Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 94

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.^(A)”^(B)

¹⁵ He also said, “Bring me the shawl^(C) you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he^[a] went back to town.

¹⁶ When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her ¹⁷ and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

¹⁸ Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”^(D)

Boaz Marries Ruth

4 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate^(E) and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer^[b](F) he had mentioned^(G) came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

² Boaz took ten of the elders^(H) of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.^{(I) 3} Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.^{(J) 4} I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you^[c] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,^(K) and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,^(L) the^[d] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”^(M)

⁶ At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem^(N) it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”^(O)

⁹ No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, ¹⁰ and is well known for her good deeds,^(A) such as bringing up children, showing hospitality,^(B) washing the feet^(C) of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble^(D) and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

¹¹ As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. ¹² Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. ¹³ Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies^(E) who talk nonsense,^(F) saying things they ought not to. ¹⁴ So I counsel younger widows to marry,^(G) to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.^{(H) 15} Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.^(I)

¹⁶ If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.^(J)