Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 15
A Description of the Godly
A Davidic psalm.
2 The one who lives honestly, 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 money at interest(H)
or take a bribe against the innocent(I)—
the one who does these things will never be moved.(J)
Abram Rescues Lot
14 In those days Amraphel king of Shinar,(A) Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam,[a](B) and Tidal[b] king of Goiim[c] 2 waged war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim,(C) as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar(D)). 3 All of these came as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea(E)). 4 They were subject to Chedorlaomer for 12 years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim(F) in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham,(G) the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites(H) in the mountains of Seir, as far as El-paran(I) by the wilderness. 7 Then they came back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh(J)), and they defeated all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.(K)
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and lined up for battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim contained many asphalt pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them,[d] but the rest fled to the mountains.(L) 11 The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on. 12 They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom,(M) and they went on.
13 One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew,(N) who lived near the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with[e] Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled[f] his 318 trained men, born in his household,(O) and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.(P) 15 And he and his servants deployed against them by night, attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus. 16 He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.
The Parable of the Sower
4 As a large crowd was gathering, and people were flocking to Him from every town, He said in a parable:(A) 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky ate it up. 6 Other seed fell on the rock; when it sprang up, it withered, since it lacked moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground; when it sprang up, it produced a crop: 100 times what was sown.”(B) As He said this, He called out, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!”(C)
Why Jesus Used Parables
9 Then His disciples asked Him, “What does this parable mean?”(D) 10 So He said, “The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you(E) to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that
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