Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

מ MEM

Jethro’s Advice^(A)

18 And ^(B)Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that ^(C)God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. ² Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took ^(D)Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, ³ with her ^(E)two sons, of whom the name of one was ^[a]Gershom (for he said, ^(F)“I have been a ^[b]stranger in a foreign land”) ⁴ and the name of the other was ^[c]Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my ^(G)help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”); ⁵ and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at ^(H)the mountain of God. ⁶ Now he had said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

⁷ So Moses ^(I)went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and ^(J)kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent. ⁸ And Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the Lord had ^(K)delivered them. ⁹ Then Jethro rejoiced for all the ^(L)good which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ And Jethro said, ^(M)“Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. ¹¹ Now I know that the Lord is ^(N)greater than all the gods; ^(O)for in the very thing in which they ^[d]behaved ^(P)proudly, He was above them.” ¹² Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, ^[e]took a burnt ^(Q)offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel ^(R)to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

^27 (A)To them God willed to make known what are ^(B)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: ^[a]which is ^(C)Christ in you, ^(D)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we preach, ^(E)warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, ^(F)that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me ^(G)mightily.

Not Philosophy but Christ

2 For I want you to know what a great ^(H)conflict^[b] I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, ² that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, ^[c]both of the Father and of Christ, ^3 (I)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴ Now this I say ^(J)lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. ⁵ For ^(K)though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing ^[d]to see ^(L)your good order and the ^(M)steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

^6 (N)As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ^7 (O)rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding ^[e]in it with thanksgiving.