Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
[a] A song of David.
37 Don’t get upset about evil people.
Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.
2 They are like grass and other green plants
that dry up quickly and then die.
3 So trust in the Lord and do good.
Live on your land and be dependable.[b]
4 Enjoy serving the Lord,
and he will give you whatever you ask for.
5 Depend on the Lord.
Trust in him, and he will help you.
6 He will make it as clear as day that you are right.
Everyone will see that you are being fair.
7 Trust in the Lord and wait quietly for his help.
Don’t be angry when people make evil plans and succeed.
8 Don’t become so angry and upset that you, too, want to do evil.
9 The wicked will be destroyed,
but those who call to the Lord for help will get the land he promised.
10 In a short time there will be no more evil people.
You can look for them all you want, but they will be gone.
11 Humble people will get the land God promised,
and they will enjoy peace.
12 The wicked plan bad things for those who are good.
They show their teeth in anger at them.
13 But our Lord will laugh at them.
He will make sure they get what they deserve.
14 The wicked draw their swords to kill the poor and the helpless.
They aim their arrows to murder all who live right.
15 But their bows will break,
and their swords will pierce their own hearts.
16 A few good people are better
than a large crowd of those who are evil.
17 The wicked will be destroyed,
but the Lord cares for those who are good.
The Threshing Floor
3 Then Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, maybe I should find a husband and a good home for you. That would be good for you. 2 Boaz is our close relative.[a] You worked with his women servants. Tonight he will be working at the threshing floor. 3 Go wash yourself and get dressed. Put on a nice dress, and go down to the threshing floor. But don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating his dinner. 4 After he eats, he will lie down to rest. Watch him so that you will know where he lies down. Go there and lift the cover off his feet.[b] Then lie down there with Boaz. He will tell you what you should do about marriage.”
5 Then Ruth answered, “I will do what you say.”
6 So Ruth went down to the threshing floor and did everything that her mother-in-law told her to do. 7 After eating and drinking, Boaz was very satisfied. He went to lie down near the pile of grain. Then Ruth went to him very quietly and lifted the cover from his feet and lay down by his feet.
8 About midnight, Boaz rolled over in his sleep and woke up. He was very surprised. There was a woman lying near his feet. 9 Boaz said, “Who are you?”
She said, “I am Ruth, your servant girl. Spread your cover over me.[c] You are my protector.”
10 Then Boaz said, “May the Lord bless you, young woman. You have been very kind to me. Your kindness to me is greater than the kindness you showed to Naomi in the beginning. You could have looked for a young man to marry, rich or poor. But you did not. 11 Now, young woman, don’t be afraid. I will do what you ask. All the people in our town know that you are a very good woman. 12 And it is true that I am a close relative. But there is a man who is a closer relative to you than I am. 13 Stay here tonight. In the morning we will see if he will help[d] you. If he decides to help you, that is fine. If he refuses to help, I promise, as surely as the Lord lives, I will marry you and buy back Elimelech’s land for you.[e] So lie here until morning.”
13 So Boaz married Ruth. The Lord allowed Ruth to become pregnant, and she had a son. 14 The women there said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord who gave you this child.[a] May he become famous in Israel. 15 He will make you alive again and care for you in your old age. Your daughter-in-law made it happen because she bore this child for you. She loves you, and she is better for you than seven sons.”
16 Naomi took the boy, held him in her arms, and cared for him. 17 The neighbors gave the boy his name. These women said, “Naomi has a son now!”[b] They named him Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.
The Family of Ruth and Boaz
18 This is the family history of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron.
19 Hezron was the father of Ram.
Ram was the father of Amminadab.
20 Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
21 Salmon was the father of Boaz.
Boaz was the father of Obed.
22 Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of David.
Jesus Teaches and Heals the People(A)
17 Jesus and the apostles came down from the mountain. Jesus stood on a flat place. A large crowd of his followers was there. Also, there were many people from all around Judea, Jerusalem, and the seacoast cities of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They all came to hear Jesus teach and to be healed of their sicknesses. He healed the people who were troubled by evil spirits. 19 Everyone was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him. Jesus healed them all.
20 Jesus looked at his followers and said,
“Great blessings belong to you who are poor.
God’s kingdom belongs to you.
21 Great blessings belong to you who are hungry now.
You will be filled.
Great blessings belong to you who are crying now.
You will be happy and laughing.
22 “People will hate you because you belong to the Son of Man. They will make you leave their group. They will insult you. They will think it is wrong even to say your name. When these things happen, know that great blessings belong to you. 23 You can be happy then and jump for joy, because you have a great reward in heaven. The ancestors of those people did the same things to the prophets.
24 “But how bad it will be for you rich people,
because you had your easy life.
25 How bad it will be for you people who are full now,
because you will be hungry.
How bad it will be for you people who are laughing now,
because you will be sad and cry.
26 “How bad it is when everyone says nothing but good about you. Just look at the false prophets. Their ancestors always said good things about them.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International