Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
37 Do not fret because of wicked men, nor be envious of evildoers.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like grass and shall wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good. Dwell in the land, and you shall assuredly be fed.
4 And delight yourself in the LORD; and He shall give you your heart’s desire.
5 Commit your way to the LORD, and trust in Him; and He shall make it so.
6 And He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noon day.
7 Wait patiently upon the LORD, and hope in Him. Do not fret over him who prospers in his way, nor over the man who executes wicked schemes.
8 Cease from anger and abandon wrath. Do not fret. It leads only to evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off; and those who wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the land.
10 Therefore, yet a little while and the wicked shall not appear; and you shall look for his place and he shall not be found.
11 But meek men shall possess the Earth and shall have their delight in the multitude of peace.
12 The wicked practices against the just and gnashes his teeth against him.
13 The LORD shall laugh him to scorn; for He sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn their sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as are of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart; and their bows shall be broken.
16 A small thing to the just man is better than great riches to the wicked and mighty.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; but the LORD upholds the just men.
1 In the time that the Judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab (he and his wife and his two sons).
2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi, and the names of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion (Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah). And when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.
3 Then, Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died. And she remained with her two sons, who took wives of the Moabites. One’s name was Orpah; and the name of the other was Ruth. And they dwelled there about ten years.
4 And Mahlon and Chilion both died. So, the woman was left without her two sons or her husband.
5 Then, she arose with her daughters-in-law and returned from the country of Moab. For she had heard say in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people and given them bread.
6 So she left the place where she was (and her two daughters-in-law with her) and they went on their way, to return to the land of Judah.
7 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in law, “Go. Each of you return to your own mother’s house. The LORD show favor to you, as you have done with the dead, and with me.
8 “The LORD grant you that you may find rest, either of you, in the house of her husband.” And when she kissed them, they lifted up their voices and wept.
9 And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”
10 But Naomi said, “Turn back my daughters. For what reason would you go with me? Are there any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
11 “Turn back my daughters. Go your way. For I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ and if I had a husband this night (indeed, and if I had borne sons) would you wait for them until they were of age? Would you be deterred from the taking of husbands, for them?
12 “No, my daughters. For it grieves me greatly for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”
13 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law. But Ruth stayed with her.
14 And Naomi said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her gods. Return after your sister-in-law.”
15 And Ruth answered, “Do not urge me to leave you, or to depart from you. For where you go, I will go. And where you dwell, I will dwell. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
16 Where you die, I will die. And there I will be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death separates you and me.”
17 When she saw that she was steadfastly-minded to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.
18 So they both went, until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, word spread throughout all the city. And they said, “Is not this Naomi?”
1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy, To Philemon, our dear friend and fellow helper;
2 and to dear sister Apphia, and to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace be with you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I give thanks to my God (making mention of you always in my prayers
5 when I hear of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints,
6 so that the fellowship of your faith may be made effective, and that whatever good thing is in you through Christ Jesus may be known).
7 For we have great joy and encouragement in your love because by you, brother, the saints’ hearts are comforted.
8 Therefore, though I am very bold in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,
9 yet for love’s sake, rather, I exhort you (though I am as I am: old, and even now a prisoner for Jesus Christ)
10 I encourage you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment
11 (who in the past was unprofitable to you, but is now profitable to both you and me)
12 and whom I have sent again. Therefore, receive him who is my own heart,
13 whom I wanted to keep with me so that he might have ministered to me in your place in the bonds of the Gospel.
14 But I do not wish to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness would not be out of necessity, but willingly.
15 Therefore, it may be that he departed for a season so that you would receive him forever
16 (no longer as a servant, but above a servant, as a beloved brother), especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord?
17 Therefore, if you count us as partners, receive him as me.
18 If he has hurt you, or owes you anything, put that on my account.
19 I, Paul, have written this with my own hand. I will repay it. Though I do not mention that even you owe me yourself.
20 Yes, brother, let me obtain this pleasure from you in the Lord. Comfort my heart in the Lord.
21 Trusting in your obedience, I wrote to you knowing that you will do even more than I say.
22 In addition, prepare lodging for me also. For I trust I shall be freely given to you through your prayers.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you;
24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow helpers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
(Written from Rome to Philemon and sent by Onesimus, a servant.)
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