Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Wrestling with God

²² And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, ^(A)and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. ²³ He took them, sent them ^[a]over the brook, and sent over what he had. ²⁴ Then Jacob was left alone; and ^(B)a Man wrestled with him until the ^[b]breaking of day. ²⁵ Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He ^[c]touched the socket of his hip; and ^(C)the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. ²⁶ And ^(D)He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”

But he said, ^(E)“I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

²⁷ So He said to him, “What is your name?”

He said, “Jacob.”

²⁸ And He said, ^(F)“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but ^[d]Israel; for you have ^(G)struggled with God and ^(H)with men, and have prevailed.”

²⁹ Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.”

And He said, ^(I)“Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He ^(J)blessed him there.

³⁰ So Jacob called the name of the place ^[e]Peniel: “For ^(K)I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” ³¹ Just as he crossed over ^[f]Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

God the Help of Those Who Seek Him

A Song of Ascents.

¹⁴ But you must ^(A)continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known ^(B)the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

^16 (C)All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, ^(D)and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for ^[a]instruction in righteousness, ^17 (E)that the man of God may be complete, ^(F)thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Preach the Word

4 I ^(G)charge you ^[b]therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, ^(H)who will judge the living and the dead ^[c]at His appearing and His kingdom: ² Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. ^(I)Convince, ^(J)rebuke, ^(K)exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. ^3 (L)For the time will come when they will not endure ^(M)sound doctrine, ^(N)but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and ^(O)be turned aside to fables. ⁵ But you be watchful in all things, ^(P)endure afflictions, do the work of ^(Q)an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men ^(A)always ought to pray and not lose heart, ² saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor ^[a]regard man. ³ Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ^[b]‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ ⁴ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ^5 (B)yet because this widow troubles me I will ^[c]avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. ⁷ And ^(C)shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? ⁸ I tell you ^(D)that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”