Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Mary’s Song: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said:
“(A)My soul [a](B)exalts the Lord,
47 And (C)my spirit has rejoiced in (D)God my Savior.
48 For (E)He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant;
For behold, from now on all generations will [b]call me (F)blessed.
49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
50 (G)And His mercy is to generation [c]after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 (H)He has done [d]mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the [e]thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has (I)exalted those who were humble.
53 (J)He has filled the hungry with good things,
And sent the rich away empty-handed.
54 He has given help to His servant Israel,
[f]In remembrance of His mercy,
55 (K)Just as He spoke to our fathers,
(L)To Abraham and his [g]descendants forever.”
Elkanah and His Wives
1 Now there was a man from (A)Ramathaim-zophim from the (B)hill country of Ephraim, and his name was (C)Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 And he had (D)two wives: the name of one was (E)Hannah and the name of the [a]other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man would go up from his city (F)yearly (G)to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of armies in (H)Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he (I)would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; 5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, because he loved Hannah, (J)but the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Her rival, moreover, (K)would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 And it happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, that she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. 8 Then Elkanah her husband would say to her, “Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you not eat, and why is your heart sad? (L)Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 Then Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of (M)the [b]temple of the Lord. 10 She, [c]greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she (N)made a vow and said, “Lord of armies, if You will indeed (O)look on the affliction of Your bond-servant and remember me, and not forget Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a [d]son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and (P)a razor shall never come on his head.”
12 Now it came about, as she [e]continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, (Q)she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were quivering, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought that she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “(R)How long will you behave like a drunk? Get rid of your wine!” 15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman [f]despairing in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I (S)have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not [g]consider your bond-servant a useless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “(T)Go in peace; and may the God of Israel (U)grant your request that you have asked of Him.” 18 She said, “(V)Let your bond-servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went on her way and ate, and (W)her face was no longer sad.
The Old and the New
9 Now even the first covenant had (A)regulations for divine worship and (B)the earthly sanctuary. 2 For (C)a [a]tabernacle was equipped, the [b]outer sanctuary, in which were (D)the lampstand, (E)the table, and (F)the [c]sacred bread; this is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind (G)the second veil there was a [d]tabernacle which is called the (H)Most Holy Place, 4 having a golden [e](I)altar of incense and (J)the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was (K)a golden jar holding the manna, (L)Aaron’s staff which budded, and (M)the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the (N)cherubim of glory (O)overshadowing the [f]atoning cover; but about these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests (P)are continually entering the [g]outer [h]tabernacle, performing the divine worship, 7 but into (Q)the second, only (R)the high priest enters (S)once a year, (T)not without taking blood which he (U)offers for himself and for the [i](V)sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 (W)The Holy Spirit is signifying this, (X)that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the [j]outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly (Y)both gifts and sacrifices are offered which (Z)cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to (AA)food, (AB)drink, and various (AC)washings, (AD)regulations for the [k]body imposed until (AE)a time of reformation.
11 But when Christ appeared as a (AF)high priest of the (AG)good things [l]having come, He entered through (AH)the greater and more perfect [m]tabernacle, (AI)not made by hands, that is, (AJ)not of this creation; 12 and not through (AK)the blood of goats and calves, but (AL)through His own blood, He (AM)entered the holy place (AN)once for all time, [n]having obtained (AO)eternal redemption. 13 For if (AP)the blood of goats and bulls, and (AQ)the [o]ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the [p]cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will (AR)the blood of Christ, who through [q](AS)the eternal Spirit (AT)offered Himself without blemish to God, (AU)cleanse your conscience from (AV)dead works to serve (AW)the living God?
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