.
They try to kill the poor and helpless.
They want to kill those who are honest.
15 But their swords will stab their own hearts.
Their bows will break.
16 It’s better to have little and be right
than to have much and be wrong.
17 The power of the wicked will be broken.
But the Lord supports those who do right.
The Story of a Girl from Moab
1 1-2 Long ago the judges[a] ruled Israel. During their rule, there was a time in the land when there was not enough food to eat. A man named Elimelech left Bethlehem in Judah and moved to the country of Moab. He took his wife and his two sons with him. His wife was named Naomi, and his two sons were named Mahlon and Kilion. These people were from the Ephrathah district around Bethlehem in Judah. The family traveled to Moab and lived there.
3 Later, Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, died. So only Naomi and her two sons were left. 4 These sons married women from Moab. The name of one wife was Orpah. The name of the other wife was Ruth. Naomi and her sons lived in Moab about ten years. 5 Then Mahlon and Kilion also died. So Naomi was left alone without her husband or her two sons.
6 While Naomi was in Moab, she heard that the Lord had taken care of his people. He had given food to them in Judah. So Naomi got ready to leave Moab and go back home. The wives of Naomi’s sons also got ready to go with her. 7 So they left the place where they had lived. And they started back on the way to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back home. Each of you go to your own mother’s house. You have been very kind to me and to my sons who are now dead. I hope the Lord will also be kind to you in the same way. 9 I hope the Lord will give you another home and a new husband.”
Then Naomi kissed the women. And they began to cry out loud. 10 Her daughters-in-law said to her, “No. We will go with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi said, “My daughters, go back to your own homes. Why do you want to go with me? I cannot give birth to more sons to give you new husbands. 12 So go back to your own homes. I am too old to have another husband. But even if I had another husband tonight and if I had more sons, it wouldn’t help! 13 Would you wait until the babies were grown into men? Would you live for so many years without husbands? Don’t do this thing. My life is much too sad for you to share. This is because the Lord is against me!”
14 The women cried together again. Then Orpah kissed Naomi good-bye, but Ruth held on to her.
15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law is going back to her own people and her own gods. Go back with her.”
Ruth Stays with Naomi
16 But Ruth said, “Don’t ask me to leave you! Don’t beg me not to follow you! Every place you go, I will go. Every place you live, I will live. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God. 17 And where you die, I will die. And there I will be buried. I ask the Lord to punish me terribly if I do not keep this promise: Only death will separate us.”
18 Naomi saw that Ruth had made up her mind to go with her. So Naomi stopped arguing with her.
A Slave Becomes a Christian
1 From Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and from Timothy, our brother.
To Philemon, our dear friend and worker with us; 2 to Apphia, our sister; to Archippus, a worker with us; and to the church that meets in your home.
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 I remember you in my prayers. And I always thank my God for you. 5 I hear about the love you have for all God’s holy people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that the faith you share will make you understand every blessing that we have in Christ. 7 My brother, you have shown love to God’s people. You have made them feel happy. This has given me great joy and comfort.
Accept Onesimus as a Brother
8 There is something that you should do. And because of your love in Christ, I feel free to order you to do it. 9 But because I love you, I am asking you instead. I, Paul, am an old man now, and a prisoner for Christ Jesus. 10 I am asking you a favor for my son Onesimus. He became my son while I was in prison. 11 In the past he was useless to you. But now he has become useful for both you and me.
12 I am sending him back to you, and with him I am sending my own heart. 13 I wanted to keep him with me to help me while I am in prison for the Good News. By helping me he would be serving you. 14 But I did not want to do anything without asking you first. Then any favor you do for me will be because you want to do it, not because I forced you to do it.
15 Onesimus was separated from you for a short time. Maybe that happened so that you could have him back forever— 16 not to be a slave, but better than a slave, to be a loved brother. I love him very much. But you will love him even more. You will love him as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
17 If you think of me as your friend, then accept Onesimus back. Welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If Onesimus has done anything wrong to you, charge that to me. If he owes you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay back anything Onesimus owes. And I will say nothing about what you owe me for your own life. 20 So, my brother, I ask that you do this for me in the Lord. Comfort my heart in Christ. 21 I write this letter, knowing that you will do what I ask you and even more.
22 Also, please prepare a room for me to stay in. I hope that God will answer your prayers and I will be able to come to you.
Final Greetings
23 Epaphras is a prisoner with me for Christ Jesus. He sends greetings to you. 24 And also Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke send greetings. They are workers together with me.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.