Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Abram Promised a Son
15 After these things (A)the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying,
2 But Abram said, “Lord [b]God, what will You give me, since I [c]am childless, and the [d]heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Abram also said, “[e]Since You have given me no [f]son, [g]one who has been (E)born in my house is my heir.” 4 Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; (F)but one who will come from your own [h]body shall be your heir.” 5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens and (G)count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “(H)So shall your [i]descendants be.” 6 (I)Then he believed in the Lord; and He [j]credited it to him as righteousness.
12 Blessed is the (A)nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has (B)chosen for His own inheritance.
13 The Lord (C)looks from heaven;
He (D)sees all the sons of mankind;
14 From (E)His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who (F)fashions [a]the hearts of them all,
He who (G)understands all their works.
16 (H)The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not rescued by great strength.
17 A (I)horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it rescue anyone by its great strength.
18 Behold, (J)the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who (K)wait for His faithfulness,
19 To (L)rescue their soul from death
And to keep them alive (M)in famine.
20 Our soul (N)waits for the Lord;
He is our (O)help and our shield.
21 For our (P)heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your favor, Lord, be upon us,
Just as we have waited for You.
The Triumphs of Faith
11 Now faith is the (A)certainty of things [a](B)hoped for, a [b]proof of (C)things not seen. 2 For by it the (D)people of old [c](E)gained approval.
3 By faith we understand that the [d](F)world has been created (G)by the word of God so that what is seen (H)has not been made out of things that are visible.
8 By faith (A)Abraham, when he was called, obeyed [a]by going out to a place which he was to (B)receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as a stranger in (C)the land of promise, as in a foreign land, (D)living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, (E)fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for (F)the city which has (G)foundations, (H)whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith even (I)Sarah herself received [b]ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him (J)faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore even from one man, and (K)one who was as good as dead [c]at that, there were born descendants who were (L)just as the stars of heaven in number, and as the innumerable grains of sand along the seashore.
13 (M)All these died in faith, (N)without receiving the promises, but (O)having seen and welcomed them from a distance, and (P)having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been [d]thinking of that country which they left, (Q)they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a (R)heavenly one. Therefore (S)God is not [e]ashamed to be (T)called their God; for (U)He has prepared a city for them.
32 [a](A)Do not be afraid, (B)little flock, because (C)your Father has chosen to give you the kingdom.
33 “(D)Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts that do not wear out, (E)an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor does a moth destroy. 34 For (F)where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Be in Readiness
35 “[b](G)Be prepared, and keep your (H)lamps lit. 36 You are also to be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door for him when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find (I)on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that (J)he will [c]prepare himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and he will come up and serve them. 38 (K)Whether he comes in the [d]second watch, or even in the [e]third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “(L)But [f]be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be (M)broken into. 40 (N)You too, be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think He will.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.