Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

^18 (A)Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy ^(B)clothed with a linen ephod. ¹⁹ And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year ^(C)when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰ Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman ^(D)for the petition she asked of the Lord.” So then they would return to their home.

²⁶ Now the boy Samuel ^(A)continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.

Praise the Name of the Lord

^12 (A)Put on then, as ^(B)God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, ^(C)compassionate hearts, ^(D)kindness, ^(E)humility, meekness, and patience, ^13 (F)bearing with one another and, ^(G)if one has a complaint against another, ^(H)forgiving each other; ^(I)as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on ^(J)love, which ^(K)binds everything together in ^(L)perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let ^(M)the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called ^(N)in one body. And ^(O)be thankful. ¹⁶ Let ^(P)the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, ^(Q)singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, ^(R)with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And ^(S)whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, ^(T)giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ Now ^(A)his parents went ^(B)to Jerusalem every year at ^(C)the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when he was twelve years old, ^(D)they went up according to custom. ⁴³ And when the feast ^(E)was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. ^(F)His parents did not know it, ⁴⁴ but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ⁴⁵ and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple, ^(G)sitting among ^(H)the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ And when his parents^[a] saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, ^(I)your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” ⁴⁹ And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that ^(J)I must be in ^(K)my Father's house?”^{[b] 50} And ^(L)they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. ⁵¹ And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And ^(M)his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus ^(N)increased in wisdom and in stature^[c] and in ^(O)favor with God and man.