Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
22 During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female slaves, and his 11 sons, and crossed the ford of Jabbok.(A) 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions.
Jacob Wrestles with God
24 Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.(B) 25 When the man saw that He could not defeat him, He struck Jacob’s hip socket as they wrestled and dislocated his hip. 26 Then He said to Jacob, “Let Me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.”
27 “What is your name?” the man asked.
“Jacob,” he replied.
28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,”(C) He said. “It will be Israel[a] because you have struggled with God(D) and with men and have prevailed.”
29 Then Jacob asked Him, “Please tell me Your name.”
But He answered, “Why do you ask My name?”(E) And He blessed him there.
30 Jacob then named the place Peniel,[b] “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “and I have been delivered.”(F) 31 The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel[c](G)—limping because of his hip.
Psalm 121
The Lord Our Protector
A song of ascents.
1 I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?(A)
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(B)
3 He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.(C)
4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.(D)
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you,(A) 15 and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures,(B) which are able to give you wisdom for salvation(C) through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God[a](D) and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.(E)
Fulfill Your Ministry
4 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge(F) the living and the dead,(G) and because of His appearing and His kingdom:(H) 2 Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine,(I) but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new.[b] 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.(J) 5 But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,(K) fulfill your ministry.
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
18 He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray(A) always and not become discouraged:(B) 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God(C) or respect man. 3 And a widow(D) in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps(E) pestering me,[a] I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear me out[b] by her persistent coming.’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 Will not God grant justice(F) to His elect(G) who cry out to Him day and night?(H) Will He delay(I) to help them?[c] 8 I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes,(J) will He find that faith[d] on earth?”
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.