Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 15
A Description of the Godly
A psalm of David.
2 The one who lives blamelessly, practices righteousness,
and acknowledges the truth in his heart(C)—
3 who does not slander with his tongue,(D)
who does not harm his friend
or discredit his neighbor,(E)
4 who despises the one rejected by the Lord[a]
but honors those who fear the Lord,(F)
who keeps his word whatever the cost,(G)
5 who does not lend his silver at interest(H)
or take a bribe against the innocent(I)—
the one who does these things will never be shaken.(J)
Abram and Lot Separate
13 Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev(A)—he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. 3 He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, 4 to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of the Lord there.(B)
5 Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6 But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together,(C) 7 and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock.(D) (At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.)(E)
8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives. 9 Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
10 Lot looked out and saw that the entire plain[a] of the Jordan(F) as far as Zoar(G) was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden(H) and the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)(I) 11 So Lot chose the entire plain of the Jordan for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other. 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities on the plain and set up his tent near Sodom. 13 (Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely[b] against the Lord.)(J)
14 After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west,(K) 15 for I will give you and your offspring[c] forever all the land that you see.(L) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth,(M) so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”
18 So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron,(N) where he built an altar to the Lord.
Prayer for Spiritual Power
14 For this reason I kneel(A) before the Father[a] 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches(B) of his glory,(C) to be strengthened with power(D) in your inner being(E) through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,(F) 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able(G) to do above and beyond all that we ask or think(H) according to the power(I) that works in us— 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.(J)
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