Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Son of Promise(A)
18 Then the Lord appeared to him by [a]the (B)terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 (C)So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; (D)and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let (E)a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And (F)I will bring a morsel of bread, that (G)you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, (H)inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”
They said, “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 8 So (I)he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”
So he said, “Here, (J)in the tent.”
10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you (K)according to the time of life, and behold, (L)Sarah your wife shall have a son.”
(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)
The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord
A Psalm of David.
2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the (B)truth in his heart;
3 He who (C)does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
(D)Nor does he [b]take up a reproach against his friend;
4 (E)In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who (F)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things (G)shall never be moved.
15 He is (A)the image of the invisible God, (B)the firstborn over all creation. 16 For (C)by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or (D)dominions or [a]principalities or [b]powers. All things were created (E)through Him and for Him. 17 (F)And He is before all things, and in Him (G)all things consist. 18 And (H)He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, (I)the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Reconciled in Christ
19 For it pleased the Father that (J)in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and (K)by Him to reconcile (L)all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, (M)having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21 And you, (N)who once were alienated and enemies in your mind (O)by wicked works, yet now He has (P)reconciled 22 (Q)in the body of His flesh through death, (R)to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue (S)in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are (T)not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, (U)which was preached to every creature under heaven, (V)of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Sacrificial Service for Christ
24 (W)I now rejoice in my sufferings (X)for you, and fill up in my flesh (Y)what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for (Z)the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to (AA)the [c]stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 (AB)the [d]mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, (AC)but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 (AD)To them God willed to make known what are (AE)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: [e]which is (AF)Christ in you, (AG)the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, (AH)warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, (AI)that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Mary and Martha Worship and Serve
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named (A)Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, (B)who also (C)sat at [a]Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
41 And [b]Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But (D)one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.