Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
106 Hallelujah!
Give thanks to the Lord because he is good,
because his mercy endures forever.
2 Who can speak about all the mighty things the Lord has done?
Who can announce all the things for which he is worthy of praise?
3 Blessed are those who defend justice
and do what is right at all times.
4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people.
Come to help me with your salvation
5 so that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
find joy in our people’s happiness,
and brag with the people who belong to you.
6 We have sinned, and so did our ancestors.
We have done wrong.
We are guilty.
7 When our ancestors were in Egypt,
they gave no thought to your miracles.
They did not remember your numerous acts of mercy,
so they rebelled at the sea, the Red Sea.
8 He saved them because of his reputation
so that he could make his mighty power known.
9 He angrily commanded the Red Sea, and it dried up.
He led them through deep water as though it were a desert.
10 He rescued them from the power of the one who hated them.
He rescued them from the enemy.
11 Water covered their adversaries.
Not one Egyptian survived.
12 Then our ancestors believed what he said.
They sang his praise.
Jacob Gets Isaac’s Blessing
27 When Isaac was old and going blind, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “Son!”
Esau answered, “Here I am.”
2 Isaac said, “I’m old. I don’t know when I’m going to die. 3 Now take your hunting equipment, your quiver and bow, and go out into the open country and hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare a good-tasting meal for me, just the way I like it. Bring it to me to eat so that I will bless you before I die.”
5 Rebekah was listening while Isaac was speaking to his son Esau. When Esau went into the open country to hunt for some wild game to bring back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I’ve just heard your father speaking to your brother Esau. 7 He said, ‘Bring me some wild game, and prepare a good-tasting meal for me to eat so that I will bless you in the presence of the Lord before I die.’ 8 Now listen to me, Son, and do what I tell you. 9 Go to the flock, and get me two good young goats. I’ll prepare them as a good-tasting meal for your father, just the way he likes it. 10 Then take it to your father to eat so that he will bless you before he dies.”
11 Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “My brother Esau is a hairy man, and my skin is smooth.[a] 12 My father will feel ⌞my skin⌟ and think I’m mocking him. Then I’ll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing.”
13 His mother responded, “Let any curse on you fall on me, Son. Just obey me and go! Get me ⌞the young goats⌟.”
14 He went and got them and brought them to his mother. She prepared a good-tasting meal, just the way his father liked it. 15 Then Rebekah took her older son Esau’s good clothes, which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She put the skins from the young goats on his hands and on the back of his neck. 17 Then she gave her son Jacob the good-tasting meal and the bread she had prepared.
18 He went to his father and said, “Father?”
“Yes?” he answered. “Who are you, Son?”
19 Jacob answered his father, “I’m Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done what you told me. Sit up and eat this meat I’ve hunted for you so that you may bless me.”
20 Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, Son?”
“The Lord your God brought it to me,” he answered.
21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come over here so that I can feel your skin, Son, ⌞to find out⌟ whether or not you really are my son Esau.” 22 So Jacob went over to his father. Isaac felt ⌞his skin⌟. “The voice is Jacob’s,” he said, “but the hands are Esau’s.” 23 He didn’t recognize Jacob, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24 “Are you really my son Esau?” he asked him.
“I am,” Jacob answered.
25 Isaac said, “Bring me some of the game, and I will eat it, Son, so that I will bless you.” Jacob brought it to Isaac, and he ate it. Jacob also brought him wine, and he drank it.
26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and give me a kiss, Son.” 27 He went over and gave him a kiss. When Isaac smelled his clothes, he blessed him and said,
“The smell of my son
is like the smell of open country
that the Lord has blessed.
28 May God give you dew from the sky,
fertile fields on the earth,
and plenty of fresh grain and new wine.
29 May nations serve you.
May people bow down to you.
Be the master of your brothers,
and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed.
May those who bless you be blessed.”
Farewell
16 With this letter I’m introducing Phoebe to you. She is our sister in the Christian faith and a deacon of the church in the city of Cenchrea. 2 Give her a Christian welcome that shows you are God’s holy people. Provide her with anything she may need, because she has provided help to many people, including me.
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in the service of Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives to save me. I’m thankful to them and so are all the churches among the nations. 5 Also greet the church that meets in their house.
Greet my dear friend Epaenetus. He was the first person in the province of Asia to become a believer in Christ.
6 Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, who are Jewish by birth like me. They are prisoners like me and are prominent among the apostles. They also were Christians before I was.
8 Greet Ampliatus my dear friend in the service of the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus our coworker in the service of Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, a true Christian.
Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, who is Jewish by birth like me.
Greet those Christians who belong to the family of Narcissus.
12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard for the Lord.
Greet dear Persis, who has worked very hard for the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, that outstanding Christian, and his mother, who has been a mother to me too.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them.
15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all God’s people who are with them.
16 Greet each other with a holy kiss.
All the churches of Christ greet you.
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