Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A song of David.
15 Lord, who can live in your Holy Tent[a]?
Who can live on your holy mountain?
2 Only those who live pure lives, do what is right,
and speak the truth from their hearts.
3 Such people don’t say bad things about others.
They don’t do things to hurt their neighbors.
They don’t tell shameful things about those close to them.
4 They hate those who fail to please God
and honor those who respect the Lord.
If they make a promise to their neighbor,
they do what they promised.[b]
5 If they loan money to someone,
they do not charge them interest.
And they refuse to testify against an innocent person,
even if someone offers them money to do it.
Whoever lives like this will always stand strong.
Abram in Egypt
10 During this time there was not enough food in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live. 11 Just before they arrived in Egypt, Abram told Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a very beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptian men see you, they will say, ‘This woman is his wife.’ Then they will kill me and keep you alive because they want you. 13 So tell them that you are my sister. Then they will be good to me because of you. In this way you will save my life.”
14 So when Abram went into Egypt, the Egyptian men saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 15 Even some of Pharaoh’s officials noticed her and told Pharaoh how beautiful she was. So they took her to Pharaoh’s house. 16 Pharaoh was kind to Abram because he thought Abram was Sarai’s brother. He gave Abram sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and men and women servants.
17 Pharaoh took Abram’s wife, so the Lord caused Pharaoh and all the people in his house to have very bad diseases. 18 Pharaoh called Abram and said to him, “You have done a very bad thing to me! Why didn’t you tell me Sarai was your wife? 19 You said, ‘She is my sister.’ Why did you say that? I took her so that she could be my wife, but now I give your wife back to you. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh commanded his men to lead Abram out of Egypt. So Abram and his wife left that place and took everything they had with them.
5 Every Jewish high priest is chosen from among men. That priest is given the work of helping people with the things they must do for God. He must offer to God gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 The high priest has his own weaknesses. So he is able to be gentle with those who do wrong out of ignorance. 3 He offers sacrifices for their sins, but he must also offer sacrifices for his own sins.
4 To be a high priest is an honor. But no one chooses himself for this work. That person must be chosen by God just as Aaron was. 5 It is the same with Christ. He did not choose himself to have the honor of becoming a high priest. But God chose him. God said to him,
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.” (A)
6 And in another part of the Scriptures God says,
“You are a priest forever—
the kind of priest Melchizedek was.” (B)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International