Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Lord Praised for His Goodness.
111 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
I (A)will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart,
In the (B)company of the upright and in the assembly.
2 (C)Great are the works of the Lord;
They are [c](D)studied by all who delight in them.
3 [d](E)Splendid and majestic is His work,
And (F)His righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused His [e]wonders [f]to be remembered;
The Lord is (G)gracious and compassionate.
5 He has (H)given [g]food to those who [h]fear Him;
He will (I)remember His covenant forever.
6 He has made known to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of His hands are [i](J)truth and justice;
All His precepts (K)are trustworthy.
8 They are (L)upheld forever and ever;
They are performed in [j](M)truth and uprightness.
9 He has sent (N)redemption to His people;
He has [k]ordained His covenant forever;
(O)Holy and [l]awesome is His name.
10 The [m](P)fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
All those who [n]follow (Q)His commandments have a good understanding;
His (R)praise endures forever.
Birth of Isaac Promised
18 Now (A)the Lord appeared to [a]Abraham by the [b](B)oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 When he raised his eyes and looked, behold, three (C)men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down to the ground, 3 and said, “[c]My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not [d]pass Your servant by. 4 Please let a little water be brought and (D)wash [e]your feet, and make yourselves comfortable under the tree; 5 and I will [f](E)bring a piece of bread, so that you may [g]refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have [h]visited your servant.” And they said, “So do as you have said.” 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “[i]Quickly, prepare three [j]measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread cakes.” 7 Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and [k]choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it. 8 He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree [l]as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10 He said, “(F)I will certainly return to you [m]at this time next year; and behold, your wife Sarah will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now (G)Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was (H)past [n]childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed [o]to herself, saying, “(I)After I have become old, am I to have pleasure, my (J)lord being old also?” 13 But the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I actually give birth to a child, when I am so old?’ 14 (K)Is anything too [p]difficult for the Lord? At the (L)appointed time I will return to you, [q]at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Sarah denied it, however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
God’s Provisions
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last (A)you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked an opportunity to act. 11 Not that I speak [a]from need, for I have learned to be [b](B)content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going (C)hungry, both of having abundance and (D)suffering need. 13 I can do all things [c]through Him who (E)strengthens me. 14 Nevertheless, you have done well to (F)share with me in my difficulty.
15 You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the [d](G)first preaching of the gospel, after I left (H)Macedonia, no church (I)shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone; 16 for even in (J)Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. 17 (K)Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek the [e]profit which increases to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am [f]amply supplied, having received from (L)Epaphroditus [g]what you have sent, [h](M)a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And (N)my God will supply [i]all your needs according to His (O)riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to (P)our God and Father (Q)be the glory [j]forever and ever. Amen.
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