Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

^22-24 But during the night he got up and wakened^[a] his two wives and his two concubines and eleven sons, and sent them across the Jordan River at the Jabbok ford with all his possessions, then returned again to the camp and was there alone; and a Man wrestled with him until dawn. ²⁵ And when the Man saw that he couldn’t win the match, he struck Jacob’s hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket.

²⁶ Then the Man said, “Let me go, for it is dawn.”

But Jacob panted, “I will not let you go until you bless me.”

²⁷ “What is your name?” the Man asked.

“Jacob,” was the reply.

²⁸ “It isn’t anymore!” the Man told him. “It is Israel—one who has power with God. Because you have been strong with God, you shall prevail with men.”

²⁹ “What is your name?” Jacob asked him.

“No, you mustn’t ask,” the Man told him. And he blessed him there.

³⁰ Jacob named the place “Peniel” (“The Face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is spared.” ³¹ The sun rose as he started on, and he was limping because of his hip.

121 Shall I look to the mountain gods for help? ² No! My help is from Jehovah who made the mountains! And the heavens too! ^3-4 He will never let me stumble, slip, or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping.

⁵ Jehovah himself is caring for you! He is your defender.^{[a] 6} He protects you day and night. ⁷ He keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. ⁸ He keeps his eye upon you as you come and go and always guards you.

¹⁴ But you must keep on believing the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know that you can trust those of us who have taught you. ¹⁵ You know how, when you were a small child, you were taught the holy Scriptures; and it is these that make you wise to accept God’s salvation by trusting in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ The whole Bible^[a] was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. ¹⁷ It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone.

4 And so I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus—who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom— ² to preach the Word of God urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct and rebuke your people when they need it, encourage them to do right, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God’s Word.

³ For there is going to come a time when people won’t listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear. ⁴ They won’t listen to what the Bible says but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas.

⁵ Stand steady, and don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Bring others to Christ. Leave nothing undone that you ought to do.

18 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must keep praying until the answer comes.

² “There was a city judge,” he said, “a very godless man who had great contempt for everyone. ³ A widow of that city came to him frequently to appeal for justice against a man who had harmed her. ^4-5 The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she got on his nerves.

“‘I fear neither God nor man,’ he said to himself, ‘but this woman bothers me. I’m going to see that she gets justice, for she is wearing me out with her constant coming!’”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “If even an evil judge can be worn down like that, ⁷ don’t you think that God will surely give justice to his people who plead with him day and night? ⁸ Yes! He will answer them quickly! But the question is: When I, the Messiah,^[a] return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying?”