Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Isaac’s Birth Foretold

18 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great oak trees of Mamre while he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. ² Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself toward the ground.

³ He said, “My Lord, if I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass by Your servant. ⁴ Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. ⁵ I will bring a piece of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. After that you may pass on, now that you have come to your servant.”

And they said, “So do, as you have said.”

⁶ So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three measures^[a] of fine flour, knead it, and make cakes.”

⁷ Then Abraham ran to the herd and took a choice and tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. ⁸ He then brought butter and milk and the calf that he had prepared and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

⁹ They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”

And he said, “There, in the tent.”

¹⁰ One of them said, “I will certainly return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

Psalm 15

A Psalm of David.

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God and the firstborn of every creature. ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. ¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that in all things He may have the preeminence. ¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and to reconcile all things to Himself by Him, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him, I say—whether they are things in earth, or things in heaven.

²¹ And you, who were formerly alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled ²² in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in His sight, ²³ if you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and are not removed from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Paul’s Ministry to the Church

²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake and fill up in my flesh that which is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church. ²⁵ I have been made a servant of it according to the commission of God, which has been given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, ²⁶ even the mystery which has been hidden from past ages and generations, but now is revealed to His saints. ²⁷ To them God would make known what is the glorious riches of this mystery among the nations. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory, ²⁸ whom we preach, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present them perfect in Christ Jesus.

Visiting Martha and Mary

³⁸ As they went, He entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His teaching. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Then tell her to help me.”

⁴¹ Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. ⁴² But one thing is needed. And Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken from her.”